Belly Button Piercing Infection

A bare belly always looks sensuous. This sensuousness increases when the belly button is pierced and the sparkle on the belly button catches your eye. There are many dangers and risks of belly button piercing. If proper care is not taken after a belly button piercing, it can lead to belly button piercing infection. The steps to prevent the infection are not difficult. Always disinfect the pierced area after swimming, exercising and also after having a bath everyday. Pat dry the area, so that no trace of water remains. When you move the navel ring, do so gently. Do not move the ring to often. If you move the ring often it can aggravate the wound.

Belly Button Piercing Infection: Signs
Belly button piercing infection generally does not go unnoticed. Belly button infections are caused due to bacteria and fungi. If inappropriate methods are used for piercing, or if the hands of the piercer were dirty, or if any kind of pollutant comes in contact with the wound, such as polluted water, it can lead to infectious diseases.

The signs of belly button piercing infection are:

• The first sign of infection is pain.
• The pain can be accompanied by swelling.
• Redness around the piercing is also a symptom of an infection. You must pay heed to this sign as it's one of the primary indications of the start of a very painful infection, which you would have preferred to do without.
• The pierced area can feel hot to touch.
• The wound in its initial stage releases a fluid commonly called puss, this stage is called cellulitis. In the advanced stages of infection the piercing wound begins to bleed along with a yellowish-green discharge. This is a sign of sepsis-septicemia.
• If you do not tend to the infection in time, there is a possibility of the formation of an abscess, etc. An abscess if not treated in time, can also prove to be fatal.
• In some cases the infection can spread to the entire abdomen, at times also leading to abdomen infection and food poisoning.

Belly Button Piercing Infection: Treatment
If your belly button piercing has an infection, do not neglect the symptoms, have yourself examined by a physician immediately. Some of the treatments, which can be used for belly button piercing infection are...

• The first step in the belly button piercing infection treatment is to use alcohol to clean the infection. It acts as a disinfectant.
• The next step in the treatment is to remove the belly ring which you are wearing, however, if there is pus discharge, do not remove the ring. If you remove the ring the pus will not drain out completely, as the hole will get closed and this can lead to the formation of an abscess.
• If there is pus discharge or an abscess formation, oral antibiotics are prescribed. However, in rare cases surgical help might be required to remove the abscess.
• Antiseptic creams which are available over the counter can be used. This line of treatment works only in case of mild infection.
• If the pus is not draining from the wound, use a hot compress, it will help increase blood circulation to the affected area. Before you use the hot compress disinfect the container properly. Dip the compress in a solution of hot water and table-salt. The hot water and table-salt solution will disinfect the compress and will also help in disinfecting the wound.
• Hydrogen peroxide can be used to help drain the pus and clean the infected area, but it should not be used as an after care remedy .
• In case the infection has spread to the entire body through the blood, intravenous antibiotics are required. Do not take the the situation lightly, as this kind of an infection can prove to be fatal.

The saying prevention is better than cure stands true even in the case of body piercings, wherein neglect can result in conditions, like the belly button piercing infection. Therefore, it is better that you take good care after undertaking body piercings, to avoid infection. Remember, following a few simple instructions and directions to keep healthy and maintaining and inculcating the correct habits, can go a long way in preventing a whole lot of discomfort for you.