Do not touch, pull, tug, brush against, wash over, scrub around or near the piercing whilst you are in the water. Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. Debra Sullivan, Ph.D., MSN, R.N., CNE, COI. Showers are safer than bathtubs because they can harbor germs[source]. According to Figueroa, clients should consider the long term effects working out has on a new tattoo and says its best to continue, avoiding any possible complication that may arise from having an open wound that is not properly taken care of.. Allow Necessary Cookies & Continue Soak the piercing 2-3 times per day in a mixture of warm (not hot) water and non-iodized salt. It's best to avoid swimming after a piercing or tattoo. Each day, clean the piercing with a mild soap and warm water daily. 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. While it may be great on wounds, putting it on is known to block fresh air from infected piercings and delay healing. (For Beach Lovers). Although you may think a belly button piercing wouldnt hurt that much due to being on your stomach, it will hurt slightlyjust like any other piercing. Thank you for this article and your time. 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. 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? During this time you can expect tenderness and swelling. Always follow the instructions given by the piercer when taking care of the piercing. Running will flex and expand your calf musclesyou cant avoid that repetitive motion, and if you just got a calf tattoo, this could be stressful on it and impact how it heals. 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. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. Most people know that they should avoid swimming after getting a tattoo, but it's the same for a piercing. A belly button piercing looks wonderful, and is one most common piercings in the world. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'outdoorfavor_com-leader-1','ezslot_0',670,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-outdoorfavor_com-leader-1-0'); Bodies of water, especially stagnant ones like lakes, harbor tons of microorganisms that can cause infection in your new piercing. Figueroa says her advice is a recommendation, and its ultimately up to the client to follow it or not. You shouldn't need anything else to clean your piercing. Weird Things Asked About Swimming? Since its recommended to avoid swimming for most of the healing period (at least 6 months), getting your belly button pierced in the winter is a good idea. And, as mentioned, while six to eight months is the typical healing period, it could take up to a full year. All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. Take a lot of water to stay well hydrated. Here's a breakdown so you can plan your piercing accordingly. The initial jewelry should not be changed until such a time that the piercing is deemed healed. What Jewelry Material Is Used for a Belly Button Piercing? Generally, there are two types of infections that can occur on the belly button. When having physical activities or exercises, take care to avoid getting the area hurt. Sabrina Crews is a copy editor and fact checker. Healing time: 6-8 months, fully healed by 12 months. Watch what you wear as clothes may rub against the new piercing. Tohme RA, et al. Last Updated: January 29, 2023 Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. How else can you protect your new piercing from water and infection? Follow as clean a routine as possible like: Cleaning the hands with hot water before touching your belly button piercing. After waiting for a month, or at least for three weeks, you can get ready to step into the pool. Also, I learned this was key: Make sure you get the belly ring with a post instead of an actual ring. Ensure any clothing and bedding that may come into contact with the area around the piercing is clean. Answer #1 Hi boredom410, Piercers recommend you wait a month after your piercing to go swimming in chlorinated pools. (2018). Our site includes quite a bit of content, so if you're having an issue finding what you're looking for, go on ahead and use that search feature there! The design of this piercing is said to put less stress on the navel area. Well, we're sure you are loving the hot piercing, but are you curious to know whether or when would you be able to step into the pool for a swim? We include products we think are useful for our readers. Brooks says nipple and navel piercings, need a few months of healing time before resuming the types of workouts that will irritate the piercing area because of the constant stretching and bending that is involved.Though cardio workouts are okay and are less likely to result in direct rubbing of the piercing area, Brooks recommends this exercise to, those people with recent nipple and navel piercings who dont want that break from the gym. she says. Piercings are relatively inexpensive, and they will eventually heal if you change your mind. I got very little aftercare advice/tips after I got my piercing today. Looking to change the shape and appearance of your bellybutton? Jason | April 16, 2022. Your piercer should also wear disposable gloves at all times. Stages of a Piercing's Healing Process After the procedure has been carried out, the piercing will take at least six months to heal. You can but you need to avoid swimming after ear piercing for at least 24 hours - but ideally, until the piercings have healed properly. According to our experts, its best to adhere to the recommended healing time for tattoos and piercings before submerging in either chlorine or seawater, with natural bodies of water actually carrying the higher risk of infection. This being the case, how long before you can go swimming after belly button 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. You should avoid swimming for at least 24 hoursafter havinga piercing, and ideally until it hashealed properly. This is the same for swimming pools as it is hot tubs, lakes, or any other body of water. 