How to Care for Your Belly Button After Piercing

You must be thrilled with your newly pierced belly button. However, to maintain the beauty and appeal of your belly button ring, it is crucial to ensure the piercing heals properly and stays clean. The only task at hand now is to follow a careful hygiene routine while the piercing heals, and be mindful of potential irritants that could hinder the healing process.

Get Your Belly Button Pierced at a Professional Studio. You should research and find a reputable piercing studio with well-trained professionals. Ask friends and family where they’ve gotten their piercings, and see if they can recommend a good place. Don’t skimp on the quality of the studio or piercer. The more professional the studio and experienced the piercer, the less likely you are to face complications like infections or other issues. An experienced piercer will also offer useful advice on the right jewelry size, style, and other related concerns.

• A reliable, safe piercing studio will use high-quality jewelry made from materials such as surgical steel, titanium, niobium, or 14-karat (or higher) gold or white gold that is nickel-free.
• A professional piercer will also use a hollow needle for the piercing instead of a piercing gun. If you notice that the piercer plans to use a gun, it's best to find another studio. Piercing guns can cause significant skin damage and increase the risk of infection.

Ensure your hands are clean when caring for the piercing. Wash your hands thoroughly with antibacterial soap and water before touching your piercing. Oils and dirt from your fingers can transfer to the piercing (which is an open wound), increasing the risk of infection.

• Make sure to clean under your nails. Dirt under your nails can also cause infections when you touch the wound.

Clean your piercing daily. Use a cotton swab dipped in warm water to gently clean and remove any scabs around the wound. Be gentle to avoid moving the jewelry too much. After that, wash the piercing with antibacterial soap under the shower. Apply a small amount of soap to your fingertip and gently rub it on your belly button for about 20 seconds. Rinse thoroughly with water from the shower. Use a paper towel to dry your belly button instead of a bath towel.

• It’s best to clean your piercing twice a day with soap. You can also use a cotton swab dipped in saline solution to remove scabs, but avoid cleaning with cotton swabs more than three times a day. Don’t overdo the cleaning.
• Shower instead of soaking in a bathtub. The shower provides a steady stream of clean water, while a bathtub contains stagnant water mixed with sweat, dirt, and leftover hygiene products.
• Using paper towels is better than towels, as they are always clean and can be discarded after use. Towels can trap moisture and bacteria.
• Avoid twisting or turning the belly button ring too much while washing under the shower. The wound may become irritated or bleed if disturbed too much.

Rinse the piercing with saline solution. Mix ¼ teaspoon of sea salt with 240 ml of boiled water. Let the water cool down to a comfortable temperature before applying it to your skin. Pour the saline solution into a small cup, bend over (so your belly is roughly perpendicular to the cup's mouth), press the cup against your belly, and hold it in place while lying on your back. Soak your belly button piercing in the saline solution for about 10-15 minutes at least once a day. Saline is highly effective at fighting bacteria and helps remove scabs from the wound.

• You can also create a warm saline compress with paper towels or use a saline spray available at pharmacies.

Take vitamins. Many piercers believe that certain vitamins such as Vitamin C, zinc, or multivitamins can help speed up the healing process of a belly button piercing. Vitamin D from sunlight can also aid in faster recovery of the wound.

Avoid touching the navel piercing. While it is necessary to touch the piercing with clean hands when cleaning the wound, it's important to refrain from fiddling with, twisting, pulling, or squeezing the piercing unnecessarily.

• Excessive touching, especially with unwashed hands, may cause the wound to open up and bleed or become infected.

Do not remove the navel jewelry. It's important to keep the navel jewelry in place during the healing period (4-10 weeks) after getting pierced. Removing the jewelry too soon could cause the piercing to close up, making it more difficult and painful to re-pierce.

• Additional irritation may lead to scarring and slow down the body's natural healing process.

Avoid using ointments. Ointments or creams can block the wound from receiving air and ‘breathing’. They trap moisture and potential bacteria inside. Even antibacterial ointments can severely hinder the healing process and create a breeding ground for infection.

