I did it...
 

Well ladies,
I did it. I went and got my belly button pierced last night. LOL. I know a few of you know because I told ya so. But I wasn't sure who all else has theirs done. Have any of you had problems with it or any recommendations on how to get it to heal quickly.
My sister said her two friends bought salene solution for it...like contact solution. They said it worked well.
I was curious if Neosporin would work too. And I'm nervous to move it. Should I move the ring a little. Right now the ball is still where he had it, which is closest to my naval. Should I just leave it there. And I know to wash it with antibacterial soap.
I guess I'm just really nervous about it so any suggestions are gladly appreciated.
LOVE IN CHI-O.
Hootie

Neosporin dramatically decreases healing time and prevents scarring. Any kind of inflammation will increase the chance of scarring . . .

The trick is to apply the neosporin several times a day after washing the affected site.

Thanks for the advice James. I use neosporin for everything but I wasn't sure about on this one.

hey Heidi, congrats on the new piercing!! i too have my bb pierced. i got it done back in september. however, where i got mine pierced they gave me a sheet of what to do and what not to do, and they said NO NEOSPORIN!!! i desperately wanted to put some on, but instead opted to follow directions. i had no problems w/ mine after about the first month of healing and what not. did you get a loop or a bar?? i personally think a bar is much better for healing as long as its stainless stell or whatever. i had a loop at first(they insisted) but i think it would of healed even faster w/ a bar. but i could be completely off base. Anyways, keep it clean and it should be a speedy recovery for the belly button!
Liz~~

I know this is gross, but mine got infected really bad. It could be because the place I got it done gave me no instructions on how to clean it &/or because I went swimming in the ocean the same day. Anyway, I used hydrogen peroxide on it a lot. I just make a little pool in my belly button & let it soak for a few minutes. Recently I put a new ring in after not wearing any for a long time, & it got infected again. The Hydrogen Peroxide helped clear that up.
To answer your question about turning it, yes you should. You want to move it around in the hole to keep it from crusting up & to help air get to it. It doesn't hurt.
Greek Love
Heidi

Heidi,
I was fortunate to get instructions on how to care for it, but it didn't really give details on turning it or whatnot. It did suggest to use a concoction of sea salt and water and put it on the belly to help it heal. I think I'll just keep cleaning it with my soap.
LOL.
Hootie

Congrats on your new piercing! I've had mine for three years now and have had no problems whatsoever, and I started out with a ring with a ball also. So, here are a few pointers to keep the pain at bay:
1. DO use the salt and warm water solution. I mixed the two and swished it around be belly once a day for the 1st month or so.
2. Turn your ring when you clean it - this prevents it from sticking!
3. Use an antibaterial spray such a Bactene
4. At bed time or if you're wearing something tight, like a one piece bathing suit, roll up cotton and stick it through the hoop. I know this may odd, but it prevents the ring from growing towards one side of your belly. Do this for about the 1st month.

Ok, thats all I have right now. Have fun and be careful with it!

Hey Chi O's! Congrats on your piercing...I got mine a little over 2 years ago for my 18th b-day. One thing I did wrong with mine is I covered it when I went to work with a band-aid bc I was worried I would bump into things ( I worked at a nursery & craft store ) and didn't want to mess it up there. But what happened is it healed to the side a little so now it kinda leans to the right a little. I've heard from ear piercing places not to use peroxide bc it dries it up too much. I was told to use soap and on my own put a small amount of triple-antibiotic stuff. perhaps the same cleaning solution for ears would work on other piercings? dunno..

I had a loop too but I lost the ball the night of the super bowl and have been too scared to go out and get a replacement loop/ball. I'm really squeamish when it comes to some things, first nite I was cleaning it I passed out in the bathroom and almost hit my head on the bathtub!! LOL

a friend of mine got hers done a while ago and her boyfriend, an engineering major, said he loved it bc she had metal through her body! the things guys say...

good luck with yours!

Hey Hootie and others!

I was browsing an old magazine today and they gave some awesome tips! Oh yeah, congrats on taking that step...I'm sure you'll love your piercing!!!!!!!!!

Here is what YM Mag said to do:
-Find a reputable piercer: Piercers are not regulated, so to find a safe one near you, write to the Association of Professional Piercers at 519 Castro St., #120, San Francisco, CA 94114 (Well, this part won't be much use to you now, but for future reference! And, I've probably passed by this Association...it's in my city!)

-Keep it clean: Your piercer should use a new pair of disposable latex gloves and a fresh-from-the-wrapper, sterilized needle for every piercing. If he or she doesn't, leave immediately. again, for future reference

-Care for your piercing properly: Wash your hands well, then, without taking jewlery out, clean around piercing twice daily with an ear-piercing antiseptic, antibacterial soap, or antibacterial mouthwash. Holes can take four weeks to a year to completely heal (you may experience redness, pain, or swelling the first week).

-Watch for infection:
Excessive redness, swelling, discharge, throbbing pain, or a sensation of heat are clues that you're not healing properly. If any of these symptoms last more than a few days, call your doctor. IMPORTANT: Don't take out jewelry--you can make infection worse.

HTH you Hootie!! BTW, this is from the Nov '97 issue of YM (yeah, I keep old mags) http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif.

If I ever had a piercing it would be a small bar in the belly. I think they look sexy. But, I haven't done it yet. One reason is that I'm pretty flat and toned in the tummy and there is not a lot of skin or fat to work with. My BB isn't that big. Its more of an innie than an outie, but there still isnt much of anything. I suppose where there is a wil there is a way, but again, I am not that zealous about it anyway.

Mine bb is healing fine and I got mine done in May. I took Zinc and Vitamin E. My belly looks fine! Try these. You are only suppossed to take the zinc for 4 weeks.