While sweat is naturally produced by the body, and is just a sign of your body taking care of itself, "make sure to take a shower after exercising as a clean body tends to be a healthier body." Brooks says. Debra Sullivan, Ph.D., MSN, R.N., CNE, COI. Following the correct aftercare during the healing process is super important, both because it will help the piercing heal properly and because not doing so could slow down the process. 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. Cozmo Faris is a professional piercer with more than 12 years of experience who teaches for the Association of Professional Piercers. Watch what you wear as clothes may rub against the new piercing. But, make sure that you dont forget to follow the instructions mentioned below before stepping inside the pool. (n.d.). First and foremost, hide the navel from the direct hitting sun. Overall, just be aware and make sure to clean a healing tattoo or piercing immediately after swimming in a pool or natural body of water. Then, if your piercer is using tools, the area is held taut with a clamp. She has been an amateur artist as a hobby since grade school, and served a 12 month tattoo apprenticeship in a tattoo studio. Also ensure that the piercing is done by a professional. The right choice of jewelry and how professional the piercer is also affect how long it takes for the piercing to heal. However, its important to note that not everyone can get a belly button piercing. Things You Should Know Before Getting a Double Helix Piercing, Want a Genteel Look But Dont Know How to Hide Ear Gauges? The initial jewelry should not be changed until such a time that the piercing is deemed healed. After the placement is confirmed, the piercer will use a hollow needle to create a hole in the designated location. For ear and facial piercings, you can exercise immediately, though Brooks advises you to do so with care, and avoid contact sports. How Long Should You Wait To Swim After Getting A Piercing. This is especially important for people who enjoy high-intensity exercises with contact such as boxing and wrestling.. Its important to not share needles. Soaking the area with saline solution should go on even when the area seems healed. They may contain bacteria that could cause infections on the piercings. The piercer will clean up your navel and give you instructions for aftercare. This way the possibility of complications resulting from negligence is minimized. Due to its placement, the navel piercing takes a minimum of 6 - 9 months to heal. Laser Tattoo Removal Can Cause Blisters Here's Why and How to Treat Them. We include products we think are useful for our readers. Plus, try to keep in mind that body fluids shouldn't be shared with others. The UK's National Health Service (NHS) advises, " After having a piercing, it is important to keep the area clean and dry." In regards to swimming after having a piercing, the NHS states,. Since there could be irritation to cleansing products, ensure that a very mild cleanser is used. Isabelle has been contributing to Byrdie since 2020. This is the same kind of infection you are likely to get if you accidentally scratch the area. Where the infection is not treated, it is possible for there to be formation of an abscess. For first time piercings, choose rings made of gold, stainless steel or titanium. While chlorine may be okay for piercings, all the other bacteria in the water may cause you trouble and you can never be sure how balanced the chemical levels are in anyone else's pool, or what else may be in the water. Infections can cause misshapen piercings, ones that point in off directions, scarring, complete rejection of the piercing, permanent damage, and blood poisoning if not dealt with quickly. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. My belly bottom stays with a infection, like it will come and go come and go. Make sure to keep the water temperature mild, because very hot water will cause swelling and pain. The important thing to keep in mind is that a fresh tattoo is an open wound, therefore it should be treated as such to ensure a good healing, she says. These are: The Inflammatory Stage This is the first stage of the healing process. It could produce a bad odor as well and is an indication of an infection. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. You'll most likely find 14- and 16-gauge offered for this style, which hugs the navel and lays outward, so the side of the ring is showing. Make sure you don't get into a pool or a bath (shower's fine), dry it immediately after you're done. Placement: Pierced through the skin right above the naval, with a true belly button piercing centered directly above the navel, Healing time: 6-8 months, fully healed by 12 months. Reusable piercing guns can transmit bodily fluids across customers. There are two reasons for it: The pierced area needs oxygen to heal and if you wear form-fit clothes then the cut of oxygen will delay the healing. While chlorine may be okay for piercings, all the other bacteria in the water may cause you trouble and you can never be sure how balanced the chemical levels are in anyone else's pool, or what else may be in the water. Soap and bacteria can both really harm your new piercing, remember how important it is to rinse it out after bath or shower! Belly button piercings are done either with tools or freehand by a professional piercer. But if you can't wait for that long, give it no more than 24 hours. If you must swim, we recommend covering your piercing with a waterproof Band-Aid. Showers are safer than bathtubs because they can harbor germs[source]. Considering the piercing is fairly painless due to a fleshy placement and easy to take care of since you dont have to look in a mirror to see it, theyre a great choice that has endured the test of time. Use disposable, soft paper products to pat dry. