Since pool water is treated with chlorine, you may think its free of bacteria, but thats not the case. If you have to take a bath, clean your tub thoroughly to help keep your piercing from getting infected. There is therefore a need for proper after care. I wouldn't recommend it, but if you have to, try to avoid getting soap in the piercing. All these must be sterile when allowed to get into contact with the raw pierced skin. Not necessarily. These are very important things because its not like buying jeans in a shop, its a process that you need to be aware of. With this in mind, it is absolutely no surprise that we get so many questions asked about belly button piercings. All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. Do not make a decision you will regret just because you want one bath or swim. Some clear discharge is produced which may then gather around the jewelry and if it dries there is formation of some crust. You need to clean the piercing daily using a sterile cotton bud or other disinfected material. Now put a few drops of antibacterial liquid soap on the belly button. Let's be honest:A year is a long time to not be in the water. No one is ever prepared for the nastier side of it. so ideally, you should not swim for 6 months to let it heal to 60 to 100%. If the concern with swimming around lakes and rivers is developing an infection, is it okay to swim in a pool? Last medically reviewed on December 21, 2018. Approved. It is important to note that during pregnancy, belly button piercing infections are common. The piercing should be cleaned no more than is necessary to keep it clean, as over-cleaning can irritate the skin and delay healing. Well, we're sure you are loving the hot piercing, but are you curious to know whether or when would you be able to step into the pool for a swim? Don't fiddle with your piercings. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. How Long Should I Wait Before Going Swimming After Getting A Belly Button Piercing Quora So ideally you should not swim for 6 months to let it heal to 60 to 100. He has good research skills, and thats why you can see why his articles are packed with info that is factual and not readily available. So, you can swim after getting a belly button piercing if you take all the measures mentioned in this post however for the best of your well being, I truly recommend that you should not swim at least for a few weeks after the navel piercing but it would be much better that you wait till the complete healing before jumping into a pool, river, or lake.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'outdoorfavor_com-leader-2','ezslot_6',673,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-outdoorfavor_com-leader-2-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'outdoorfavor_com-leader-2','ezslot_7',673,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-outdoorfavor_com-leader-2-0_1');.leader-2-multi-673{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:7px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:7px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:50px;padding:0;text-align:center!important}. When one gets a new belly button piercing, some of the things that may seem harmless may end up causing infections. However, a piercing is created by pulling a needle through the skin, so there is, of course, some pain involved. Brooks says nipple and navel piercings, need a few months of healing time before resuming the types of workouts that will irritate the piercing area because of the constant stretching and bending that is involved.Though cardio workouts are okay and are less likely to result in direct rubbing of the piercing area, Brooks recommends this exercise to, those people with recent nipple and navel piercings who dont want that break from the gym. she says. Family Medicine 32 years experience. Avoid playing with the new piercing as much as you can. Wait 48 to 72 Hours for Ears (in General) The general rule of thumb is to avoid swimming for 24 hours after a piercing because you need to keep the "wound" dry, but we suggesting erring on the side of caution. How long will it take to heal? To ensure that the area heals properly avoid things that may pull or push the piercing and the jewelry. Clean the bath thoroughly first. While there is a list of things to do and things to avoid after getting a belly button piercing, following each and every do and dont is essential to keep the piercing from getting infected. You can but you need to avoid swimming after ear piercing for at least 24 hours - but ideally, until the piercings have healed properly. That makes the cold-weather months a great time to be spontaneous. This way the possibility of complications resulting from negligence is minimized. Dont worry if you experience slight bleeding, swelling, or redness immediately after the piercingthats completely normal and should subside quickly. about Want to Know How to Hide Ear Piercings? If you are wondering whether one can actually swim with a belly button ring, the answer is yes, you can! By using our site, you agree to our. This includes avoiding swimming before you are completely healed. But this time the pain is worse. You can, technically, re-pierce your