NAVEL-RING PIERCING AFTERCARE

PLACEMENT

There must be a well defined lip to be pierced, usually on the top, but if there is a lip on the bottom it may be pierced there as well. Rings are pierced lower down at a different angle to the navel jewels; so if you really want a navel jewel you're better of getting it pierced with one at first

NAVEL JEWELLERY

There is a great variety of rings available for navel piercing; Surgical Steel rings, 22ct Gold plated Surgical Steel rings, rings with charms on them and solid 18ct Gold rings. You can also have crystal beads or Gold plated beads as an extra feature on any of the available rings. And after the piercing is healed you can hang a charm of the ring or put a waist chain through it. Navel jewels can also be worn, they are like a bent barbell with a small ball on top and a larger ball on the bottom which has a gemstone set in it, the gemstone sits in your navel.

THE HISTORY OF NAVEL PIERCING

Navel piercing is a modern invention and has never been recorded in primitive cultures; however the navel has long been recognised as an erogenous zone, because of the difference between men's and women's stomachs. Women's stomachs differ from men's in that they are more rounded in the lower part, are longer than men's, have a greater distance between the navel and genitals, and are more deeply recessed than men's; these features are often exaggerated by artists to make women appear more feminine in paintings.

The invention of the Bikini in 1953 caused a big stir because the navel was seen as being sexually provocative because of it's similarity to the female genitals. The Bikini revolutionised women's lives, along with the liberation of their clothes their lives in general became more liberated. The process was completed when Madonna started the craze for showing of the midriff in the 1980's. The ability to flaunt their sexuality in public gave women more power and confidence in themselves.

"It is easy to pinpoint the moment when body piercing went mainstream. Christy Turlinton came out at a London Fashion show, and in the middle of her navel was a ring! The next day Naomi Campbell showed the world that anything Christy could do, so could she. A gold ring with a small pearl pierced her navel. And then at Isaac Mizrahi's show the two came out together, navels bared and beringed: body piercing as a Supermodel totem" Suzy Menkes The New York Times September 1994

"I have the most perfect belly button - an inny. When I stick my finger in my belly button, I feel a nerve in the centre of my body shoot up my spine" Madonna Time Magazine 1985

"I like it, I think it's fun!" Naomi Campbell. "I always thought it was a pretty feminine thing to do - and you can always take it out" Christy Turlington.

Shortly after Naomi and Christy had their navels pierced no one was surprised when Madonna, Cher and Janet Jackson were seen wearing navel rings. Now anybody can joins the ranks of Celebrities and Supermodels by having their navel pierced.

THE HEALING PROCESS

The navel is a depressed scar which tends to collect dirt, and if not dried properly after bathing can become subject to fungal infections ie. Candida Albicans (Thrush) even if it's not pierced. Once it's pierced extra care must be taken with cleaning to prevent infections, I can't stress strongly enough that it must be looked after carefully!

Navels take a long time to heal because the navel is on your waist, which is like the hinge of your body, it's subject to a lot of movement and you clothes constantly rub and irritate the piercing. It usually takes 3-4 months to heal, but it can take up to 12 months for some people to heal. Don't be alarmed the only difference between a healed and unhealed navel is a very small amount of redness just around the area where the ring pierces the body, and it's hardly visible. The healing time depends on a variety of factors: health, weight, diet, clothes, profession, and most importantly how carefully you care for it.

If you're worried about having difficulty getting the piercing healed then you should consider getting pierced with a navel jewel as they get knocked around less than rings and therefore heal a lot easier. They are more expensive but I think they look nicer, heal quicker and after it's healed you can change them yourself, whearas you need a plier to change rings and this is difficult to do by yourself.

the first 4-5 days your navel will look fine, then you will start to get a very small amount of redness where the ring pierces the body. You will start to get crusting around the ring, this is just dead white bloods cells from the healing process. The piercing will discharge small amounts of milky fluid, this is not a sign of infection its just the result of you body trying to heal a wound with a foreign object in it. If the discharge becomes thick and yellow, or you develop any pain or excessive redness, this is a sign of possible infection, please return and see me, or see a doctor.

After 6-8 weeks the discharge and crusting should lessen, and there should only be a small amount of redness around the piercing. The piercing is not fully healed until all redness disappears, if you stop cleaning it before it is fully healed you may develop an infection.

PREGNANCY

There are several options available to keep your navel piercing once you become pregnant. You can usually keep your original ring in the piercing till about the sixth month of the pregnancy, at this stage the expansion of the skin means that you will have to either take the ring out, replace it with a larger one or a piece of fishing line. Fishing line will keep the piercing open till after the pregancy when you may replace the jewellery. If you have removed the jewellery and the hole has closed up it can be re-opened using a special taper pin, I will do this for you free of charge.