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]. You can effectively change out a belly button piercing yourself, but you have to be completely sure that your piercing is fully healed before doing so. This is the same kind of infection you are likely to get if you accidentally scratch the area. There are some dos and donts when it comes to this. Those dos and don'ts will change depending on where you've been pierced, too. Here's What You Need to Know, The Complete Guide to Industrial Bar Piercings, Rook Piercing 101: Everything You Need to Know, This Is How to Clean a Nose Piercing the Right Way, Tattoo Aftercare Is CrucialHere's How to Do it Right, Why You Should Soak Your New Body Piercing in Sea Salt, Michele Farber, MD, FAAD is a New York-based board-certified dermatologist practicing at. On average, however, you can expect a belly button piercing to run between $30 and $75. All rights reserved. They can also cause local tissue damage during the piercing process. Wash your hands before handling the piercing, Using disposable products to clean the area. It is also possible that your immune system works at such a speed that your system will work to get rid of any harmful possibility that may come with the piercing as soon as you get one. To keep the piercing tract open, you can replace this jewelry with a piece of safe, inert plastic known as a piercing retainer. 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]. In regards to swimming after having a piercing the NHS states You should avoid swimming for at least 24 hours after having a piercing and ideally until it. Everyone heals differently, so they may provide you a range. When you get a new piercing, youre welcoming a foreign object into your body. Other placements of belly button piercings include the lower rim, upper rim, and sides of the navel. Belly button piercings can take longer to heal. If you want to swim at least cover it with a waterproof bandage that can be bought from a pharmacy. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Avoid swimming whether it is in chlorine treated pools, in the sea, river, ocean or lake. If the piercing needle wasn't sterile, there . Keeping the area as bacteria-free as possible is essential to healing. Though sweat doesnt irritate a new piercing, it can still introduce germs and bacteria. Bumps are, Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. Although some might see the belly button piercing as a simple process, it requires to be carried out by a professional using the right tools. Cycling might be a better choice than running, because there's no jiggling in the chest area. How long do you have to wait to go swimming after getting a monroe piercing? We Have 8 Smart Ways! (Everything You Need To Know), Can You Swim After Getting Ears Pierced? (n.d.). Choosing to get a piercing is a big decision that requires a lot of aftercare. For example, say you just got a new calf tattoo and want to go for a run. For more advice, like how to shower with a new piercing, read on. If you experience any discomfort or tightness, its recommended that you remove the jewelry thats currently in place. How long will it take to heal? You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our. Brooks says nipple piercings, in particular, dont do well in a sports bra, as it rests in a way that is equivalent to sleeping on the piercing, which is never good. Infections are pretty easy to treat (u. This means they havent been used on anyone else. Ensure that the area remains dry as excess moisture will worsen the area. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. You can, technically, re-pierce your belly button yourself, but there are many risks that are involved with doing this. 2005-2023 Healthline Media a Red Ventures Company. But, make sure that you dont forget to follow the instructions mentioned below before stepping inside the pool. To keep your new piercing clean, try taking showers instead of baths while the piercing heals. When the urge to get a piercing comes along, many people give right in. 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. Then, its recommended to clean your piercing twice a day with a sterile saline solution. These are: The Inflammatory Stage This is the first stage of the healing process. However, its important to note that not everyone can get a belly button piercing. Also, if youre sharing equipment with others, disinfect the equipment before and after you use it, so you aren't spreading your germs to others. Avoiding as much as possible the exchange of body fluids around the pieced area. If like us, youre wondering where the avoid the gym with a new piercing stigma comes from, Janeese Brooks, the head piercer at Stone and Strand clears that up for us. After having a piercing, it's important to keep the area clean and dry. Its a super quick process which makes it very manageable.. Have a good day! and gently clean your piercing with sterile saline. However, this is not always the case. She also recommends wearing loose-fitting clothing and pants that have low-rise waistbands to ensure you dont irritate the piercing site or cause further complications. As a general guide, healing times for the most common body piercings can be: It's possible to pick up an infection from any body of water, so while your piercing heals you should avoid swimming in: If you have any signs of infection, see a GP. Take the cotton bud and rub it lightly to form a lather. Placement: Pierced through the skin right above the naval, with a true belly button piercing centered directly above the navel. With this jewelry, size is everything. Hi! Ask the 1 piercing u: Be sure to go to a licensed and highly qualified expert on piercing, and ask them how long to wait before swimming in the ocean. "Your ear piercing after swimming needs to be rinsed under running water to rinse off any germs that could cause infection." After the placement is confirmed, the piercer will use a hollow needle to create a hole in the designated location. It's not normally necessary to rotate or remove a piece of jewellery. But it turns out, piercing aftercare is a lot more in-depth than that. Anything that is in the water is getting into your piercings, and even in the cleanest of pools chlorine is going to hurt your piercing as well, Brooks says. That makes the cold-weather months a great time to be spontaneous. Michael is heavily inclined towards traveling to natural places and documenting cultures/people from different parts of the world. Dont rely on amateurs or DIY videos when it comes to getting a body piercing. 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