• Avoid using harsh solutions like hydrogen peroxide and rubbing alcohol. These disinfectants can kill the new cells regenerating at the wound site.
• Disinfectants containing benzalkonium chloride should also be avoided, as they can impede the healing process.
• Similarly, refrain from using oils, lotions, sunscreens, or makeup near the piercing area, as these products can clog the hole and lead to infection.

Wear loose clothing. Tight, restrictive clothing can irritate the fresh piercing due to friction and hinder air circulation. Opt for loose, breathable fabrics like cotton, and steer clear of synthetic materials.

• Be cautious when changing or removing clothes. Quick or rough movements may cause your clothes to catch on the piercing, potentially causing injury.

Stay away from contaminated water. Just like you should avoid taking baths and opt for showers instead, stay clear of stagnant or unclean water sources. Avoid swimming pools, hot tubs, and natural bodies of water like lakes and rivers during the first year after getting your navel pierced.

• This is because these water sources expose the piercing to contaminants for longer periods, increasing the risk of infection.

Nằm ngửa hoặc nằm nghiêng khi ngủ. Bạn nên nằm ngửa hoặc nằm nghiêng trong vài tuần đầu tiên sau khi mới xỏ khuyên. Như vậy, bạn sẽ không tạo thêm áp lực lên vết thương còn mới và nhạy cảm như khi nằm sấp.

Đánh giá các triệu chứng. Nếu có biến chứng tại lỗ xỏ khuyên rốn, đầu tiên bạn cần đánh giá các triệu chứng để biết phải xử lý các vấn đề gì. Lưu ý dịch tiết ra từ vết thương, mức độ đau, hiện tượng sưng hoặc đỏ và bất cứ sự thay đổi nào tại vị trí xỏ khuyên (như nổi cục, vị trí trang sức bị xê dịch, miệng vết thương mở rộng hơn bình thường xung quanh khuyên kim loại, v.v…) Tùy vào các triệu chứng, lỗ xỏ khuyên có thể chỉ bị kích ứng, nhiễm trùng, hoặc dị ứng với kim loại.

• Các triệu chứng có biểu hiện nhẹ thì nhiều khả năng là lỗ xỏ khuyên chỉ bị kích ứng nhẹ. Các triệu chứng càng nặng thì càng có khả năng là vết thương bị nhiễm trùng hoặc dị ứng.

Xử lý vết thương bị kích ứng. Nếu lỗ xỏ khuyên đang lành bình thường nhưng vô tình bị giật mạnh hoặc nằm đè lên, ngứa ngáy do nước trong hồ hoặc mỹ phẩm, có thể đây là trường hợp kích ứng nhẹ. Vùng xỏ khuyên có thể bị kích ứng nếu trang sức đeo quá chặt hoặc quá lỏng dẫn đến xê dịch quá nhiều hoặc kẹp vào da. Tình trạng kích ứng tại lỗ xỏ khuyên biểu hiện ở cảm giác khó chịu nhẹ và các triệu chứng kích ứng. Những hiện tượng như sưng nhẹ, đỏ nhẹ và khó chịu nhẹ (không đau dữ dội và chảy dịch) được cho là các triệu chứng kích ứng nhẹ. Bạn hãy áp dụng quy trình vệ sinh với dung dịch muối và xử lý vết thương như khi mới xỏ khuyên.

• Cân nhắc chườm gạc lạnh (mảnh vải hoặc khăn nhỏ nhúng nước mát) lên rốn. Cách này sẽ giúp bạn bớt khó chịu.
• Để nguyên trang sức trên lỗ xỏ khuyên. Vết thương có thể bị kích ứng thêm nếu bạn tháo trang sức ra khỏi lỗ xỏ khuyên.
• Nếu có bất kỳ thắc mắc nào, bạn hãy hỏi thợ xỏ khuyên, hoặc đến gặp họ để được kiểm tra.

