Member Advice on Body Piercing

Piercing. The one word that, to many parents and parents of teenagers (particularly girls), causes massive arguments and shouting matches, protestations of independence, and replies of “over my dead body.”

Ok, so the scene at my house wasn’t quite that drastic, but my mother had made it quite clear to me that the question of my getting my bellybutton pierced was out of the question. She didn’t see the need for it, and thought that ...
...(I’m Indian, so it’s a cultural thing), unecessary and tasteless.

So we argued, but I figured it was all in vain, since I was too chicken to contemplate the pain invovled. Then, last summer I went on a study abroad program to France. I made friends with two girls who both had their navels pierced, and they assured me it really wasn’t that painful. Gradually, I got talked into the idea and plucked up the nerve to get it done.
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Piercing. The one word that, to many parents and parents of teenagers (particularly girls), causes massive arguments and shouting matches, protestations of independence, and replies of “over my dead body.”

Ok, so the scene at my house wasn’t quite that drastic, but my mother had made it quite clear to me that the question of my getting my bellybutton pierced was out of the question. She didn’t see the need for it, and thought that getting any parts other than ears and potentially a nose (I’m Indian, so it’s a cultural thing), unecessary and tasteless.

So we argued, but I figured it was all in vain, since I was too chicken to contemplate the pain invovled. Then, last summer I went on a study abroad program to France. I made friends with two girls who both had their navels pierced, and they assured me it really wasn’t that painful. Gradually, I got talked into the idea and plucked up the nerve to get it done.

I wasn’t willing to lie or not tell my mother until it was too late, so I wrote her an email explaining that i figured honesty was the best possible approach, but perhaps with a little audacity suggested that even if she didn’t like the idea, there wasn’t really much that she could do about it. This annouicement prompted a flurry of emails between my mother, my father (who was puzzled as to why I wanted to get the thing done in the first place), and me. At one point, my mother even tried to get my aunt to send me an email detailing the horrors of piercings gone wrong. This made me both irritated and annoyed, and dare I say, steeled my resolve to get myself pierced.

However, in the course of finding a parlor, researching on the internet, and getting the piercing done, I learned a great deal both about the procedure and the aftermath, and the experience in general, so I figured I’d share my thoughts with the Ciao community, particularly with those who have a daughter at home who wants to get it done. Obviously, the review applies to all, but I'm writing it from this perspective as that was what my experience was.

Researching:
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I’ve found that there’s a wealth of information on the web for those who want to learn more about piercing. The sites range from professional piercers and associations to forums where teens discuss their personal experiences. In general, they all give the same care information, and some discuss the pain factor. There are horror stories, but the people who write those generally did not take good care of their piercings, and paid for it. I simply typed in bellybutton piercing/navel piercing on Google and took it from there. I’d advise looking finding the sites and looking at them with the child in question, but if they’re anything like me, they will already have turned to the web to build up a case to refute any argument you may have against getting pierced in terms of safety/health.

Deciding to get it done:
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When discussing the issue, make sure you try your best to keep a level head. Trust me, the last thing you want is to spark a rebellion which results in your kid going and getting the piercing done at a really dodgy parlor and suffering later. Make sure they understand that getting pierced is a decision that requires a lot of maturity and responsibility to deal with and care for, and that it’s something that’s going to be with them for a good long while. Yes, you can take it out at any time, but the fact that it is something that will alter your body should be talked about in a rational manner. Make them understand that this is a long-term thing rather than a passing fad. Also take into consideration their age. I was almost 18 when I got mine done, but I’ve heard of 14 year olds who want them. Personally, I feel that’s too young, but if they’re dead set on it, make them wait a couple of months to see if they really want it or they just want to be “cool.” This is a decision that is entirely up to you and your sense of appropriateness.
Finding and choosing a parlor:
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I found the parlor I got pierced at by walking around downtown Annecy, but the best bet is to either search the internet for piercing salons in your area, or look up the phone book. Once you’ve compiled a list of salons, make sure you visit each one. When you visit, here are things to look for:

1) Do they mention an autoclave anywhere? An autoclave is a machine that is used to sterilize instruments, and is key in making sure that your personal hygeine is protected. If you don’t see one, and upon asking the staff has no idea, forget it.

2) Is the parlor clean? One of the parlors I went to had hair on the floor (someone had just been shaved to be pierced) and the smell made me feel nauseous. My friend firmly refused to let me consider getting pierced there, and with good reason. The salon I eventually chose was immaculate, and you would never guess that it was a piercing parlor.

3) Ask to see the piercing facilities (i.e. the room where the piercing will be done). This can be important. My parlor was set up like a doctor’s office: I had to lie down on a medical bed like in a doctor’s office, there was tissue paper covering it, and they wouldn’t let anyone come in with me to keep the environment sterile. My piercer opened her instruments from sealed packets, wore gloves, and properly disposed of the piercing needle after she was done.

4) Finally, the parlor should be one that both you and your child feel comfortable with, where you feel at ease allowing them to get pierced and they feel comfortable being pierced. If you have any doubts about the place, it’s probably not the right one. Kind of like being ready to have sex.

5) Check around for price comparison. In France, for a titanium stud and piercing, I paid 90 euros, which I was told was a good deal.

Getting pierced:
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The person being pierced should wear loose, comfortable pants and a tee-shirt/tank top that is either loose or doesn’t cover their piercing, because you generally don’t want to have something touching it right afterwards.

Make sure to also bring some form of ID if the piercee is underage. France wasn’t a problem, but I do know in the US, friends have had to bring passports and birth certificates and the like to prove their relationship to their parent. It’s a hassle, but it’s another little safeguard against your child sneaking off and getting a random stranger to pass as their parent.

