Getting a new piercing is always an electrifying experience. If you have it at the navel, you need to keep it clean and healthy to make sure it performs its function as an accessory without giving you any problems. To take care of it, you need to adopt meticulous hygiene habits during the healing period and avoid irritants that could prevent proper recovery.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Taking Care of a New Piercing
Step 1. Talk to a professional
Do your research to find a studio that has a great reputation and is run by experts. If you have friends and family with piercings, get a referral for a center and find out if it's worth it. Never skimp on the quality of the service or on the professionalism of the piercer: if the studio and the employees have good training and are real professionals, it is more difficult to have problems or infections. An experienced piercer might also give you size or jewelry suggestions and answer any questions you have regarding the procedure.
- A safe and reliable study is generally a guarantee of quality in terms of service and materials used. In order for it to be of good quality, the jewel should be of surgical steel, titanium, yellow or white gold of at least 14 karat (nickel-free) or niobium, just to name a few materials.
- A professional piercer will prefer a hollow needle to the gun. If he wants to use the gun for piercing, you should go elsewhere. It can damage your skin and will make you more prone to infections.
Step 2. Handle the piercing with clean hands
Before touching it, wash it thoroughly with water and antibacterial soap. Dirt and greasy fingers can contaminate the area (which is an open wound), thus causing an infection.
Make sure you remove dirt from the underside of your nails, otherwise it could contaminate the area and infect it when you touch it
Step 3. Wash your piercing every day
Soak a cotton swab in warm water to remove the scab that has formed around the area where the piercing occurred. Proceed with extreme delicacy, avoid moving the jewel too much. Then, wash it with antibacterial soap in the shower. Just pour a small amount on your fingers and massage it on the affected area for about 20 seconds creating a foam. Rinse off any soap residue in the shower. Upon exiting, blot the area with a clean napkin instead of a towel.
- The piercing should be washed with soap twice a day. However, you can also use a cotton swab dipped in water or saline to remove the scab. Just try not to use the cotton swab more than three times a day. You don't have to overdo it with cleaning.
- You should always prefer the shower to the bathroom. The first favors a constant change of water, while with the second you will have a stagnant liquid, mixed with sweat, dirt and product residues.
- Best to dry the piercing with napkins, which are clean and disposable. Instead, towels can be a breeding ground for moisture and bacteria.
- Avoid twisting or moving the piercing too much while washing it in the shower. Excessive movement can cause irritation and bleeding.
Step 4. Rinse the piercing with a saline solution
Mix 1.5 g of sea salt with 250 ml of boiling water. Let it cool down a bit - it should feel warm and pleasant on the skin. Pour it into a small glass, fold over the opening of the container (so that the belly is relatively perpendicular to the edge of the glass), push it towards the belly and assume a supine position keeping it firmly in contact with the skin. Let the saline solution work on the affected area for 10-15 minutes at least once a day. This is a pretty effective method of killing bacteria and can help remove the scab from the puncture area.
You could also make a warm compress with the saline solution and a folded napkin. Alternatively, use a sterile sea water spray, available at the pharmacy
Step 5. Take vitamins
Some professionals have found that taking vitamins such as C, zinc, or a multivitamin supplement is helpful in stimulating the healing of the navel piercing. Even exposing yourself to the sun to assimilate vitamin D can promote recovery.
Part 2 of 3: Prevent the Piercing from Getting Irritated
Step 1. Avoid touching the piercing
Of course you have to touch it with clean hands to wash it, but avoid playing with it, turning it, pulling it or teasing it unnecessarily.
Touching the area excessively (especially with dirty hands) can make it more prone to opening up and bleeding or becoming infected
Step 2. Leave it in place
The piercing should remain fixed throughout the healing period (6-12 months). Removing it before the perforated area has healed completely can cause it to close, so inserting it again will be more difficult and painful.
This irritation could cause more scarring and slow down the natural healing process
Step 3. Avoid applying ointments or creams, which will occlude the perforated area and prevent it from breathing
They block the passage of air and create a humid environment, fertile for bacteria. As much as they are antibacterial ointments, they can severely hinder the healing process and trigger an infection.
- Aggressive cleaning agents such as hydrogen peroxide and isopropyl alcohol should also be avoided. These disinfectants can eliminate the cells that help rebuild the punctured area.
- Cleaning solutions containing benzalkonium chloride should also be avoided, as these can also hinder healing.
- In addition to these cleansers, oils, lotions, sunscreens and make-up should also be kept away from the piercing. All of these products can block it and cause an infection.
Step 4. Wear loose fitting clothing
Tight clothing, due to friction, can irritate a recently made piercing and block airflow. Try to wear loose-fitting clothing made of fabrics that make the skin breathe, such as cotton, while avoiding synthetics.
