Belly button ring infection

Belly button piercings are a popular way to modify your body and show off your personal style, but they come with the risk of infection.

We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. Healthline only shows you brands and products that we stand behind. Belly button or naval piercings can take longer to heal. Knowing what to expect can help you avoid complications.

Belly button ring infection

We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. Healthline only shows you brands and products that we stand behind. Belly button piercings are popular and generally safe with proper precautions. However, incorrect aftercare or unsanitary conditions can lead to bacterial infections. It can take from 9 months to 1 year for a belly button piercing to heal completely. Even an injury to an old piercing may lead to infection. For example, if the piercing gets caught on pants or belt buckles. You may also have some clear discharge that dries and forms a crystal-like crust around the piercing. These symptoms should get better over time. Two of the most common complications are bacterial infections and allergic reactions.

Oozing small amounts of blood is normal. It is important to monitor how symptoms change.

Bacteria can infect a belly button piercing before healing is complete. Symptoms can include pain, discoloration, and swelling. Improving hygiene and using antibiotic ointment can help. Complete healing can take 9—12 months. In the meantime, a piercing is technically a healing wound, and it may be sore, red, or irritated.

We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. Healthline only shows you brands and products that we stand behind. Belly button or naval piercings can take longer to heal. Knowing what to expect can help you avoid complications.

Belly button ring infection

Belly button piercings are one of the most common body piercings today apart from the ears. Infected belly button piercings can be avoided by cleaning the wound properly, and if you do this, the pierced navel should heal within 6 to 9 months. However, sometimes the belly button can become infected due to bacteria and germs getting into the pierced area. This can cause pain , swelling, redness, discharge, and a bump around the belly button jewelry. If you notice any signs of an infected belly button piercing, it is important to act quickly to treat the infection. Many natural home remedies like tea tree oil, saline solution, and aloe vera can help to kill off the infection-causing bacteria and soothe the inflamed piercing. This is especially true if the area around the belly button is throbbing, tender, and feels warm to touch. Proper piercing aftercare helps the majority of navel piercings heal without any complications. If you are concerned about an infected belly button piercing, this article will help you identify its symptoms and treat mild infections.

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Medically reviewed by Alana Biggers, M. It can be challenging to keep a belly button piercing clean and irritation-free, especially when there tends to be friction from clothing. The abscess turned out to be a more severe issue with abdominal pain and eventually required surgery to correct a torn diverticulum. Medically reviewed by Kristen M. We include products we think are useful for our readers. It symobilizes a website link url. A healthcare provider may recommend removing your piercing if you have certain medical conditions. Two of the most common complications are bacterial infections and allergic reactions. More severe infections could enter the bloodstream from the piercing site and produce a widespread infection. It can take from 9 months to 1 year for a belly button piercing to heal completely. It should be clean, well-lit, and fully licensed. You should have the opportunity to confirm the placement or discuss the possibility of piercing a different area. Cleaning and healing of pierced body parts.

In the cool and stylish world of body art, an infected belly button piercing can stand out for all the wrong reasons. Not everyone gets to enjoy a smooth and uneventful piercing journey.

Do not use alcohol or hydrogen peroxide, as these can dry out your skin and irritate the area around the piercing. We link primary sources — including studies, scientific references, and statistics — within each article and also list them in the resources section at the bottom of our articles. However, this may cause the hole to close. Saline solution, which is a simple mixture of salt and water, has many handy uses, from clearing nasal passages, cleaning wounds, and rinsing contact…. If you leave infected piercings untreated , it can lead to a more serious infection, an abscess, or the infection spreading. Moyer, MD. Keeping the piercing hole open allows pus to drain. Share this article. More severe infections could enter the bloodstream from the piercing site and produce a widespread infection. Was this helpful? The degree of risk depends on where you go to get the piercing and the standards of the place and person performing the piercing.