When you get to the part of choosing a stud to get pierced with, see that they choose something that will go with their wardrobe and they won’t get tired of quickly. Once that stud’s in there, you don’t change it for seven months (a note on that later). There is also the type of stud to consider: does your child want a ring or a bar? One stone or two? Color preference? One with a hollow stem and the screw in bit in the top ball, or one with the sccrew part in the stem of the stud and a hollow ball? (Apparently the former is more piercing friendly, but I had the latter, and it was fine.) What type of metal do you want? Silver stainless steel, or the more elegant dark grey titanium?

Once you get into the piercing area, the piercer will measure your belly button and determine where to pierce it. It should be roughly centered, for if it isn’t it’ll look quite odd when they stud goes in.

Piercing salons don’t recommend you take medication beforehand, but my friend gave me muscle relaxants, so I was vaguely woozy when I got pierced, and as a result the pain wasn’t that bad, but people who I’ve talked to assure me it doesn’t hurt even when sober. What will happen (if being pierced by a needle), is that the piercer will tell you to take a deep breath, and then count to three. On three, you exhale, and they push the needle through, piercing the skin. Then they will take out the needle and slide the stud in and screw it shut. This was probably the most uncomfortable part of the piercing for me, for it twinged slightly with pain when the needle was taken out and the stud put in, but nothing drastic. Once the stud was in, I was made to lie on the bench for another couple of minutes and suck on a piece of sugar to stabilize my body in response to the shock. When you get up, chances are you will feel dizzy, so watch out and get up slowly. It’s good to have a can of Coke or something else fizzy and sweet on hand, because it does help, as I learned about 20 minutes later.

About 20 minutes after the piercing. I was feeling dizzy and woozy from the medication and the heat, and my friends were walking with me. I sat down for a while, and then feeling fine, got up to continue walking. Then they went to get ice cream and I started to feel as though I would pass out - flashing colors before my eyes and everything. I sat down on the steps of the bakery next to the ice cream store my friends were at, but the next thing I knew, I was puking in the bushes. It wasn’t fun, but it was my body’s way of responding to the shock. Once that happened, I was fine. But just to err on the side of caution, I showered with the bathroom door open so I could yell to my roommate if I felt funny again.

Caring for the piercing:
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The piercing should be disinfected twice a day, using a mix of warm water and a disinfectant such as Savlon. Pour the Savlon into a glass, mix it with the water, and then press the glass up to your bellybutton so that it forms a suction cup and the liquid doesn’t leak out, but thoroughly disinfects the piercing. Some people recommend sea salt soaks for upto two years, but that’s unecessary. I used them and found no noticable difference in the piercing, but they were nice when the healing process started to go a little off track. They soothe the skin, and so can be nice. I used some Neosporin, but was later informed via the net that petroleum based products are bad as they prevent water from touching the wound, and so should be avoided.

Be warned that you may experience oozing and/or crusting after the piercing, and even periodically during the healing period. Don’t panic - this is a normal process, just make sure you thoroughly clean the piercing of all crusts. If, however, it starts to smell, or look yellow, this is a possible sign of infection and you should see a doctor. If you suspect an infection, DO NOT TAKE THE STUD OUT. This will seal in all the bad guys if there are any, and can lead to serious complications. Go see a doctor ASAP. Same thing goes if you suspect any sort of problem with the healing (if in doubt see the piercer and a doctor, but do not take the stud out), for in addition to causing serious infections, improper care can lead to scarring as well. The best way to prevent infection though, remains vigilant care in disinfecting during the whole healing period (6-7 months).

My piercing did not ooze, but it itched more than anything I’ve ever experienced. All I had to do was touch the skin lightly and the sensory receptors would go mad. If this happens, refrain from itching it, because that will increase the chances of infection. If you must touch the piercing, make sure that your hands are thoroughly disinfected. Likewise, if you are...err....’fooling around’ and the piercing comes into contact with anything, it should be disinfected ASAP. Younger children getting their navels pierced should also especially be warned to avoid the temptation to play with the stud (move it back and forth) because that also disrupts healing and provides a great entry for germs.

You should also be aware that your body may try to reject the stud - after all, it’s a foreign object, and your body’s job is to keep those out. The way to know if this is happening to you is if you notice your stud starting to move to the side or be pushed up. I’m not sure what you do in this case, but the best bet is probably to accept that your body won’t tolerate the piercing, and so you should simply remove the stud and let the piercing shut.

A couple of months down the line, the temptation to change the stud may become very tempting, but it’s a bad idea. First, changing the stud before you have healed completely can disrupt the healing proc ess and re-damage the wound (which is essentially what a piercing is), and earn you yet more months of healing time. Secondly, although it seems like the wound should have healed after so many months, keep in mind all the bending and twisting we do in a day that involves our abdomen. Each time we do that, the skin moves against the stud, which means that it’s constantly being broken and healing. Let your body do it’s job, and if you wait, you’re less likely to have issues with the piercing. I’ve heard estimates as low as 2 months, and as high as 9, but I waited for 7 and have had no issues.

A word of advice on changing studs: using oil such as Vitamin E oil or almond oil can really help to ease the stud in. Even now, the studs tend to get a little stuck on their way in, which can be annoying and a tad uncomfortable, but using oil allows them to slip right in. Almond oil is also reputedly good for healing, so rubbing a little on your stud may help.

I realize this op is extensive, but really, getting your navel (or any other body part) pierced is a serious decision, and one where the more informed you are, the better off you’ll be. I hope this comes in handy for you, your kids, or whoever it is that’s intending to get pierced :)

Do let me know if you have any other questions or points I should add.

~maya  

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