I think the first person that I saw a navel piercing on was Britney Spears or Beyonce Knowles from Destiny's Child and since then i fell in love with them, I was probably ten years old and living in London, England.
At A Glance Author ~amynicola* Contact ~amynicola*@bme.anon When It just happened Artist Jane..I think. Studio Fingers Faces & Feet Location Moncton, NB Fast foward three years and when I was thirteen I approached the parents with the simple question
"Can I get my navel pierced?"
By this time I had found BME (which has helped me so much in planning for this piercing & am sure will continue to help me in the future) I had read so many experiences, knew all the risks, found the aftercare, so I was very prepared and informed and even had a letter of proposal. However, the answer was still no, everytime I tried, but my Mom promised that when i was 16 I could get it done.
For the next 2-3 years I frequently looked at pictures & literally over a hundred experiences on BME, I loved reading them as they were so interesting. I also accompanied a few friends to get theirs done, but I didn't want to be dishonest and spoil the close relationship i have with my parents.These factors made me want the piercing even more and I couldn't wait until I could share my experience with BME readers.
A few months before my 16th birthday after I had sculpted my stomach and shed some extra weight I had been carrying, I casually was looking at BME in front of my mom & again brought up navel piercing (I expected her to give the same answer she gave the other hundred times I asked her), but to my surprise she said I'll think about it and get back to you in a month. I guess she forgot or put it to the back of her mind because we moved house. But, randomly a week before my birthday I asked her if I could make an appointment. My mom knew I wasn't going to forget about her promise since I'd ask all this time. I told her where I wanted to go because my best friend and her sister had gotten it done there and their mother was a nurse who had given it a thorough check. My mom gave in and said I could make the appointment for whenever I wanted. I called and asked all the necessary questions myself and because I got nervous I made the appointment for just over two weeks ahead: Friday July 28th at 11:00am.
The Day:
I was so excited, I couldn't stop thinking about what was going to happen when i woke up. Everyone had told me it didn't hurt, so I wasn't too nervous. My Mom and little sister whose 5(she was getting her ears done) all drove down to Fingers, Faces & Feet at 11.
When we got up there I immediately noticed that it was very clean, I met my piercer and she seemed very friendly. We went into another room to all pick out jewelry, she showed me more than 30 different barbells and captive bead rings to choose from(I knew I wanted a barbell because I prefer the way they look to CBRS, no offence just my personal preference)after deliberating I chose a surgical steel curved silver barbell with two clear jewels in both balls (I almost chose pink, but clear matches with everything) my mom also said I could get my ears re-pierced for the third or fourth time so I chose jewelry for that too, but that's for another experience.
My piercer went to sterilize my jewelry, and the needle and clamps and other supplies she would need. I was still not too nervous at this time. I went in after my little sister did her ears and she cleaned the area with some orangey-brown stuff, I forget what she called it, and marked the exit and entry holes just like I knew would happen. She checked to see if I liked the placement and on the second try it was perfect. I proceeded to lie down on the dentist type chair and she reclined it back, I must admit at this point I was nervous, but I refused to see the needle, although from watching my friends I had seen the thickness of it.
She clamped my skin and said this is usually the worst part of the procedure(Countless people had already told me this). Now in my opinion the clamps gave some discomfort, but it wasn't unbearable. She told me to take deep breaths in and out, so I did that and looked at my Mom who was holding my hand. I felt some pressure on the underside of my navel and new the needle was about to enter, then as it broke my skin it hurt and then when it broke the other hole it was actually very painful I looked at my mom as I was about to cry, she said "It's Okay to cry", so i took a breath but the pain wasn't there anymore. I realized that everyone had lied to me when they said it was a pinch, it was no pinch i'd every felt(and I was a competitive gymnast for 8 years and encountered many injuries so i have a medium pain threshold), it actually is painful, but only for a second, as soon as you register the pain and grimace it's gone.
Next she threaded my jewelry through which pushed out the needle, this felt unusual, as it was a foreign object and gave minor discomfort. She then screwed on the top balls and told me she was done. During the procedure my Mom (who is quite squeamish) let out groans and squeals of "Oh Dear God, I can't watch, I'm going to pass out" but she held my hand the whole way through and was supportive because I knew she didn't really want me to have the piercing, but she let me, so I thank her.
After getting my ears pierced which felt like nothing compared, we went to pay the $74 dollars for all the piercings we had that day, my piercer gave me a detailed aftercare sheet and told me what brands of things to buy, answered the rest of my questions and then my Mom, little sister and I went on our merry way.
Upon her reccommendation I purchased Dial liquid antibacterial soap(a lot of other people have this too as I have read on the experiences) some saline solution and q-tips for the crusties. Currently it has been, 7 hours since my piercing and it feels and looks fine, it's not really too red around the entry and exit holes either. However its a little sore by the top ball, and when I bend or move a certain way it hurts, but it's way bearable and way worth it. I plan on taking excellent care of my piercing and refuse to touch it unless i'm cleaning it, I can't wait for it to heal, as I am not taking my jewelry out until it has done.
Overall I am very happy that I got this piercing done, I have no regrets whatsoever. To anyone who is considering getting a standard navel piercing, my advice would be to do your research and look for a reputable place to get it done then take good care of it. I can't wait to see what the future holds for me and my new standard navel piercing and at long last I can finally say that I am the owner of a navel piercing. I know they are common, but it means so much more to me, it gorgeously adorns my stomach and I love it. When I get my pictures downloaded, I will definitely be uploading them to BME. Good luck future piercees, go for it. Remember: No pain, no gain!