DO's & DON'Ts TO HEAL YOUR NAVEL PIERCING

• DO remove the bandage after 4-5 hours, there may be some coagulated blood, don't be alarmed this is normal and will wash of easily. Have a shower after you remove the bandage, cup your hand under the piercing and soak it with water for 3-4 minutes, or have a good soak in the bath. If soaking doesn't remove any congealed blood on the jewellery you must remove it in the shower using a clean cotton wool bud. Don't use the cleaning solution for the first 24 hours
• DO use a mild antibacterial soap (containing Triclosan), in the shower (once a day only!). Cup your hand under the piercing and soak it for 1-2 minutes, then put 1-2 drops (no more!) of the cleaning solution in your hand, lather it up and apply the lather gently to your navel. Leave the lather on for 1 minute, then soak the piercing once again and wash thoroughly to remove all the solution. Leaving the solution on your skin can cause irritation!
• DO dissolve half a teaspoon of sea-salt or table-salt in a quarter of a cup of boiling water. Let this cool a little, then place in a clean glass or medicine cup and lie down with it upturned on your navel for 10-15 minutes, once or twice a day. You can also use Saline solution (available at any chemist). Rinse with fresh fresh water and dry throroughly with a clean tissue afterwards. This process is the best way to promote healing, and the more you do it the quicker your piercing will heal.
• DO make sure when washing to remove all the crusting, if it's not cleaned off properly it can concrete around the ring and tear the inside of the wound when the ring moves, this is painful and can lead to infection. Secondly, if its not removed bacteria can feed on it and infect the wound.
• DO continue to use the cleaning solution after your free bottle runs out , we can sell you a replacement bottle for $3 or you can use Sapoderm soap available at any chemist or supermarket. Neglecting to use anti-bacterial soap for the full healing period may result in infection.
• DO make sure that you dry your navel thoroughly after cleaning, this should be done with a paper tissue as towels can harbour bacteria. If you have a very deep navel, you should clean it every day using a clean cotton wool bud soaked in warm water, taking extra care to remove any dirt, and dry it properly afterwards.
• DO use Lavender oil as it promotes healing and lubricates the wound reducing tenderness. Apply a small amount with a cotton-wool bud after cleaning then move the jewellery gently so it gets into the wound. Remove any excess with a tissue as leaving it on can cause the skin to become irritated. It may be purchased at supermarkets (medicine section) or at chemists and must be marked (BP) or medicinal grade.
• DO Continue to apply a drop or two of lavender oil once a week after the piercing is healed or the wound can become tight and dry.
• DO use the cleaning solution after going swimming in the ocean or public pools.
• DO make sure that you wash the piercing carefully after excercising or sweating a lot, as sweat acts like acid and can cause the wound to become aggravated.
• DO give the piercing some sunshine as it helps the body produce Vitamin D which helps promote healing. It also helps dry the wound and minimise infections.
• DON'T pull your navel up to look at the piercing as this will aggravate the wound. It's there for other people to see. If you want to see it look in the mirror.
• DON'T turn the ring in the piercing for the first 3-4 weeks, move it very gently and only enough to remove the crusting, after that you can turn it enough for cleaning. Moving the ring constantly aggravates the wound and delays healing.
• DON'T use Methylated Spirits, or alcohol on the piercing as they are very astringent and can damage the wound, don't use Hydrogen peroxide or Betadine because they destroy the cells that form scar tissue, Don't use creams or ointments as they keep the wound moist and hamper the healing process.
• DON'T wear tight clothes such as pantyhose, tight jeans or skirts (during the healing phase) because they can cause the piercing to grow out, which means that the piece of flesh taken by the piercing gradually diminishes until the ring finally comes out; after the piercing is healed you may wear anything you like. Try to avoid synthetic fabrics that don't let the wound breath, try to wear clothes that give the piercing as much fresh air as possible.
• DON'T remove the ring during the healing phase because you will lose the piercing. Don't replace the jewellery with a sleeper because the sharp hinges can tear the inside of the wound resulting in infection, and it increases the chance of the piercing growing out. Silver sleepers are especially dangerous, as the silver oxidises in the wound which can cause allergic reactions and "Argyria" a permanent black mark inside the wound.
• DON'T hang chains or charms of your navel ring until the piercing is fully healed, they can get caught and tear the wound and hamper the healing process.
• DON'T try to remove the ball from the ring yourself, you need a circlip plier to do this and if you attempt to do it yourself you will probably damage the ring or not be able to get the ball back in the ring. If you wish to hang a charm of the ring, or change the jewellery see me or another piercer to do it for you.