For at least three or four years I have been begging my parents to let me get my belly button pierced and the only reason I couldn't get it done was because my dad thought it was totally trashy. I asked my mom to let me get it pierced almost every single day for the past year and she said the only way I could get it done was if I could persuade my dad that I should get it, but I knew that wasn't going to happen. I pretty must accepted the fact that I was going to have to wait an entire year to get it done when I'm eighteen.
At A Glance Author anonymous When It just happened Artist Kris Studio Skin Gallery Location Downer's Grove Well, for my seventeeth birthday my mom convinced my dad that they should tell me I can get my belly button pierced, but that I wouldn't get it done because I'd be scared of the needle (not true, I can totally handle needles). The only thing that actually bothered me about getting the piercing was that I can't go swimming for at least a month, two to be on the safeside, and I have to wait even longer to go in a lake (and I go the beach A LOT).
Three days after my birthday I went with my mom to the Skin Gallery in Downer's Grove. The main reason I chose it was because two friends of mine had already gone there to get their belly buttons pierced and they said was really clean.
We only had to wait maybe five minutes and my mom showed the guy her license and we signed some forms, then I was good to go. I wasn't really nervous and the guy kept telling me that everyone overreacts about how bad they think the pain is going to be. He also said that my belly is ideal for piercings because I'm very tiny/skinny and it hurts a lot more when you have a lot of chub there apparently.
He had a barbell out already and I was kind of sad because I wanted to pick it, so when I asked to look at the one that he had out he said sure, but also opened a drawer that had a TON of packaged barbells in it. I picked out a barbell with pink "diamonds" on both ends and once he marked me I laid down on the dentist-like chair. Most people say that the clamps hurt, but I didn't even really feel them when they went on. I was distracted a lot because we kept talking, which was super nice because it kept me from thinking about the fact that he was going to put a needle through my belly.
When he reached around to get the needle (which by the way, everything was pre-packaged and he was wearing gloves)I told him not to tell me when he was putting the it through, so he just said that he was marking me once more. I pretty much knew he was putting the needle through because I saw him get it and he already marked me twice before that, but it still wasn't bad. When he put the needle through it just felt like a hard pinch, and then it was over. It didn't even really hurt when he put the jewerly through or anything. Though, I've only really heard people saying "everyone says that it hurts when you get pierced, but it doesn't"...but I've never really heard it straight from someone who got it pierced that it hurts.
When I stood up I was sooo excited to see my pierced belly button in the mirror, it looks SO good! It cost $50 without tip, but it was totally worth it, and I would definitely recommend going there. Even my mom thinks that the piercing looks very cute and she would get one if she were my age, but my dad's opinion on it hasn't changed very much...he thought I got two piercings when I showed him it because a barbell has two ends, clearly, he was wrong.
It's a day later and my piercing barley hurts (except when I bend over) and it hasn't even started pussing or anything. Even my friends who got it done a month a go said that theirs never had a discharge, just that it was a little red sometimes. The main thing that they used to clean it, and that was suggested for cleaning, is bactine. I would definitely say to use bactine because nothing has come out of my piercing since I got it done and it looks really healthy.
I cannot wait to buy more belly button rings and change them all the time, once the month is over of course. If you want to get your belly button pierced, go for it! It really doesn't hurt! And if you're in Illinois go to the Skin Gallery in Downer's Grove, they're super clean and nice!!