Can you numb your belly before piercing? (2023)

FAQs

Can you numb your belly before piercing? ›

If you're really concerned about pain, you can ask your piercer to apply a topical anesthetic beforehand. You'll need to wait 20 to 30 minutes after application to experience the full benefits of a topical anesthetic, but once you're numb, you'll experience more pressure than pain during the navel piercing process.

With the immediate pain of a piercing or tattoo, you might opt for more intense relief like the Zensa Numbing Cream 5% Lidocaine (our top choice). You can also apply one during post-procedure recovery to dull pain, like the LMX4 Lidocaine Pain Relief Cream, which contains less lidocaine.

Topical numbing is not safe and not a good idea for your body piercings.

Some people who are squeamish about pain may want to numb the skin around the belly button with an ice cube wrapped in paper towel before proceeding. However, it is important to be aware that numbing the area with ice will also make the skin tough and rubbery, making it harder to push the piercing needle through.

Belly button piercings are considered the second least painful piercings after ear piercings. That's because the thick tissue left behind from when your umbilical cord was removed is flesh and not very nerve dense.

We do not administer numbing cream for piercings as it can irritate the skin and become inflamed due to allergies which can affect the piercing.

Placing a clean ice pack or a cold compress on a new piercing is a simple way to help relieve ear-piercing pain and reduce swelling. Use ice on the fresh piercing for no more than 15-20 minutes at a time for the first few days after getting your new ear piercing.

Using a numbing cream ahead of your next piercing appointment can help ease discomfort. The Zensa Numbing Cream 5% Lidocaine is an effective dermatologist-approved numbing cream that's safe for sensitive skin and reduces inflammation using vitamin E.

According to Niki, most people rate navel piercings as a four or five out of 10 on the pain scale. Pain is, of course, subjective and it really does depend on how well trained your piercer is.

It's normal for the area to feel sore for a few days after the piercing. If you're experiencing symptoms that are unusual or that occur after the first few days, reach out to your piercer or doctor.

What to avoid when getting a belly piercing? ›

Don't put anything on your belly button unless a doctor tells you to. That includes lotions, oil, and perfume. Even antibacterial cream and hydrogen peroxide may slow healing or trap bacteria inside your new opening. Wear clean, loose, and soft clothes.

After you get your belly button pierced, you should:

Avoid tight clothing around your midsection, tanning beds, hot tubs, public pools, and sleeping on your stomach until the piercing is at least mostly healed.

Take deep breaths and close your eyes when the moment comes. Deep breathing reduces stress and helps calm your body down. If you're the type of person who doesn't handle seeing blood, even if it's the tiniest bit, it's best advised if you not look while the piercer is performing the procedure.

Slow or minimal weight gain or loss won't be a problem, however, and once your piercing has healed, this is something that you likely won't have to worry about.

Cartilage piercings take longer to heal than earlobe piercings. The average healing time is 8 months, but it can take up to 12 months for some people. The healing process is slow because cartilage doesn't have a good blood supply. This means that it's harder for the body to fight off infection and promote healing.

The cost of your belly button piercing will vary depending on the studio you go to, your geographic location, your piercer's experience, and how complicated your piercing is. On average, however, you can expect a belly button piercing to run between $30 and $75.

You see, there is a complex system of nerves in our mouths and all around our faces. If your piercer accidentally hits one of these nerves, it can cause temporary numbness or even long-term nerve damage, which can permanently affect your taste as well as speech.

Surface piercings have the highest rejection rate. Surface piercings such as microdermals as well as eyebrow piercings and navel piercings reject the most because they are closest to the surface of the skin.

Surface piercings such as eyebrows, neck, nipple and wrist tend to be rejected more easily than other piercings. That's because they do not travel directly through the body, but rather along an area of skin because the jewellery is puncturing only a small amount of the skin's surface.

I don't recommend taking aspirin or ibuprofen beforehand because they tend to thin your blood and could cause more bleeding. But taking an extra-strength acetaminophen an hour before your procedure could help.

How can I numb my skin before piercing at home? ›

Ice. An ice pack or cold compress can numb the pain of minor injuries, sunburn, and other conditions. Ice can also numb your skin prior to a procedure such as an ear piercing. Patting.

Before your piercing, please make sure you have something to eat – a full meal is ideal but even a chocolate bar or fizzy drink at the bare minimum. This will ensure your blood sugar levels are at their best, minimising any risk of fainting. It is important that you are feeling good in yourself before your piercing.

What We Recommend. Products like Emla are generally effective for reducing the pain and discomfort. It is available in a tube of cream or in individual patches, applied by peeling off the back and adhering it the area you wish to numb.

A piercing is the creation of an opening in a part of the body for the insertion of jewelry. It's rarely done with a numbing agent (anesthetic).

While most belly button piercings heal without issues, bacteria can infect the area before healing is complete. Infections are usually minor. Symptoms can include pain, redness, and swelling, and improving hygiene can help. Complete healing can take 9–12 months.

A. Standard belly button piercings are placed through 1/2″ to 1″ or so of skin above the belly button, down and out through the upper lip of the navel cavity. The end result should be that the bottom ball of your belly button ring nestles right over top of your belly button.

In general, tattoos tend to hurt more than piercings because the needles used for tattoos are larger and go deeper into the skin than the needles used for piercings. However, everyone experiences pain differently, so there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to how much pain you'll feel from a tattoo or piercing.

Showering: Shower like you normally do; the last thing you will do while in the shower is clean your piercing. Lather up some mild, fragrance free, non-antibacterial soap in your hands and gently wash your piercing. You want enough friction to clean the piercing, but not so much that you cause trauma to it.

