Navel & Belly Piercing 101: What You Need to Know

For thousands of years, humans have been piercing holes in their skin and inserting ornamental objects. Around the world, men, women, and children alike pierce various parts of their bodies either as a part of their cultural heritage or their individual self-expression.

Getting your ears pierced is the most conventional type of piercing in the United States these days. After you've blinged out your ears, though, a common second piercing is to pierce your belly button.

What do you need to know about navel piercing? Does it hurt compared to other types of piercing?

Let's take a deep dive into everything you need to know about getting your belly button pierced.

What Is a Navel Piercing?

A navel piercing is also referred to as a belly button piercing or a belly piercing. Most of these piercings are done right above your belly button. The name itself is a little off-base because you aren't actually piercing your belly button, but rather the skin around it.

This is a pretty straightforward type of piercing. That being said, it's essential that you have the job done by a qualified professional. If you don't, the piercing could end up being done too high or too low which can lead to issues.

On top of that, there are blood vessels and nerves that you definitely don't want to have hit by the piercing needle. Having a professional do the piercing helps ensure that you stay safe and healthy.

What Should You Expect During a Belly Piercing?

When you go to a professional piercer to get your belly button pierced, they will first examine the area to make sure that they can safely pierce your navel. Not everyone can get their belly button pierced safely. For example, people who have belly buttons that stick out often are better off avoiding navel piercings.

If your piercer gives you the go-ahead, it's time to pick out your jewelry. If you are unsure of what to get, you can ask your piercer for advice on a good starter piece of jewelry. They will be able to give you advice about what type of jewelry will be best when you are still going through the healing process.

At this time, you might consider getting a second piece of jewelry, too. That way, you can already have another jewelry piece to wear once the healing process is complete.

Before the procedure begins, your piercer will wash his hands and put on disposable gloves. If you notice the piercer skipping these steps, you'd probably be better off going to a different piercing shop.

It will then be time to lift your shirt up so the piercer can sterilize your belly button area using antiseptic. This will help to get rid of any germs on the surface of your skin that could compromise your healing process.

They will then mark the area using a surgical marker. The piercer will then use a hollow needle to make the piercing. This will sting for a few seconds before they put your jewelry into the newly created hole.

Once they have inserted the jewelry, they will likely give your navel area another wipe with the antiseptic product to ensure that your piercing is clean.

Before you head home, the piercer will go over how to care for your piercing. It's important to follow the list that they give you so that you can heal quickly and without issue. They might give you a handout with instructions, or you might want to write down the instructions if they give them verbally.

Does Getting a Navel Piercing Hurt?

When compared with other types of piercings, belly button piercings don't hurt terribly bad. It's fairly similar to the amount of pain you experience when you get your ears pierced. The actual piercing part of the process is over really fast and you will probably only feel a stinging sensation for a few moments.

Some other piercing spots are a lot more sensitive than the navel area. For example, getting your nose pierced is considered more painful than a belly button piercing.

This means that people who are worried about their pain tolerance don't have to worry too much about piercing their belly button. While you will certainly feel a painful sensation, it will be short-lived and a lot less intense than other types of piercings.

This makes belly button piercing a reasonable option for people who are just getting into piercings. Your navel area might feel sensitive for a few days after the fact, but any soreness you feel should be gone within a few days.

How Much Does It Cost to Get a Belly Piercing?

Navel piercings are a fairly affordable type of piercing. In general, it typically costs somewhere between $30 and $60 to get your belly button pierced.

How much your piercing costs will be influenced by a number of different factors. If you're concerned about cost, you'll want to think about these factors when making your decision about where to get your piercing done.

(Want to get a piercing but need it to be discrete? Look at this article to learn the easiest to hide piercings.)

The Experience of Your Piercer

Some piercers are more experienced and more in demand than others. Those who have built up a reputation after years of doing piercings will likely charge a higher rate than people that are just starting out.

When you pay more for an in-demand piercer, you are paying more because you have more confidence that they will do a good job. However, when it comes to a simple piercing like a navel piercing, you might find that a reputable but newer piercer will do a fine job for a cheaper price.

The Location of the Piercing Shop

Another factor that will influence the price of your piercing is where the shop is located. Getting a piercing done in a big fancy city will likely cost more than getting one in rural Kansas. The cost of living in an area will have a direct relationship with the fees charged by piercers.