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. Dont pick at the area, as it can cause further irritation or bleeding. When having physical activities or exercises, take care to avoid getting the area hurt. [3] Disinfectant and a very good rinse. Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. The discharge will at times produce a foul smell. Once you are absolutely certain that the piercing is healed, you can go ahead and enjoy swimming. Try pure aloe gel for new piercings. 2-3 months before the piercing can be submerged. This mainly includes application of ointments that will help speed up the healing process. ", "The tip that showering was best, instead of bathing, helped.". Make sure you clean the area very slowly and thoroughly including the piercing jewelry. This will be totally dependent on an individuals rate of healing. These cookies do not store any personal information. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); It's cool, and a lot painful. It is gentle on sensitive skin, an excellent healer, and it is anti-fungal as well as antibacterial. This will help to prevent infections as piercings can quickly regress if mistreated or not well taken care of. But you need to essentially wait for the piercing to heal off completely before you start swimming with it. Typically featuring a curved barbell, this style has a plethora of options and adornments like stones, jewels, or charms hanging off the end of the ring. Our team thoroughly researches and evaluates the recommendations we make on our site. Make sure that you avoid spas and hot tubs until the piercing heals completely to avoid infection. In case after taking enough caution infection still occurs, adopt the treatment methods discussed below to minimize it and prevent it from spreading. Apply a small amount of soap on the new piercing and the area for about 30 seconds. Think of this as your body coming to terms with the new object in your navel. How Long Should I Wait Before Going Swimming After Getting A Belly Button Piercing Quora So ideally you should not swim for 6 months to let it heal to 60 to 100. 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. Also, make sure you do not step into the swimming pool if the piercing shows any signs of infection. You can afford to skip one bath or swimming session to protect that. There are some dos and donts when it comes to this. Byrdie takes every opportunity to use high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read More Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone. NHS states that the problem comes with submerging your head underwater and being at risk to any bacteria that could get in. According to Consumer Reports, Nexcare ranks highest on the list of waterproof bandages, with Band-Aid next on the list. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. I got very little aftercare advice/tips after I got my piercing today. Do not wear tight-fitting clothes instead wear a relaxed fit clothes that sit loosely on the body. As far as intensive exercising goes, Figueroa says its not recommended because its not good to have bacteria sitting on top of an open wound. In that case, pat your piercing dry to avoid retaining moisture (bacteria love moisture and need it to grow!) On average, however, you can expect a belly button piercing to run between $30 and $75. Avoid pools chlorine kills white blood cells on site. It can be done safely as long as you make sure to keep the area clean and free of bacteria. Always follow the instructions given by the piercer when taking care of the piercing. Some of the telltale signs of infection include: To avoid the infections, you should follow the aftercare instructions given to you by the piercer. This is the same for swimming pools as it is hot tubs, lakes, or any other body of water. This is because piercings can be susceptible to infection, and hot tubs and baths can create an ideal environment for bacteria to grow. Keeping the area as bacteria-free as possible is essential to healing. We make on our site a relaxed fit clothes that sit loosely on piercings., with Band-Aid next on the list of waterproof bandages, with Band-Aid next on the body rings... Object in your navel and give you instructions for aftercare of the healing process in a tattoo studio cleansing,. This mainly includes application of ointments that will help to prevent infections as piercings quickly. Hobby since grade school, and hot tubs and baths can create an environment... Body fluids should n't be shared with others be changed until such a that! 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