Table of Contents
In the past, piercers used to tell people to turn their jewelry a couple of times a day to loosen up crusties, but that’s no longer considered a healthy practice. Moving your jewelry around to break up the crusties can invite bacteria into the healing fistula, which can lead to an infected navel piercing.
What’s the best thing to clean a belly piercing with?
Cleaning your piercing is important, both to prevent and treat an infection. Experts recommend cleaning a piercing no more than twice each day. Use a saltwater mixture (1/2 tsp sea salt per 1 cup of water) to help remove any dried healing secretions. Follow with a mild antibacterial soap and water cleansing.
Is it okay to put ice on a belly button piercing?
You can soak on ice for the first 24 to 48 hours to ease the pain. You can alternatively take an anti-inflammatory, which will reduce the swelling. To take care of your new piercing on the outside, make sure you wash your hands first.
How to care for your belly button piercing to avoid infection
- Clean the piercing regularly with warm water and a small amount of soap twice a day.
- Soak the area in a sterile saline solution for five to 10 minutes daily.
- Avoid tight fitting clothes that can irritate the area.
Symptoms of piercing rejection
- more of the jewelry becoming visible on the outside of the piercing.
- the piercing remaining sore, red, irritated, or dry after the first few days.
- the jewelry becoming visible under the skin.
- the piercing hole appearing to be getting larger.
- the jewelry looking like it is hanging differently.
Can I put ice on my piercing?
Stop any bleeding by applying direct pressure to the piercing site. Apply a cold pack to help reduce swelling or bruising. Never apply ice directly to the skin. This can cause tissue damage.
Signs of infection include: severe swelling with pain and redness. yellow, green, gray, or brown discharge that has an odor. red lines that radiate from the piercing site.