This doesn't at all mean that city piercers are better than rural piercers. City piercers will just have higher overhead costs when it comes to rent, utilities, and how much money they need to make to get by than someone in a rural area.

(Thinking about getting your tragus pierced? Check out this guide.)

The Jewelry You Buy

The factor you have the most control over when it comes to the cost of getting your belly button pierced is the jewelry that you select. However, it's not a good idea to buy the cheapest piece of jewelry just to save money. Cheap jewelry is cheap for a reason, and the metals used are a lot more likely to cause you to have an allergic reaction.

Additionally, cheap jewelry is going to fall apart a lot faster than higher-quality jewelry. This means it can actually be more expensive to buy cheaper jewelry because you'll end up replacing it sooner.

You can find sterling silver in lots of piercing parlors and jewelry stores, but it also isn't the best option. This type of metal can end up discoloring your skin which probably isn't the look you're going for.

This doesn't mean that you have to splurge on a gold piece, though. A good option is surgical titanium, which is affordable, strong, and poses a low risk of an allergic reaction. This type of jewelry can stand the test of time because it won't corrode.

Another good choice is stainless steel. For people who have metal allergies, tygon plastic can be a great option.

You can certainly also get a gold piece of navel jewelry. However, you might want to steer clear of this precious metal if you live in a hot climate. If gold is exposed to the sun for too long it can bend easily and distort your piece of jewelry.

How Should I Prepare to Get My Belly Button Pierced?

There are a number of steps you can take before your piercing in order to make sure you have the best possible experience.

The first is to do your research when it comes to picking a piercing parlor. You want to find a place that is affordable and has qualified piercers on staff. On top of that, you want to make sure they follow the necessary sanitation practices so you can rest assured that you'll be safe getting a piercing there.

Feel free to ask a few different piercing shops about the safety practices they follow.

You'll also want to mention any underlying medical conditions you have to the piercer. If you don't feel comfortable with that, then consider calling your doctor before the procedure occurs to make sure that it's safe for you.

You will definitely want to let your piercer know if you have any bloodborne illnesses or diseases. They can help give you the information you need to make an informed decision about whether or not getting a piercing is safe for you as well as the piercer.

Lastly, it might be worth asking your relatives if there is any history of keloids in your family. These are unsightly and thick scars that can form in places where you get piercings. While these types of scars can happen to anyone, they do tend to be genetic.

When you're heading to your appointment, wear clothes that are comfortable and loose. This way, your clothes won't rub against your piercing after the fact and cause you discomfort.

It's also a good idea to wear low-rise, comfortable pants that have a flexible waistband.

You can also purchase the necessary aftercare products before you get your piercing. You'll want to get dixie cups, sea salt, and cotton balls. Gauze can also be useful if the wound site ends up having a lot of drainages.

How Long Does It Take for a Belly Button Piercing to Heal?

The healing process for a belly button piercing might take longer than you would expect. It can even take as long as a year for the piercing to heal completely.

However, most people won't have to wait that long in order to be fully healed. It's common for navel piercings to heal in three to six months.

You might think that your navel piercing is healed before the process is complete, though. Within the first six weeks, it will start looking a lot better. However, the healing process hasn't been completed underneath your skin.

How well you take care of yourself and your overall health can have a big impact on how fast it takes you to heal. If you're hoping to heal as fast as possible, consider taking steps to help boost your immune system.

On top of that, getting plenty of sleep is essential to the healing process as well as eating a healthy and well-balanced diet. Probiotics can also help to keep your immune system strong and help with your gut health.

You'll also want to avoid messing with your piercing too much. Every time you play with it, you'll be stepping backward in the healing process a little bit.

Wondering what's trending this year? Check out this article.

Is It Time for You to Get a Navel Piercing?

If you've decided that you're finally ready to adorn your navel with a piercing, you're probably starting to shop around for jewelry. While you can buy jewelry from the piercing shop you go to, this will end up limiting your options. It might also mean you end up paying more for a lower-quality piece of jewelry.

Buying body jewelry online can mean that you get the best deal on the highest-quality products. It also means that you have your pick of the litter when it comes to types of jewelry.

Is it time for you to get a navel piercing? If so, check out our belly button ring collection here!