Infected Belly Button Piercing

Belly button piercing, also known as navel piercing, is becoming a popular type of body piercing among young women. For some, it has become a craze because they believe it to be a unique fashion statement, while others do it to rebel against their parents. However, many people do this just for the sake of fashion and do not understand the importance of taking care of the piercing properly. Sometimes, due to lack of money or due to being under aged, young girls go to unprofessional piercers who do it for a very less price and do not even ask for age proof. However, what the girls do not realize is that the piercers may not use sterilized equipment to pierce the belly button, giving rise to an infection in that area. As this is a dangerous occurrence, it is important that people know about it in detail, i.e., how to recognize it and also how to treat it.

Symptoms

Navel piercing takes a long time to heal, sometimes taking more than a year even to heal. In the initial few days after the piercing is done, it is normal to experience tenderness and redness around the navel, however, this does not stay for a long time. It is important to follow the aftercare instructions given by the piercer carefully, so that the piercing heals properly. This is because when people become careless about navel piercing aftercare, infections are likely to occur. If these infections are not taken seriously, there are chances that it may pass to the bloodstream, which can be life-threatening. Hence, recognizing infected belly piercing symptoms is necessary so that one can seek appropriate treatment.

One of the most common, and in majority of cases, the first symptom of belly button infection is pain around the pierced area. People who have got their belly button pierced have said that they experience a sharp pain which goes away in a short time. However, when the piercing becomes infected, it is likely that you may experience severe pain in that area. Along with the pain, you may also observe swelling in the area where the piercing is done. Another sign of a piercing infection is the occurrence of a greenish yellow discharge oozing out of the piercing area. Some may also notice a foul odor along with the pus forming at the pierced belly button.

Identifying The Infection

The problem with this piercing is that the jewelry is likely to come in contact with the clothes, thus irritating the piercing leading to an infection. This is said to be one of the major causes of piercing infections. Though it is very easy to recognize this infection, many people ignore it. However, now as you know the consequences, it is important that you know how the piercing looks when it gets infected. When infection occurs, you may find some swelling along with the formation of blisters on the belly button. Moreover, you will feel warm around that area when it is touched.

Treatment

A mistake that most people make when they observe an infection is, to remove the jewelry. However, this has to be avoided as once the jewelry is removed, the hole is likely to close which can cause abscesses in that area. Hence, it is important that the infection is treated while the jewelry is still in its place. Here are some aftercare tips that you can follow.

• One of the most effective ways of treating belly button infection is to clean it with saline water. In a cup of water, add a teaspoon of sea salt and soak the infected area with a cotton ball. Do this regularly, at least twice a day and see to it that you do not use the same materials again.
• If the infection is not very severe, over-the-counter antibiotic creams are also a good way of getting rid of this infection. Take some of this cream on your finger and gently rub on the navel area where the piercing is done.
• A good way of treating the pus developed due to infection is by using hydrogen peroxide on the infection. Hydrogen peroxide heals the infection by taking out the pus from the pierced area. However, this should not be used once the infection is fully cleared.

Though infection can be healed with proper treatment, the discomfort it causes can be quite frustrating. Hence, it is best to prevent it from occurring by following the aftercare instructions carefully. You also have to keep a check on the clothes that you wear. Ask your piercer about the type of clothes that may not suit the piercing and make sure that you do not wear tight fitting clothes during the healing period, as the piercing needs air to heal completely. If you observe any of the signs of an infection around your belly button, then you can try one of these treatment measures. Nevertheless, if you find that the infection is increasing even by using these treatment procedures, consult your piercer or a doctor immediately who can recommend further steps to cure this problem.