Iam 16 years old, and i want a navel pircing. I have looked around the web for information and have found good and bad things. I was wondering if anyone would have advice on if i should of not. Perferably if you have one, but if you don't your advice is very welcome.
Thank-you

Hi Mel,

I am a mom of 3 girls ages 24, 21, 17. I got my navel pierced when I was 30...YEAH YEAH...my delayed teen years. I let my girls get their navels pierced at 16. My Piercing and tattoo rules are as follows. No tattoos till 18...no exceptions. NO facial piercings other than 3 ear holes in each ear till 18. Navel piercings are allowed.
It has been 10 years since I got my navel done, and I let it close about 2 years ago..novelty wore off...My 24 year old let hers close about 2 years after she had it done....same reason. My 21 and 17 year old still has theirs.
Navel piercing is pretty safe when done by a licensed professional. Care and cleaning is easy as well. The only thing I will tell you is as far as piercings go...it is painfull.... quite painfull actually. SInce it isnt cartilage(sp) it will close very quickly if a ring, or piece of jewelry is not in place.
If you do it, please be sure you have your parents permission, and care for it dilligently. It will not heal for several weeks. Dont wear cheap junk jewelry in the piercing, and try not to wear anything that can get caught easily. Good luck!!

Mel,
Well, I got mine done when I was 37!! I also have 17 tattoos. I honestly didn't think it hurt that bad. I was prepared for so much worse. I will say that the most important things are how you care for it afterwards and finding a good piercer, someone you trust.

Mine took almost 9 months to heal (which is exactly what my piercer told me) which requires cleaning it 2x a day. You have to be committed to this. I would also make sure you have no allergies to any metal (my daughter is having to wait because of this, we can't find anything she's not allergic to).

Also, make sure the piercer knows what he/she is doing. Ask about their sterilization process and how long they've been doing it. My lady is very helpful and always tells everyone to call or drop by if you have any questions or problems. She also will change jewelery for free. I was nervous the first time I changed it, now it's a piece a cake.

Anyway, that's what I'd advise and if you don't feel totally confident in them go find someone else.

Good luck,
Julie

Hi Mel!

I am 24, but I got my navel pierced at age 16. I begged my mom and she finally agreed and took me. I went to a respected studio, asked all kinds of questions, then picked out a 24k(?) hoop - they only pierced with hoops then. It hurt mildly, although I have a higher pain threshold. But, pain is a pretty relative term right?

I agree with earlier posts that with a few guidelines in place, it should work out just fine for you. No cheap jewelery (especially if you have allergies to metal.) Take very good care of it as far as cleaning it, soaking it, and not "picking at it". And be careful with it. I nurtured mine until it healed, took it out 5 years later while I was pregnant (had no scar), and put it back in after I had my son. It's in my belly as I type and my husband still likes it!

Good luck! Next is tattoo shopping right? ;)

I don't have one but my best friend just got hers a few weeks ago. The safety and care goes without saying. But my friend's is definitely going to leave a scar and that's something to think about because a lot of people quit wearing them years later when they get tired of it.

I think they look really nice if classy jewelry is worn...no chunky cheap gaudy stuff. It also depends on your belly button. Those with outies wear a hanging jewel which looks pretty. And one more thing...if you happen to gain some weight, don't wear low cut clothes to show off your piercing. I see so many girls displaying a belly roll thinking their piercing still looks good.

Go ahead and try it! If you decide later that you don't like it, there's no real harm done if you have taken care of it per the instructions. As a mom, I would rather have my daughter get a naval piercing than a lip or eyebrow. Sorry, I just think they look tacky. IMO

Susan

I have my belly button pierced and I LOVE it!! It is my favorite piercing (I have my ear lobes twice, 2 cartilage, and a tiny nose stud). I paid over $100 at an overpriced place but don't regret it b/c I love how it looks.

I never had any problems with mine.. you can't change it for about 6 months, so get a ring you really like (or you can change the little balls on it.. just not the bar). It can be uncomfortable at first since it's in a weird area.. and it can take a while to heal. Definitely get a bar kind, the ring an be easy to rip out (ouch!).. or at least while healing. Mine didn't hurt bad at all to get done, but it would get sore sometimes since clothes can rub on it easily.

Now after having it for a few years, I never even feel it and I love how it looks. It's a great little accessory! Just go get it done at a clean shop that is certified by the health department. And DON'T do it yourself! Follow the cleaning routine they give you.. and if you ever think it is infected, call up the place you got it done and they can help you out.

The only time I think belly rings look bad is if someone who shouldn't be showing off their stomach IS.. and has one. Or people who squeeze into clothes 3 sizes too small wear them. I am in college now and plan on taking out only my nose ring when I graduate, but I'm sure I won't have my belly ring as an old lady or anything!

Sorry posted to wrong list...cant delete it.

I got my belly button peirced when I was 18.. I LOVED it.. Then.. Once I got pregnant ( I took it out a few weeks after I found out) it turned gross.. Now I have a hole in my stomach that after 12 months has not gown in except for the bottom so I can't put a ring back in UGH.. I would love to get it repeirced, but want to lose all this gross weight first so I can show it off LOL.. When I got it done, I went with a good friend who got hers done right before me, she almost fainted so I was scared to death! But mine didn't hurt AT ALL. I didn't even know she had peirced it, I looked down and there it was.