Also be careful when changing or undressing. Taking your clothes off quickly or violently increases the chances of the piercing getting caught in the fabric and hurting you
Step 5. Avoid dirty water
Just as you shouldn't bathe and prefer to shower, you should also avoid swimming pools or other bodies of water (such as hot tubs, lakes, and rivers) for a year from the time you get the piercing.
This is critical because these water sources could have prolonged contact with the piercing and cause an infection due to the contaminants they present
Step 6. After piercing is done, sleep on your back or on your side for the first few weeks
Contrary to the prone position, no pressure will be exerted on the perforated area, which is still sensitive.
Part 3 of 3: Coping with Complications
Step 1. Assess the symptoms
If your navel piercing does have any complications, first consider the symptoms to figure out what the problem might be. Look for any discharge, pain, swelling or redness, or any other changes in the pierced area (such as bumps, displacement of the piercing, abnormal opening of the skin around the jewelry, and so on). Depending on the symptoms, the piercing may be irritated or infected, or you may have an allergic reaction to the metal.
If the symptoms are minor, it is likely a mild irritation. On the other hand, if they are severe, it is likely an infection or allergic reaction
Step 2. Learn to cope with an irritation
If the healing was going well and you accidentally tugged or jerked the piercing, slept on it, irritated it with pool water or cosmetics, your discomfort is due to mild inflammation. The area can also become irritated if the piercing is too tight or too loose, as it pinches the skin or moves more than necessary. In the case of mild irritation, the symptoms are slight swelling, redness and discomfort (without sharp pains or discharge). Continue to clean it regularly with a saline solution and treat it as if you had recently.
- You could apply a cold compress (soak a cloth or towel in cold water) to the pierced area. It could help relieve the discomfort.
- Don't touch the jewel. If you take it off, you could irritate the area even more.
- If you have any questions, call the piercer or go personally to his or her office to have a look at them.
Step 3. Find out what to do in case of an infected piercing
It is common to see discomfort, bleeding, and bruising after piercing is done, but you should also learn to spot the symptoms of a possible infection. When a piercing becomes infected, the affected area usually has intense swelling and redness. It can give off a sensation of warmth to the touch or make you feel hot and emit green, yellow or gray secretions accompanied by an unpleasant odor. It is also possible that a fever will rise.
- If you believe the piercing is infected, see a doctor as soon as possible. Not sure? You can get in touch with your piercer to see if these are normal symptoms or symptoms associated with an infection.
- If you believe it is infected, do not remove the piece of metal. This could worsen the infection and cause the hole to close, preventing proper drainage.
Step 4. Find out what to do if you have an allergic reaction
It could appear hours or days after the piercing was made. It usually occurs when the body is allergic to metal; usually happens with nickel. Some symptoms? Itching that turns into a rash, heat emanation, dilation of the hole or swelling and inflammation in the affected area. If you have an allergic reaction, your skin may also sag or shrink around the piece of metal.
- In the event of an allergic reaction, a rejection of the piece of metal usually occurs. The skin tries to decrease contact with the jewel, causing the hole to dilate.
- In this case, contact immediately your piercer, so that he can replace the piece of metal and you can go to your doctor to start treating the affected area. He will likely prescribe a course of antibiotics.
Step 5. Try home remedies
If the initial symptoms are mild or you think the infection is in the early stages, you may want to try some DIY solutions to fix the problem before seeing a doctor. Here are some home remedies:
- Hot and cold compresses: As stated earlier, hot and cold compresses can relieve the discomfort caused by a sore piercing. A warm compress soaked in saline (squeezed well) can cleanse the area and stimulate the blood supply (white blood cells are needed for the healing process). A cold compress can soothe the sensation of heat radiating from the perforated area.
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Chamomile compresses: infuse a sachet of chamomile in a cup of boiling water. Wait for the water to cool down (this will take about 20 minutes) and soak a cotton ball. Apply it to the irritated area for approximately 5 minutes. If desired, repeat at least once a day.
You could also freeze the chamomile by pouring it into an ice tray, then use the cubes to relieve pain, irritation, and swelling
- Pain relievers: If the affected area is sore, you may want to take over-the-counter medicines to lessen the discomfort. Try to take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
Step 6. Go to your doctor
If in doubt, you should always consult your doctor. If you've taken regular care of your piercing and tried home remedies without finding relief, it's a good idea to see your doctor, especially if you have severe pain, swelling, discharge and bleeding.
If you have an infection or allergic reaction, your doctor can prescribe medications to fight the disorder and speed up healing
Advice
- Only apply cleaners and sprays that have been recommended to you by your piercer.
- A napkin can only absorb a limited amount of water. After gently dabbing it on the affected area to dry it, you may want to complete the operation with the hair dryer. Set it to the coldest temperature to keep the piercing from overheating and burning the skin.
Warnings
- If you are not sure if you are able to take care of the piercing properly, it is best not to do it.
- The piercer should know if you have any allergies to costume jewelery, creams, sprays, or latex (the gloves he wears are made from this material).
