| BODY-Navel |
Navel piercing dates back as far as the era of ancient Egyptian Pharos. Only royalty were permitted to pierce their navels, and those who were not of royal blood and who broke this rule were executed. However, if a peasant girl was to be born with ‘the perfect belly button’, she was then given permission to pierce her navel. This gave her a higher social status.
Not everyone has a navel suited for a piercing. An ‘innie’ navel with a distinct upper ridge will most probably be pierced successfully. Without this upper ridge, or lip, the jewellery can not be supported properly and could migrate or be rejected. A curved barbell is recommended if your waist folds at the navel when you sit down. If you wear a ring, the piercing will heal crookedly and scar. The barbell should be at least 1/8” longer than the width of the piercing.
The navel piercing is the most difficult piercing to heal, and takes from 4 months to 1 year. Wearing tight clothing is not suggested, as it will prolong healing time and may cause the piercing to migrate or reject.
Some women have worn a navel piercing through pregnancy without any problems. If you navel has been healed for several years will most likely stay open if the jewellery is taken out, but it will shrink.
Why you shouldn’t get your ‘outtie’ pierced
An ‘outtie’ is the remains of the umbilical cord connected to the interior organs. If it were to become infected, the infection could travel to the interior organs.
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