|  | Family Health | Womens Health

The Best Way to Keep a Belly Button Piercing Clean

A belly button is pierced through the upper rim of the navel. A piercer -- he should be certified by the Association of Professional Piercers -- measures the area, puts a needle into the skin and inserts a barbell. After six months, the piercing heals and other jewelry, such as curved barbells and dangling ornaments, can be worn. However, there are steps to follow to ensure your piercing heals correctly; keeping the area clean and infection-free allow for a successful belly button piercing.

  1. Cleaning Supplies

    • For a daily cleanser, choose a mild, fragrance-free, germicidal, medicated soap that comes in liquid form. In addition, prepare a non-iodized sea-salt soak in a small, narrow glass, such as a shot glass. Mix 1/2 tsp. sea salt with 1/4 c. of cooled, boiled water. Have paper towels on hand to wipe the area clean.

    Cleaning Procedures

    • Before beginning any cleaning procedure, wash your hands with warm, soapy water, use a hand sanitizer or wear disposable, latex gloves. Soak the navel area in the sea-salt solution twice a day by soaking a piece of gauze in a cup and squeezing it gently onto the piercing area. Lie down, apply the gauze and leave it on for 10 minutes. Briefly rinse afterward using another piece of gauze soaked with warm water. Pat dry with a paper towel. In addition, once a day, while showering (a bathtub may contain bacteria), place a pea-sized drop of the daily cleanser on your finger and gently rub into the piercing. Slowly move the piercing from side to side and rinse the soap within 30 seconds. Pat dry with a paper towel.

    Navel Appearance

    • You may notice a little blood, swelling and bruising on the navel area for up to two weeks after the piercing. After this period, you may see white-yellow fluid that will dry onto the jewelry and possibly itch your skin. Loosen the dried fluid by using a cotton swab during the sea-salt cleaning procedure. If your piercing seems to be healed within a couple of months, refrain from taking the navel ring out. While the skin may appear to be healed, the interior has a ways to go.

    Protection

    • Keep the navel area protected from debris and irritation that could cause an infection. Purchase a vented eye patch and place it over the navel area when wearing stockings or tight clothing, for example, or while exercising and playing sports. Too much pressure, however, can cause the piercing to change positions or loosen completely. Promote healing by taking vitamin C and zinc, getting at least seven to eight hours of sleep a night and avoiding drinking alcohol in excess.

    What to Avoid

    • If the navel area is dry and irritated, do not use ointment, because it blocks necessary air from reaching the skin. Also, pierced-ear care products containing benzalkonium chloride can irritate the belly button and delay the healing process. Fiddling with the barbell and unnecessary cleaning can cause scarring, migration and other health issues. Wear a waterproof wound bandage or stay out of bodies of water and hot tubs, where bacteria is likely to enter the wound and cause infection. Be careful that hair shampoo and conditioner is rinsed free from the area and that lotion rubbed on the body does not enter the pierced area.

Womens Health - Related Articles