Xử lý vết thương bị nhiễm trùng. Hiện tượng khó chịu, chảy máu và bầm tím đôi chút sau khi xỏ khuyên rốn là bình thường, nhưng bạn nên chú ý các dấu hiệu nhiễm trùng. Khi bị nhiễm trùng, vết thương thường sưng và đỏ đáng kể xung quanh vị trí xỏ khuyên. Vùng da tại nơi xỏ khuyên có thể ấm hoặc tỏa hơi nóng, ngoài ra có thể chảy dịch xanh, vàng hoặc xám kèm mùi hôi. Bạn cũng có thể bị sốt khi lỗ xỏ khuyên rốn bị nhiễm trùng.

• Nếu nghi ngờ lỗ xỏ khuyên rốn bị nhiễm trùng, bạn hãy đến gặp bác sĩ càng sớm càng tốt. Nếu không chắc vết thương có nhiễm trùng không, bạn có thể liên lạc với thợ xỏ khuyên để xem các triệu chứng liệu có bình thường hay liên quan đến nhiễm trùng.
• Không tháo trang sức nếu bạn cho rằng lỗ xỏ khuyên của mình bị nhiễm trùng. Việc tháo trang sức có thể kích ứng vết thương bị nhiễm trùng và làm khép miệng lỗ xỏ khuyên, khiến cho vết thương không được lưu dẫn đúng mức.

Managing allergic reactions. Allergies may appear hours or days after getting a piercing. Typically, an allergy is a bodily reaction to the metal material in the jewelry, with nickel being a common allergen. Signs of an allergic reaction include itching around the piercing site, leading to rashes, warmth, widening of the piercing hole, or swelling and inflammation around the area. The skin around the piercing may also tighten or loosen during an allergic reaction.

• Jewelry rejection is a common symptom of an allergy, as your body attempts to minimize contact with the jewelry, causing the piercing hole to expand.
• In this case, contact your piercer immediately to replace the jewelry and consult a doctor for wound treatment. A doctor may prescribe a course of antibiotics.

Try home remedies. If the symptoms are relatively mild or the infection appears to be in its early stages, you may consider trying some home treatments before seeing a doctor. A few soothing home remedies include:

• Compresses. As mentioned earlier, both hot and cold compresses can relieve discomfort from an irritated piercing. A warm gauze pad soaked in saline solution can cleanse the wound and promote blood circulation (white blood cells that help with healing) to the irritated area. A cool compress can soothe the heat emanating from the piercing site.
• Chamomile tea soak. Steep a chamomile tea bag in a cup of boiling water. After about 20 minutes, when the tea cools down, dip a cotton ball in the tea and apply it to the piercing for about 5 minutes. You may do this at least once a day.
  • You can also freeze the tea into ice cubes and use them to reduce pain, itching, or swelling.
• Pain relief medication. If your piercing is sore or achy, you may consider taking pain relievers to ease the discomfort. Try to choose anti-inflammatory, non-steroidal medications.

Visit a doctor. If you have any concerns, you should consult a general practitioner. If home remedies and cleaning the wound don't improve the situation, it may be time for professional medical care. You should see a doctor, especially if you're experiencing severe pain, significant swelling, discharge, or bleeding.

• If you're dealing with an infection or allergy, the doctor may prescribe antibiotics to fight the infection and speed up the healing process.

• Only use cleaning solutions recommended by your piercer.
• Avoid contact with genital discharge while your piercing is still healing.
• Paper towels don't absorb much liquid. After gently blotting with paper towels, you can use a blow dryer on a cool setting to dry your belly button. Ensure the piercing area is not exposed to excessive heat or burns.
• To prevent "bumps": only wear titanium jewelry; never touch or play with the piercing, and wait for 6 months before wearing large jewelry.

• Do not get a piercing if you're unsure about proper aftercare.
• Inform your piercer if you're allergic to any jewelry, creams, sprays, or even latex (like medical gloves, for example).