Body piercing is when a needle is put through part of the body and then a
foreign object is inserted as jewellery. Eventually, the skin around the
jewellery heals and a hole is left. The hole is the piercing. It is
perfectly safe when done by professionals who are careful.
DO NOT pierce your own belly button. The piercing needs to be done with a
sterilized needle, gloves and other sterilized pieces of equipment.
Belly button piercings may migrate within about five to ten years, and
then they will fall out.
Belly piercings take time to heal - approx 4 months to 1 year
Belly piercing is a big decision. The following information will help you
make a decision that's best for you. Make sure you go to a reputable
piercer and see your doctor if you have symptoms of an infection!
Which piercing salon to use?
You should ask friends and relatives with piercings where they went and if
they liked the place.
Is the salon clean and safe as this can help you keep healthy after
getting your piercing, and prevent you from contracting diseases? Is it
well lit so the piercer can see well while working? You should feel safe
there.
Do they wash their hands and use sterile gloves and instruments? All the
instruments should either be brand new and disposable (meant to be thrown
away after one use) or be sterilized in pouches. If disposable needles are
used, you should see him/her open sealed packages of the needles! The
piercer should throw away the needles in a biohazard container after using
them. If disposable needles are not used the salon should have
sterilization equipment on site, which you should ask to see. If they
refuse to show you, go somewhere else.
A piercing gun should not be used (except on ears) because it cannot be
sterilized properly. If the salon uses a piercing "gun" to do body
piercings - LEAVE!!
Look for a salon that has a large choice of jewellery. The salon should
not tell you what kind of jewellery to have.
What kind of jewellery should you buy?
Only jewellery made of a non-corrosive metal, such as: surgical stainless
steel is safe when you first have your piercing done. It is least likely
to produce a foreign body reaction or infection in the skin. Other choices
for when you first have your piercing done are metals like solid gold (at
least 18k), titanium, or niobium. All of these cost more than surgical
steel. For people who are extremely sensitive to metal, Teflon or nylon
piercings may be used. Gold plated jewellery should NOT be used.
Regulations
Since the law is different in each country, you will need to find out what
the law in your country says about:
� Minimum age for belly piercing
� Whether or not you need parental permission to have a piercing
� What qualifications and regulations the salon should have and should be
displayed
How is it done and does it hurt?
Immediately before piercing, the piercer should wash and dry his or her
hands and put on latex gloves. The gloves should be worn at all times
during the procedure. If the piercer leaves the procedure and touches
something or returns later and you haven't seen everything he or she has
done, ask them to put on new gloves.
An experienced piercer uses a hollow needle to create a hole by passing
the needle through the body part you want pierced. The body jewellery is
then inserted through the hole. Sometimes there can be a small amount of
bleeding. You should not take aspirin or any pain medication that contains
aspirin the week before any piercing is done, since these medicines may
cause you to bleed a little bit more than usual.
As for the 'pain' issue. It's going to vary from person to person as
different people perceive pain in different ways. Everyone has a different
tolerance level, so really you just have to experience it for yourself.
The piercer should give you instructions about cleaning, maintenance,
etc., if they don't, ask questions (it's your body, you deserve to know
how to take care of it).
What are the risks?
The most common piercing problem is infection. Infection is quite common
and is easily cured with the proper care and attention. Another risk with
a piercing is that your body might reject it. If it does, this may cause
swelling and pain. If your piercing is causing you a lot of pain or
continually gets infected, you may want to remove your piercing and get it
re-pierced once it has healed. Infections may be caused by hepatitis, HIV,
tetanus, bacteria, and yeast. If the piercer washes their hands and uses
gloves and sterile equipment and you take good care of your piercing, the
risk of infection is lowered (but still exists).
As with other piercings, the belly button piercing is going to be swollen,
red, and have pus. It could be painful. If the piercing does not improve
in the next couple of days pull out the piercing. Some bodies do not like
piercing. It will not heal properly and it has nothing to do with the
piercing itself or the piercer. It has to do with that particular person's
body. The belly button piercing can be rejected by the body.
There is no real danger by the piercing itself, but it is important to
take care of it. The dangers are once it is in. The reason is that it is
on the front of the body with clothing constantly rubbing against the
piercing. People have a tendency to touch the piercing and transfer germs
from their fingers to the ring. Once it rotates into the piercing a few
bellybuttons can get infected.
Infections caused by bacteria getting into the puncture of the piercing
may also happen later, even after the piercing has healed.
Another cause of problems from piercings is the wrong kind of jewellery
for the area pierced. If the jewellery is too small, it can actually cut
off the blood supply to the tissue, causing swelling and pain. If the
jewellery is either too thin or too heavy or if you are allergic to the
metal, your body can sometimes reject the jewellery (your body reacts
against the jewellery because it is a "foreign object").
How to take care of the piercing
Clean the piercing at least twice a day until it has healed. This is done
by;
� Always washing your hands with soap and water (or antibacterial soap)
before cleaning
� Removing and crusty skin from the piercing and from the jewellery with
warm water
� Gently washing the piercing with a saline solution (sea salt mixed with
water) or antibacterial soap
� Gently rinsing the area to remove the solution or soap
� Gently drying the area with a paper towel (do not use cloth towels as
these may contain bacteria)
� Do not over wash or scrub as this can irritate the piercing
Check your jewellery while cleaning it to see if any parts have come loose
Do not use alcohol or peroxide or any other strong solution as this will
cause irritation and/or discolour the jewellery
Do not let anyone tough the piercing until it is healed
If you are not cleaning the piercing then do not touch it!!
Avoid taking baths, take showers instead to avoid sitting in bacteria
Do not use hot tubs, swimming pools, lakes, seas as these are breeding
grounds for bacteria
Always clean the piercing after exercise or playing sport as bacteria love
damp moist spots
Do not use antibacterial cream as these trap bacteria
Always wear clean loose clothing while the piercing is healing to allow
the air to circulate around the piercing. Clothing should be made of soft
fabric and should not cling or rub the piercing. Avoid jeans, leotards,
belts, body suits and tights until the piercing is healed
Change your bed sheets once a week to help avoid infection
Do NOT attempt to change the piercing during the healing process. When you
get it pierced ask the piercer how long you need to wait before you can.
Always look out for signs of infection; bad smell, discharge, redness,
soreness, swelling, rash around the piercing. If you think you have an
infection always go and see your doctor.
Be careful with your piercing - it will take time to heal and for you to
get used to it
