Hi! My name is Ashley and I am 16 years old. I have wanted my belly button pierced ever since I was a little girl, all of the singers and older girls had it done and I loved it so I just had to have it! Well I begged my mom since I was about 12 to get it done, day after day, birthday after birthday and she continuously said your too young or you don't know how many complications could occur. I always thought she worried too much. Finally a couple of months after my 15th birthday after a trip to the dairy queen she took me to get it pierced. I couldn't believe she was actually going to let me do it! I was so excited but yet at the same time a little nervous. When I walked in to the tattoo parlor my heart sank because of all of the people in there scared me. I wanted to leave but my mom told me if I walked out she wasn't bringing me back. I knew that I would regret not getting it done so after a couple of minutes of talking to some people I decided that it was now or never. After filling out some papers and getting and aftercare brochure it was time. The piercer took me into the back where a younger girl was getting a tattoo and I thought if she can get a tattoo then I can surely get my belly button pierced! Jack ( the piercer) marked my belly and asked me if it looked alright and then he laid me down. After a couple of minutes of breathing in and out it was over and I was so happy! It didn't hurt at all.
At A Glance Author *-Ashley-* Contact *-Ashley-*@bme.anon When Three months ago Artist Jack Studio Nightbreed Location Ohio My belly button healed great with the 14 gauge barbell in and after 6 months I put in a new ring...I chose another barbell except this one had bigger balls on it. I thought nothing of it, because everyone I knew at the time that had their navel pierced was wearing this kind of ring or something similar to it. After I put the new ring in I loved it! After a few weeks I noticed that there was a red "bump" forming by my top hole. I just figured that I was messing with it too much so I started cleaning it everyday with peroxide and sea salt but it never got better. After a couple weeks of cleaning it everyday I finally just got tired of messing with it and left it alone hoping that it would go away on its own.
WRONG! After about 3 months, the "bump" had gotten very big and was seeping puss. I was embarrassed to show anyone so I hid it for awhile, I even thought about taking it out but I couldn't. So, finally , I went to where I got it pierced after waiting awhile Jack took me into the back and told me to sit down how I usually would. When I did he lifted my shirt and said, "There's the problem!". He continued to explain to me that the reason this "bump" had formed was because the bottom ball was too large and when I sat down it would go back into my navel and force the top of the barbell sideways. Because of this my belly button was forming new tissue and fluids around the ring. He told me that I needed to wear a different barbell with smaller balls, clean it with sea salt and it would heal. He assured me that I did nothing wrong and there was nothing wrong with my body, just that everyone's belly button is different and that not everyone could wear the same kind of jewelry. He also told me that if I didn't do anything it would develop into a keloid and only get bigger, and I definitely did not want this thing any bigger! The last option he gave was just to take it out. After deciding that I did not want to take it out and I did want it to get better, I did exactly what he said to do, I bought a cute barbell which was very small and cleaned my piercing every day. After a couple of weeks it was healing great and was looking a lot better! I am so happy that I went in when I did and now it is healed and I can finally show it off! Now, I am proud of my piercing instead of embarrassed .
My advice to anyone out there that has their belly button pierced and notices something abnormal is to not wait or think that it will heal on its own! Because that will help nothing, it will only make things worse. That was my mistake and I almost waited too long.