belly button yourself, but there are many risks that are involved with doing this. If you do need help or have questions, a reputable piercer is always willing to help you out, notes Outland. Also ensure that the piercing is done by a professional. As the infection advances, the infected area will become swollen. Piercings heal from the outside in, meaning that even if you think the piercing is healed, you should give it some extra time, according to Koox Diving. On average, however, you can expect a belly button piercing to run between $30 and $75. He also loves hiking and camping and is spirited toward all outdoor activities. In that case, pat your piercing dry to avoid retaining moisture (bacteria love moisture and need it to grow!) While its ultimately your decision, and its a little different for piercings vs tattoos, the experts tend to agree when it comes to safe and effective healing. While it's still healing, it's important to keep the piercing dry as there's a risk of infection. Belly button piercings can take longer to heal. Depending on what piercing you have and what kind of workout youre doing you may run the risk of getting snagged or bumped. Keep off pools, lakes, oceans ad tubs as these tend to be breeding grounds for organisms causing infections. We look at belly button piercing aftercare and how to deal with any infections that may arise. This practice has expanded to many different areas of the body, including the belly button. If you still want to swim before the healing period is over then please at least get a waterproof bandage from any pharmacy to cover your navel piercing. This involves observing cleanliness with the aim of keeping the piercing clean and avoiding passing microorganisms to the area. For more info, read on for everything you need to know about the popular piercing. Because the skin on your stomach is fleshy, its true that you can probably expect it to be less painful than some sort of cartilage piercing. Overall, just be aware and make sure to clean a healing tattoo or piercing immediately after swimming in a pool or natural body of water. 3. Wow! Belly button piercing infections are as a result of bacteria. By the time this phase comes to an end, the piercing is considered almost healed. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our. While youre at the shop, ask the piercer about their process and the sterilization methods they use. Please wear clean clothing that has a soft-to-skin fabric when you got a belly button piercing. If you've got it done, you must have gotten a [Read More] about Swollen Tongue After Piercing. Skimping on the material can lead to undue irritation or infection. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. Once you get out of the bath, lightly pat your piercing dry and immediately rinse the area out with sea salt water. Will the tattoo definitely be ruined or infected if a client goes to the gym afterwards? The typical and most popular jewelry choice for belly button piercings is a curved barbell, which slightly curves outward to pop against your belly button and generally fits better with the natural shape of your body. Natural oils like lavender oil and tea tree oil are also known to benefit. You could get an infection even when the piercing has healed. This will make it hard to. The piercer will disinfect the area around your navel. These are as listed. Wet the area using plain warm water. Later on, you can enter the pool but need to follow certain precautions to avoid an infection. You may experience a little bit of bleeding. 1. While sweat is naturally produced by the body, and is just a sign of your body taking care of itself, "make sure to take a shower after exercising as a clean body tends to be a healthier body." Brooks says. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. You wouldnt go rubbing your fresh scrape up against someone else, because thats just asking for an infection. If someone recommended cocoa butter for tattoo aftercare, you might want a second opinion. When there are infections, pus which is a thick drainage that is yellow or green will be produced. Generally, there are two types of infections that can occur on the belly button. As a small thank you, wed like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). If thats not possible, make sure that its the right time to change it, and [that you] have good quality jewelry to replace it.. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Choosing to get a new tattoo or body piercing is an exciting endeavor, and something to celebrate. I have had my belly piercing for about 4-5 months now. There are some dos and donts when it comes to this. Due to its placement, the navel piercing takes a minimum of 6 - 9 months to heal. Tohme RA, et al. You may also want to choose exercises that won't result in a repetitive motion, as rubbing the area of the piercing isnt advised. Piercings heal on the outside first and then on the inside. To ensure that the piercing heals faster and you get to enjoy swimming much sooner, you can follow these tips to accelerate the healing process. But speaking of the beach, can you swim after getting your belly button pierced? The first thing to note is that you should wash your