I am 35 (although you'd never know it by the way I look, act, and dress;) ) and got mine right before Thanksgiving last year. I thought it was a lot less painful than my cartilidge piercings and it is healing a lot nicer too. It was $40 and I got it done at the same place that did my tattoos. From all the research I have done it looks like getting it done with a ring is the best vs. a barbell. The only pain I would get-and still sometimes get-is that I sleep on my stomach so as much as I would try not to, I'd wind up that way so it would rub. Also-sometimes when I had jeans it would get caught when I sat down-ouch.

I got it done because I wanted to-I am losing weight (36lbs down-40 more to go!) and am obviously NOT at a point where I can show it off in public but it helps keep me motivated. Esp. when I see all the really cute rings they sell-one day I WIL Lbe able to show it off. And if I can't, that's ok. I like it and that's all that matters:D

I am 35 (although you'd never know it by the way I look, act, and dress;) ) and got mine right before Thanksgiving last year. I thought it was a lot less painful than my cartilidge piercings and it is healing a lot nicer too. It was $40 and I got it done at the same place that did my tattoos. From all the research I have done it looks like getting it done with a ring is the best vs. a barbell. The only pain I would get-and still sometimes get-is that I sleep on my stomach so as much as I would try not to, I'd wind up that way so it would rub. Also-sometimes when I had jeans it would get caught when I sat down-ouch.

I got it done because I wanted to-I am losing weight (36lbs down-40 more to go!) and am obviously NOT at a point where I can show it off in public but it helps keep me motivated. Esp. when I see all the really cute rings they sell-one day I WIL Lbe able to show it off. And if I can't, that's ok. I like it and that's all that matters:D

I think that the rings are usually easier to clean when compared to barbells. I always got rings done in my cartilage at first since they were easy to rotate and clean in the shower. I definitely did NOT want a ring for my nose though (too big!). For my belly I did get a barbell though, since I like how they look better and they don't get caught on your clothes. One of my old friends accidentally got her ring yanked out during a basketball game (ouch!!!). So just be careful if you get one.. and for later on when you can change them, be careful with the dangly kind too.. some of them would get caught on my shirt!

you should get it! i got my belly button pierced when i turned 13. it will look good, as long as you take care of it. put H2Ocean spray on it and it will heal fast, wont get infected and it will look really good. i used that spray and three years later, and ive never had a problem with it. good luck!

Get it.. you'll love it! I recently had a baby and took mine out for the pregnancy and it healed up. The ONLY problem I had with it was my husband and I got frisky one night, I was on my belly.. and err.. pulled the belly ring on the sheets. YEEOUCH! However nothing really came of it and the soreness went away in a day or 2. I got mine when I was 35.. you're never too old for more holes to hold jewelry I always say... ;)

I got mine pierced when I was 18 and I loved having it. I never really did anything rebellious so it kinda made me feel like I had a "bad girl" side, eventhough I didn't. It was fun having it, but I let mine close up when I was 20. Eventhough the outside skin heals within a few weeks, it doesn't completely heal for about a year. Be very diligent about cleaning it. I cleaned mine everyday but it was still always infected for the first year. Also, it hurts! But don't let a few days of tenderness scare you away from doing it. You'll love having it!

I've had mine out for a year and it hasn't closed yet! what is going on! Is there anything I can do to get mine to close?

Hey, hope you're doing alright.
I have three navel piercings, got my first when i was 14 and the other two when i was 18 or 19!
If you decide to get it pierced, you should ask to get a barbell and not a hoop. The reason for this is not only is it easier to clean, it moves around less giving it more time to heal. Also, if pierced with a hoop, if you later decide to wear a bar instead, it won't sit as nicely as it would having been peirced with a bar!
The pain isn't that bad at all, it's going to nip a bit baring in mind you are letting someone put a needle through it! However if you want it bad enough, 5mins of stinging is nothing.

Like any piercing, if you don't clean it and look after it, it will get infected. Try not to play with it at all, and try not touch it without washing your hands with an anti-bacterial handwash either. Salt water is ace for cleaning away the crusty bits (but make sure it's salt water and not table salt!!).
Also, don't change the jewelry until you are sure it is healed.

Look after it and you'll be fine!!

x

hey mel,
im with you on the whole, should i or shouldnt i situation, i also want my belly button pierced but am still a little unsure.
granted, im def getting it not questions asked by 17 (next yr) but with volleyball and sports it's hard. if you play a lot of sports like volleyball or even soccer i guess where u land on the ground a lot i would think twice before you get it done. or atleast time it so that by the time your season starts it will be healed. i know too many girl who just recently got it for the summer and during camps have a hard time playing well. n e ways you also need to consider how you feel about yourself. i know a lot of girls who r self concious(sp) and decided they didnt want to show off their bellies when they spent all the time and money 4 it dont get me wrong i am like that too but just a thought.
good luck tho n im sure u'll make the rite choice
~ Ashley