1/22/2009

Belly button piercings: Pros and Cons

There are many young people who wish to get their belly button pierced. Parents are usually against having it done and most will not allow it. However, not so many people know how to explain the reasons for such a decision. That is why it would be nice to hear the pros and cons of belly button pierc...
There are many young people who wish to get their belly button pierced. Parents are usually against having it done and most will not allow it. However, not so many people know how to explain the reasons for such a decision. That is why it would be nice to hear the pros and cons of belly button piercing.
It might be best to discuss this with your child. You can state your reasons, but avoid getting drawn into an argument about the pros and cons of piercing without prior knowledge.

Navel%26rsquo;piercing is as dangerous as piercing next to the eye. It is risky because needles used to pierce the skin can spread infections. Besides, piercing guns cannot be sterilized unless they have a removable needle. Moreover, a hole in the navel can be an open pathway into the abdominal cavity for infection, as the ring catches constantly on the clothing. In fact, wearing open-midriff tops is forbidden by nearly every middle school. When your child is 18, he or she can choose to pierce his or her navel because he or she can then deal with any problems that might arise.

Body piercing is gaining popularity as it gains more and more mainstream exposure, but is this really why so many girls are getting their belly button pierced? Maybe they see it as a sexy way of defying authority? These days girls of all ages are getting their belly buttons pierced. What once was considered an alternative venture is now mainstream. Belly button piercing is here to stay, where with the amount of belly rings in the market you will surely find that special gold belly ring, platinum belly chain, diamond navel stud, or whatever unique body piercing jewelry you were after.

Belly button piercing is the most popular piercing, followed by tongue piercing at a close second. There is a large selection of piercing jewelry available, including many types of belly rings and navel-piercing body jewelry.





There are also many styles of belly rings that you as a customer can purchase. Acrylic belly rings, for example, typically have a stainless steel shaft with 2 acrylic balls that can come unscrewed.



What is a belly button ring?




To understand it better, it would be useful to learn more about human anatomy. Belly button ring is an adorning decoration for the navel, typically in a curved barbell or circular shape. Metals for belly button rings include surgical steel, solid 14k gold, silver, niobium, or titanium. Gold or silver plated metals may break easily or cause irritation to your belly button, so it is good to know the risks involved in getting a belly button pierced. These risks include painful and potentially serious infections of the abdomen and blood poisoning, since we all know that improperly sterilized equipment can spread infections. An amateur body piercer can also cause nerve damage or scarring, but infection can still occur even when properly sterilized equipment is used. An infected piercing hurts, looks red and swollen, can weep, and may feel hot to the touch, so if your piercing looks infected, see a medical professional or body piercer for treatment.



Who should not get their belly button pierced?




If your belly button does not have the skin for the piercing to hold, the ring will likely slip out, instead of lying flat against the navel. Outtie belly buttons have more surface scar tissue to deal with, but a seasoned body piercer can pierce an outtie belly button as well. Most people choose a vertical piercing that enters inside the belly button and exits through the skin above it.



How to take care of a new belly button piercing?




If you wish to help the healing process of your belly button piercing, wash it twice per day. However, over cleansing can interfere with your body%26rsquo;s natural ability to fight off infection. That is why you should always sanitize your hands before touching your belly button ring. You can apply a diluted salt solution to your piercing for five minutes in order to soak off dried material. After that, clean with soap that contains antibacterial properties and rotate it through the piercing for approximately one minute. Rinse your piercing thoroughly and make sure no traces of soap are left, and then pat it dry.



How long will the piercing take to heal?




A completely healed belly button piercing can take up to one and a half years, and it can be difficult to heal. This is due to exposure to poorly chlorinated waters. In addition, clothing and sweat can irritate the piercing as well. Factors that can slow the healing process include poor quality jewelry, stress, and illness, lack of proper care, or a poor diet. If not cared for properly, a belly button piercing can take up to two years to heal and is an easy target for recurring infections.



Can you leave your belly button ring in during pregnancy?




If you are pregnant you can wear your belly button ring up to the fifth or sixth month. Once the skin on your abdomen begins to stretch significantly you should take it out or upsize that gauge.



How to remove your belly button ring?




If your piercing is new, you will most likely be wearing a captive bead ring, so it would be best to go back to the shop you got the piercing from at and ask them to remove it and replace it with new body jewelry. If your belly button piercing is healed, wash your hands, your navel, and the new body jewelry that you wish to insert. Next, unscrew the ball in your piercing and pull the barbell down and out. After that, insert your new body jewelry into your piercing from the inside of the belly button up and out, and screw the ball on.



How to have a safe body piercing?




* Consult a licensed or well-apprenticed piercer for advice on whether your belly button will accommodate piercing. The piercer will decide how well your tissue will hold a ring in place.
* Confirm that your chosen piercer works with sterilized equipment and disposable hollow needles and that he or she wears new latex gloves for each client. Confirm also that he or she offers only piercing-quality jewelry, and is accessible post-treatment should you have any questions or concerns.
* Schedule your appointment when your calendar is clear of any strenuous or even moderately physical activities. Yoga, dancing, and most sports may be out of the question for a few weeks following the piercing.
* Try to wear loose-fitting clothes to your piercing appointment; opt for low-slung pants or skirts and tunic or wide-belly tops. Wear anything that will not rub or pull around your belly button.
* You should also remain focused on your breath and fix your gaze on a stationary point during the procedure. This could keep your muscles relaxed and help minimize any discomfort.
* Go with the jewelry that your piercer offers, provided that it is titanium, stainless steel or niobium. These are the metals least likely to promote infection. Gold may not mesh well with your body%26rsquo;s chemistry.

Although the freedom to wear belly-baring clothes makes summer a logical season to get your belly pierced, you have to remember that swimming and bathing is not advisable for a few weeks after a belly button piercing procedure.
Moreover, you have to take special care when getting dressed during the initial weeks that follow your procedure. This is very important, since clothes may catch on the ring and when pulled may cause a lot of pain.
If you experience excessive swelling, prolonged redness, throbbing pain or sensations of heat in the pierced area, you should definitely seek immediate medical attention.

It is important to be aware that piercing can cause nerve damage if the jewelry is positioned improperly. Also, communicable diseases may spread during the procedure if performed with un-sterilized equipment as some piercers do.

Remember that belly button piercing is popular among models and celebrities. However, it is not for everyone. They work best on innies, and the more recessed the indent the better the case. Most people say that belly button piercing do not hurt that much at all; if anything, the clamp hurts more than the actual needle. At the same time, some people are surprised by the pain, so this is individual. The piercer tells you to take a deep breath in and then let it out. By the time you are done with that breath, the procedure is over, so at least it is relatively fast. When some people have pus and crust on their piercing, they will most commonly think it%26rsquo;s infected. However, it is actually just healing in most cases, but you have to be careful. You could put warm salt water in a shot glass and lay down with it on the navel, which could help the healing process. If you notice there is something wrong report it to a doctor because it might be very important.