Last Updated on December 29, 2023
Belly piercing is a delicate human body piercing that takes a long time to heal fully.
The skin around a belly ring is densely packed with nerves, so switching jewelry too quickly might result in complications, discomfort, and infection. You must wait for the piercing to heal completely to avoid issues.
Read on to get answers to the following questions:
- When can I change my belly piercing?
- How do I know if my belly piercing is healed?
- How do I care for my belly piercing?
- How do I change my belly piercing?
When Can I Change My Belly Piercing?
You can change your belly piercing when it is completely healed.
Before changing your belly piercing for the first time, we suggest waiting at least three months. However, depending on your skin type, care, and hygiene, it might take much longer. If you give the skin time to heal, switching jewelry will be easy and painless.
The healing process for the skin goes through several stages. The piercing may appear to be in good condition after a few weeks. However, the enlargement might return in the next month, with fluids in the navel and a crust all around the ring.
How Do I Know If My Belly Piercing Is Healed?
Here are a few signs to know when your belly piercing is fully healed: Dab around the piercing with a tissue. The piercing isn’t healed if there’s any drainage; examine your navel to check whether it is enlarged. When you have a piercing, swelling is fairly frequent.
It’s possible that your navel is still swollen and not totally healed if you only see a little portion of the belly ring on either end; the skin around your stomach will be the same color as your piercing once it has healed fully. If the piercing moves up and down freely, it is a positive sign that the wound has healed.
How Do I Care For My Belly Piercing?
Caring for your belly piercing is very important to prevent infections or delayed healing. Before you touch your piercing, wash your hands. Also, until the area has healed, don’t allow anybody else to touch it.
To clean it and avoid infection, swab it with a saline solution. At least once a day, dab the region with a clean cloth or a paper towel moistened with saline solution. You may buy it ready-made or make your own by dissolving 1/8 teaspoon salt in 1 cup of warm, distilled water. If your piercer advises you to use soap, choose a light, scent-free kind. Rinse well to remove any soap residue. Using a clean, disposable paper product, gently dry the area.
Any crust should be left alone. It’s common for your new piercing to exude a white or yellow-colored fluid. This might cause a crust to develop, which can itch or feel tight. Picking at it will cause the region to bleed, so try not to do so. As your piercing heals, the crust will fall off on its own. Clean, loose, and soft clothing is recommended. Tight garments and rough fabric push on your piercing, causing it to heal more slowly. To protect your belly button, you can use a flexible, elastic bandage to secure an eye patch over it.
Stay away from lakes, hot tubs, and swimming pools. A waterproof bandage may be useful, but it’s preferable to stay away from any water that might be contaminated and cause an infection. Wearing pendants or dangly jewelry in your piercing is not recommended. Hanging or dangly charms or jewelry can rip your flesh if they are tugged. Keep an eye out for indications of illness. Redness, swelling, yellow or green drainage, and discomfort when you touch the location are some of the symptoms. Call your doctor right away if you develop any of these symptoms.
How Do I Change My Belly Piercing?
When it comes to changing your piercing for the first time, the most difficult part will be avoiding infection. Here are a few tips to help you out:
- Wash your hands with a decent antibacterial soap.
- Use saline to clean: Using a saline solution or alcohol, clean the pierced area. This will keep your piercing from being infected. The fewer bacteria your belly piercing is exposed to, the more likely it is to be effective.
- Clean Your Jewelry: To sterilize your jewelry, soak it in alcohol. Remove the alcohol from the jewelry and allow it to dry completely before attempting to implant it into your piercing. Be cautious if your belly jewelry is made of acrylic or contains gemstones, as alcohol may cause the jewelry to deteriorate. If you can’t use alcohol on your jewelry, make sure it’s clean by washing it with antibacterial soap.
- Remove your jewelry by unscrewing it. The jewelry item should simply slip out after removing the stay ball. If you can’t pull it out, it’s most likely because the piercing hasn’t healed or has healed incorrectly. Replace the jewelry as soon as possible after removing it.