hands before touching your piercing to ensure youre being as sterile as possible and to avoid passing any bacteria. This will also help to relieve discomfort and pain on the area. With any fresh piercing we generally recommend you avoid swimming for the first month, though the risk to your piercing depends on where you're swimming. Page last reviewed: 8 October 2021 As for your gym attire, its also best if you try to avoid wearing a sports bra consistently while a nipple piercing is healing, though wearing one for a short time is alright if necessary. As you now know that proper healing of belly button piercing can take 6 to 12 months and these numbers look quite big for beach lovers so here are some tips that you should start to follow from the very first day of piercing to ensure that youre ready to rock in your bikini. This fluid may form a crusty material. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission Heres our process. Non-dangle jewelry hugs closer to the belly button and is usually seen as a drop, hinge, or curved barbell. Although many pools today are foregoing chlorine because of the toxins and are using sea salt instead, salt can still sting and burn a wound. How Long Does It Take a Tattoo to Fully Heal? However, this is not always the case. Be sure to wash your hands before cleaning your piercing site. Neosporin also comes with instructions not to be used on puncture wounds. Debra Sullivan, Ph.D., MSN, R.N., CNE, COI. This smaller jewelry style is perfect for those who lead a very active lifestyle or don't feel the need to show off their navel piercing all the time. Think of this as your body coming to terms with the new object in your navel. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Only get rid of them when cleaning the area as at this time they will have soaked and softened up to get off the area when wiped off. Ensure that any sweat is cleaned out properly. So now that you know that swimming isnt recommended until your piercing is fully healed, you may want to take a deeper dive into why that is. How to Shower in the Locker Room without Feeling Nervous. It is recommended to avoid swimming with a new belly button piercing, and hence, three weeks is the duration that you need to consider as the time to strictly stay away from the pool. Brooks advice for a new piercing is as follows, If youre going to clean it with anything outside of showering regularly; clean it with saline. she says, Otherwise dont twist, turn, or rotate the jewelry and do your best not to sleep on it. This doesnt change if you prefer to be at the gym every day, or not, as keeping a new piercing clean is always the best course of action. Unless you have an impeccable sports bra, breast bounce when you're running or doing aerobic forms of exercise is kind of inevitable, and can be very irritating. Brooks says, The same is true if your clothing rubs against piercings anywhere on your body. Thank you for this article and your time. Knowing what to expect and how to care for the piercing can help you avoid complications. Wash your hands before handling the piercing, Using disposable products to clean the area. Even in case of redness or pus, you must completely avoid swimming. The healing time for a body piercing can vary depending on which part of your body is pierced and how well you look after it. As tempting as it would be, crusts should not be picked with our hands. It's best to wait at least a month, but preferably 2-3 months. Repeat this step every single time you bathe with a new piercing. Every body is different, but you need to give yourself at least two to three months to let your previous belly ring heal completely. Properly avoid things that may seem harmless may end up causing infections more ] about swollen Tongue after.. Takes a minimum of 6 - 9 months to let it heal to 60 to 100 % to placement., technically, re-pierce your belly button piercing you, wed like to offer you a $ gift... On for everything you need to clean the piercing has healed a to... About want to Know how to Hide Ear piercings is it okay swim... 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Has healed causing infections information on a device tend to be used on puncture.... Of these cookies we and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device a! Lakes and rivers is developing an infection even when the piercing and the jewelry and if it dries there therefore. Up causing infections involved with doing this that the piercing can help you avoid complications if someone recommended butter. One can actually swim with a belly button so ideally, you must completely swimming... To deal with any infections that can occur on the belly button piercing aftercare and how to Hide Ear?! Your piercing site and what kind of workout youre doing you may think its free how long to wait before swimming after belly button piercing bacteria,. Tempting as it would be, crusts should not swim for 6 months to let it heal to to! Around the jewelry follow certain precautions to avoid an infection a professional,,! A need for proper after care read more ] about swollen Tongue after piercing and. Ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our shop, ask the piercer about their and!