Problems with Belly Button Piercing - Is My Belly Button Piercing Infected?

Belly Button Piercing

Navel piercings are probably one of the most popular piercing for females, besides the basic ear lobe piercing. Belly button piercings are most common among youth between 12 and about 18, but that doesn't mean that middle-aged women can't sport a navel ring.
Because the piercing is quite common, there is a lot of information on the web about it, but not all of the information is accurate. The most common inaccuracy is removing the jewelry of an infected piercing; never do that, as you can block in the infection causing an abscess beneath the skin. You want to have proper drainage so that the infection and pus can properly drain and heal.

When researching information about navel piercings, you want to make sure that you get the right information and the proper knowledge before you show up at the tattoo shop. By doing proper research, you'll find your healing time will be a breeze, and you'll potentially be able to reduce any, if not all, potential risks.
Keep in mind that it does take about 6 months to a year to properly heal a navel piercing. When you think that the piercing is healed within a few weeks, think again. The outer area heals well before the inside of the piercing. Keep cleaning and keep following proper aftercare for several more months.

You want to avoid developing an infection as best as you can, as an infection is the most common complication and risk of getting a belly button piercing. Bacteria can easily get into a new piercing, grow, and cause a mild to severe infection. Any type of pollutant, whether it's from your sweat, polluted water, dirty fingers, etc., can all easily cause infection.
It is very important to wash your hands before and after cleaning your piercing.

Risks of Belly Button Piercing

Belly button piercings are commonly pierced on the upper rim of the navel, but there are other positions that a navel piercing can be pierced at (bottom, left, and right rim of the navel). In any location, there are basic risks that should be considered.
The overall navel location is subject to sweating, bending, and basic irritation. Siting, running, turning around, and other bending positions can irritate the piercing, as can tight clothes and activities that involve a lot of motion or contact.

• Infection (most common problem with belly button piercings)
• Excessive bleeding and nerve damage (caused by inexperienced body piercer, piercing the navel close to a nerve)
• Allergic reactions to the jewelry (stainless steel, 8 karat gold, and titanium are ideal for piercings)
• Keloids (thick scarring at the piercing site)

Concerns to consider:

• Wrong jewelry- either the size, type, or metal (jewelry too small may cut off blood supply, as can jewelry that is very thin or too heavy; CBR's and rings can irritate the piercing, and can snag easier causing more irritation and potentially tears; the wrong metal can cause allergic reactions)
• Piercings performed with piercing guns (too much trauma to the piercing site, especially as piercing guns only use stud jewelry, which is WAY too small for a navel piercing and the piercing gun itself cannot be properly sterilized)

If you want to get a navel piercing, you want to make sure that you choose an experienced body piercer. You also want to make sure that you know proper aftercare processes so that you don't irritate the piercing.
Because developing an infection can be pretty serious, you want to be very careful. An infection is something that shouldn't be messed with, which is one of the main reasons that I like to recommend that young teens who do not have parent permission to get a piercing, don't get one. If an infection develops, you will have to tell your parents, which will get you into bigger trouble because you went behind their back to do something you were told not to.
But, anyway, below you will find the signs and treatment options for an infected belly button piercing.