A lot of caution has to be taken especially in matters regarding what comes into contact with the area. Reusable piercing guns can transmit bodily fluids across customers. Next, theyll mark the spot on your navel they wish to pierce. Laser Tattoo Removal Can Cause Blisters Here's Why and How to Treat Them. so ideally, you should not swim for 6 months to let it heal to 60 to 100%. For first time piercings, choose rings made of gold, stainless steel or titanium. As you now know that proper healing of belly button piercing can take 6 to 12 months and these numbers look quite big for beach lovers so here are some tips that you should start to follow from the very first day of piercing to ensure that youre ready to rock in your bikini. If your dip into the water is a bit more premeditated, you'll want to wear"a wound sealing waterproof bandage over the piercing" (via Koox Diving). For example, say you just got a new calf tattoo and want to go for a run. Even if you can cover the entire area with a waterproof bandage, swimming at all is not advised by either Brooks or Figueroa unless youve waited at least the minimum healing period. If the concern with swimming around lakes and rivers is developing an infection, is it okay to swim in a pool? You should avoid swimming for at least 24 hours after having a piercing, and ideally until it has healed properly. Your email address will not be published. The piercing should be cleaned no more than is necessary to keep it clean, as over-cleaning can irritate the skin and delay healing. Use disposable, soft paper products to pat dry. Better to wait until fall or miss a dip in the ocean rather than suffering with an infection. While many simple piercings, like the ears, take only around 6-8 weeks to heal, the healing period for a navel piercing is much longer a belly button piercing takes 6 months to 1 year to heal completely[ source]. To put it simply, you want to keep it dry until the piercing has healed, which takes anywhere from eight weeks to a year, depending on what you've had pierced (via Healthline). Use H2ocean healing ocean to expidite healing, and a little sea salt (natu. This jewelry has a small bead on each end, with one of them being adjustable/removable to allow you to change out the jewelry if you want. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. The full breakdown, according to NHS, is that ear piercings take six to eight weeks, belly button piercings take six months to a year, and nose piercings take up to six months. Word of mouth is often the best way to find a reliable and reputable shop. This can be in the form of gray or green discharge. Change the towels and bedding at least once every week. It's best to wait at least a month, but preferably 2-3 months. An infection can be painful, cause scarring, and increase healing times. Well, once you get the hot navel piercing done, aftercare cant be ignored. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Always spray with Sterilear Step 1: Clean after swimming and removing the Band-Aid. Anyone who's sat down in a Claire's piercing booth when they were young knows that you'll have to use a saline spray to clean the piercing. Ultimately, it's best to skip the gym for a day or two after getting a new tattoo the most important reason being to avoid bacteria, which can impact the full healing process. We've created informative articles that you can come back to again and again when you have questions or want to learn more! Cozmo Faris is a professional piercer with more than 12 years of experience who teaches for the Association of Professional Piercers. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. But it turns out, piercing aftercare is a lot more in-depth than that. Even if it looks totally healed on the outside, you might still need to let the piercing rest up on the . It could cause the area to get infected, result in migration and even rejections. Considering laser tattoo removal? He also has the vision to travel the whole world and share it with all readers of Outdoor Favor. If the area is red, swollen, and leaking pus, it may be infected. Then, its recommended to clean your piercing twice a day with a sterile saline solution. Brooklyn tattoo artist Carmen Figueroa breaks it down for us, including why its important to follow the artists aftercare instructions to the best of your ability. Be sure to wash your hands before cleaning your piercing site. You shouldn't need anything else to clean your piercing. Avoid pools chlorine kills white blood cells on site. Were committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Taking out the ring may cause the hole to close. Read Also: Can You Swim After Getting Ears Pierced?if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'outdoorfavor_com-box-4','ezslot_8',667,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-outdoorfavor_com-box-4-0'); While many simple piercings, like the ears, take only around 6-8 weeks to heal, the healing period for a navel piercing is much longera belly button piercing takes 6 months to 1 year to heal completely[source]. Thank you for this article and your time. Its a super quick process which makes it very manageable.. 2015 Jan; 11(1):142-43. doi:10.1016/j.nurpra.2014.10.004, What to Know Before Getting a Forward Helix Piercing, The Complete Guide to Industrial Bar Piercings, Dermal Piercings: Everything You Should Know Before You Commit, Hip Piercings: Everything You Need to Know, What to Know Before Getting Your First Snug Piercing, The Complete Guide to Getting a Septum Piercing, How to Treat Infected Ear Piercings, According to Derms, Considering a Daith Piercing? Healthline only shows you brands and products that we stand behind. (Unless, of course, you plan to go on a winter vacation.). document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); We may earn a commission when you purchase via links on this page. A belly button piercing will most likely take anywhere from six months to a year to fully heal depending on how you care for it and your day-to-day lifestyle; however, the most common time frame is between six and eight months Regardless, its important to check with your piercer when you believe its healed before stopping aftercareif it's still healing, the site could become infected. While it's not doctor-approved, there are precautions and aftercare tips that you can take if you can't avoid submerging your piercing in water. This ThoughtfulTattoos article tells you how to swim with a belly button ring. If you still want to swim before the healing period is over then please at least get a waterproof bandage from any pharmacy to cover your navel piercing. The one thing to keep in mind is to always wash your hands before touching the piercing in any way to avoid irritating it or transferring bacteria. With time, there could be bleeding. If you decide you want to get a better or different piece of jewelry, youre most likely going to have to pay more. Disclaimer: This article is for informative purposes only and does not in any way attempt to replace the advice offered by an expert on the subject. She has been an amateur artist as a hobby since grade school, and served a 12 month tattoo apprenticeship in a tattoo studio. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/8\/84\/Take-a-Bath-with-a-New-Piercing-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Take-a-Bath-with-a-New-Piercing-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/8\/84\/Take-a-Bath-with-a-New-Piercing-Step-1.jpg\/aid7373968-v4-728px-Take-a-Bath-with-a-New-Piercing-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"