Navel Piercing Infection

Women all over the globe are always in search of trying something new to look cool and stylish. This is how body piercing came into picture, in which they get the chance to wear and flaunt ornaments other than the ear. The next most common site for body piercing after the ear is the belly button or navel. No doubt, the ring and the sparkling stone look fabulous on the belly, but there are certain dangers and risks of belly button piercing, out of which infection is the worst.

As with any injury, special caring tips need to be followed for proper healing of the navel piercing site. Belly button piercing care is simple and with easy tips, you can prevent the painful symptoms of navel piercing infection. Always go to a professional piercer and opt for a superior quality ring or jewelry to avoid allergic reactions. After piercing, invest your time in cleaning the pierced site everyday with a mild soap. And do not touch the ring very often or irritate the piercing as far as possible.

Identify Navel Piercing Infection Symptoms

As long as the navel piercing is kept clean and dry, the chances of infection by bacteria or fungi are negligible. Though there are other causes for belly button infection, most cases of navel infection in adults are due to piercing complications. The signs of a belly button infection are very prominent and you can easily notice them. Some of the identifiable symptoms of navel piercing infection are:

• The first notable sign of belly button piercing infection is seething pain in the pierced site, which does not subside within 2-3 days after piercing.
• Within a few days, the affected area becomes reddish in color. Also, you will feel a burning sensation over the navel piercing.
• Swelling and inflammation are also noticeable signs of belly button piercing infection.
• There will be formation of pus in the pierced site, most probably around the ring or jewelry.
• Another navel piercing infection symptom is drainage of unusual fluid (yellowish or greenish) from the infected area.
• Most belly button piercing infections are associated with bleeding and foul odor.

Navel Piercing Infection Treatment

In case any of the above mentioned navel piercing infection symptoms are manifested, it is imperative to address the problem as soon as possible. Otherwise, infection may spread to other parts or whole of the abdominal area. For combating navel piercing infection symptoms, treatment starts at home. Mentioned below are effectual remedies to treat a navel piercing infection:

• In order to disinfect the infected belly button piercing, you can clean the area several times a day with alcohol. But, remember to pat the area dry every time, after cleaning with alcohol.
• An effective remedy to help drain pus from the infected navel piercing is applying hot compresses. Use a clean washcloth, soaked in hot water and apply it over the infected area. Repeating this several times will help promote blood circulation and drainage of pus.
• In case jewelry allergy is the root cause for the infection, you can ask the piercer for replacement of the ring. However, for pus filled wounds, removing jewelry may disturb draining of the fluids. Hence, try other methods of draining the pus and treating the infection.
• As a part of the home treatment for navel piercing infection, soak the area with saline water. By doing so, you will disinfect the infected navel and speed up the healing time.
• In case of an infected navel piercing with problems in pus drainage, you can make use of a diluted hydrogen peroxide. The solution will aid in draining the unwanted pus from the infected piercing and will help relieve pain.
• For severe navel piercing infections, an over-the-counter antibiotic ointment should be applied to shorten the healing period. Use the cream as per the directions prescribed in the label.

Nothing can be as painful and distressing as navel piercing infection. And, in case of an untreated belly button piercing infection, it can lead to systemic infection and life-threatening complications. For navel infections with no improvement signs even after following home remedies, consulting a qualified doctor is the only practical solution.