The anti-tragus piercing is located on the small, curved area of cartilage between your ear lobe and tragus. On the pain scale, the anti-tragus ranks at a 6-7/10 and, while attractive, is one of the most sensitive placements you can get. This piercing takes around 6-12 months to fully heal.

Avoid baths, hot tubs, swimming pools, saunas, lakes, etc. for the first three weeks after being pierced as they contain bacteria which can increase the risk of infection. If you think you have an infection, keep your jewelry in! This is very important as your jewelry will allow accumulating pus to drain.

Can I wear leggings after belly button piercing? ›

You need to switch to midrise jeans/leggings to be able to maintain your piercing for a while. I tend to fold down my pants so it doesn't rub against my piercing. You can still get it pierced, but you just have to switch to lowrise jeans and leggings. Stay Safe!

When rejection does happen, it's usually in a flat area of the body. Rejection is more common in the following types of piercings: eyebrow. belly button.

In order to be a candidate for a navel piercing, you need to have a protruding lip of skin on the top (or, uncommonly, on the bottom) of your navel, with enough space behind the flap for jewelry to sit comfortably. The flap must have a definite front and back, with a clear edge dividing the two.

It is not recommended that you work out immediately after you get your belly button pierced. You should wait for at least a few days, and perhaps much longer before you resume any of your usual workout routines.

Along with the nostrils and belly button, the earlobes are the safest and most common body part to be pierced. The flesh of the earlobe heals well when the area is cleaned regularly and the piercing is done at the proper angle.

There is actually scientific reasoning behind this practice, because breathing more slowly and deeply from your stomach signals your nervous system to calm down.

A daith piercing is located in the innermost fold of your ear. Some people believe that this piercing can help ease anxiety-related migraines and other symptoms. Although the evidence is primarily anecdotal, there's some research around the piercing's proposed mechanism of action.

Your size: Overweight people can get this piercing if they want, but it's not recommended if your navel becomes covered over by skin and fat when you sit. That can suffocate the piercing and build up more sweat, which makes healing more difficult and is a breeding ground for bacteria.

For example, navel or belly button piercings are thought to relieve ailments associated with fatigue, depression, gynecological distress, constipation, or cystitis pain. Piercings of the eyebrows are thought to offer relief from eye strain, vertigo, or emotional and physical shock.

There could be some localized swelling but it would not be normal for a navel piercing to result in generalized abdominal bloating.

What is the least attractive piercing? ›

The most attractive spot for a piercing is the belly button. The least attractive is a tie between the nose and the nether regions.

Uncommon piercings may be more costly due to the fragile nature of the procedures. A few more uncommon piercings are eyeball piercings, dermal piercings (pictured to the left), corset piercings, some genital piercings, uvula piercings, bridge piercings, and anti-eyebrow piercings (the latter two are pictured above).

Of all the body sites commonly pierced, the navel is the most likely to become infected because of its shape. Infections can often be treated with good skin hygiene and antibiotic medications.

Belly Button Piercing Healing Times. Even though it only takes a few minutes to get your navel pierced, it can take anywhere between nine months to a year to heal completely. Don't be fooled if your piercing appears to be fully healed after around four to six weeks!

Bellybutton (Navel)

For ages 13 and up. Bellybutton or Navel piercings are the first in what we like to call a big kid piercing. These piercings take even more care than a cartilage piercing with longer heal times but are a must have for the trendy teen.

In the springtime, you might be tempted to get your navel pierced because summer is coming, and you know it will look super cute with your new swimsuit. However, it's best to get your belly pierced in the fall. That way, you can have plenty of time to heal before you reveal your piercing over the summer.

If pain is the concern, use Dr. Numb^® numbing cream an hour before the procedure. The numbing effect dulls the nerve endings so that they can't send pain signal to the brain. In this way, you can feel confident to undergo piercing session.

Even minor infections can get worse without treatment. Your doctor may need to prescribe an antibiotic cream like mupirocin (Bactroban).

Gently pat dry the affected area with clean gauze or a tissue. Then apply a small amount of an over-the-counter antibiotic cream (Neosporin, bacitracin, others), as directed on the product label. Turn the piercing jewelry a few times to prevent it from sticking to the skin.

It's normal for the area to feel sore for a few days after the piercing. If you're experiencing symptoms that are unusual or that occur after the first few days, reach out to your piercer or doctor.

What not to do after belly piercing? ›

Don't put anything on your belly button unless a doctor tells you to. That includes lotions, oil, and perfume. Even antibacterial cream and hydrogen peroxide may slow healing or trap bacteria inside your new opening. Wear clean, loose, and soft clothes.

Rejection happens when the body doesn't accept the metal from the ring. The immune system will push out the body piercing and will heal the skin until the piercing no longer sticks. The piercing can migrate to another part of the abdomen.

These risks include: Allergic reactions to the jewelry. Excessive bleeding. Jewelry rejection or migration (migration is when the piercing moves internally to a slightly different spot, and rejection is when your body starts to push the jewelry out and you see more and more of the barbell)

One way to help your new piercing stay healthy is to soak it in a sea salt or saline mixture. Doing this can keep your wound clean and promote healing. Some piercing experts tell their customers to consider a sea salt soak to help your piercing heal.

Pierced areas, especially sensitive areas like the navel, can get infected months and even years after they were pierced, though infections most often occur very shortly after the time of piercing, as that is when the portal door is wide open.

Aftercare: When Can You Change Your Belly Bar? In general, expect to wait three months to a year before you're able to switch out the original jewellery. You must wait the amount of time necessary — don't be fooled by the healing process.