I'm going to get my belly button pierced next week, and I'm afraid. I'm a girl, and I just turned 15. I've never had a piercing before. Not ears, not anything. But I want a navel piercing more than anything.
I've gotten a shot before, which I barely felt. And I've gotten blood drawn from my arm, which hurt, but not bad. Can I compare the piercing to either of these? Or is it worse?
I hear there's a clamp they use to cut of blood near your navel to numb it. Does this hurt worse than the actual piercing? Does the initial piercing last longer than a second? I've heard that by the time you react to the pain, it's done. Is it true?
I took my long nails and pinched my navel as HARD as I can to prepare myself. It hurt like a *****, but only for a sec. Can I compare the piercing to this?
Overall, given my age, and the fact that I can withstand a shot/my nails/ blood drawing, could I handle the piercing?
And any tips for a first-timer?
Update:Very good tips so far. But I have more questions.
What cleaning creams/liquids have you used that don't cause infections/problems?
I've heard good things about Bactine and Tea Tree Oil. And bad things about Seabreeze. Idk.
What brand name places did you go to to get your navel piercing? I've heard good things about Tan-Tastic and Tom Spauldings. Maybe Claire's?
It'd be awesome if you could tell me your location and the name of the place you went to.
And also, if your a pro, could you tell me if it would do anything to ice my own navel at home for hours and then go to the place? Haha. But will that do anything, really?
And will it hurt if I took Ibuprofen before I leave for the place? I've heard you shouldn't cause it makes you bleed, but then I've heard you should because all it does is ease the pain.
I'd love some solid answers. And thanks so much to whoever takes the time to truly and thoroughly answer all of my questions.
Answers & Comments
Verified answer
Hah, I got my navel pierced when I was 15 too, brings back fond memories. No worries, you'll definitely be fine; your mind usually prepares you for the worst and when it actually happens you can't believe you were that nervous. I can't really compare it to getting blood drawn or injections, because to me piercings are something different entirely... besides the needle is way bigger!~
It hurts, but it's not excrutiating, and by the time you can say "ouch", it's done and then it just feels really warm. The clamp hurts more than the actual piercing, and even that's more of an annoyance than actual pain. Think about it, if they hurt so badly nobody would have them~
When the piercer is lining up the needle, take a deep breath and hold it until the needle starts going through and then breathe out. It helps calm you down and keeps you from yelping, hah.
I have to warn you, navel piercings take about a year to heal, and it's gonna be sore a lot of the time. Just don't touch it, take care of it and you'll be fine.
Good luck!~
First of all make sure youve eaten before you have it done, because there is a huge difference between an injection and a piercing. When you have a piercing your sugar level in your blood will go down and it can make you feel very faint and sick. Ive had so many piercings and 9/10 times they have been fine. Navel peircings need to be done properly so be sure to choose a place you have heard about or no do things by the book. They basically put a needle through either side of the skin then put a thin tube through the hole to make ie easier to put the bar in without having to put things in and out in and out. Its very quick and pretty painless if you have it numbed. Hope it goes ok x
Downsides: I have a huge scar from where myn was and they take a verrry long time to heal. Also the cost for bar replacements or bars etc can get abit much. Its so easyto loose your bar or the ball on your bar. And after a few years most navel piercings grow out and leave a nasty scar. Its also really easy to catch and rip out.
I had mine done and I let my daughter get hers when she was 15. It truly is over and done with so quick you barely notice. The forceps they use to grab the area will probably be more uncomfortable than the piercing itself. It will be sore for awhile, you may not be able to lie on you belly. Thank God for low rise pants now because they didn't have them when I got mine done!! Make sure to take good care of the site after wards. Your piercer should give you written instructions and the care for a new navel piercing usually lasts for 6-8 weeks. If you can't commit to that kind of care please rethink getting pierced. You do not want an infection and so many young people get them. Check out your piercer and make sure they have everything sterilized and they should open the sterile packages right in front of you and also they may bend and dispose of the needle that they pierced you with to prove they can't use it on anyone else. Be calm, take slow deep breathes, the more you tense up the more you will hurt. Also this might sound weird but it's best not to go in the 2 weeks before your period because you may be more sensitive at that time of the month.
it doesn't hurt as bad as everyone says it does. the clamp isn't to cut of circulation it's to make sure the needle stays straight and won't be crooked, using your nails isn't really compared to the pain of a navel piercing, because the piercing is much quicker, it kindof feels like a shot, but more pinchier and it's done within .25 seconds, it is true when you react it is already done, we do a pretty good job at distracting you too lol.....i ask a question and right when they're answering i say "a little pinch" and then they just gasp and they say "that was it?" so it's really not that bad
I have three navel piercings and a nipple one, the nipple one is extra painful then the navel for certain. The factor with the ones piercings is they could have treatment issues, like rejection. These are the areas wherein there's essentially the most infection at the frame; whilst you put on garments, bras, sleep... So whilst you get pierced, consider to invite to have bio-jewellery that's implant graded so your frame accepts it larger. The nipple hurts extra on the grounds that there's extra blood circulate and extra nerve endings, however either one of the piercings are valued at it.
It will hurt like a shot for a split second and then maybe ache a bit for a few hours or a few days. It takes quite a while to fully heal and needs to be cleaned with special solutions often and for quite a while. My biggest concern for you is that you are able to get this done somewhere at 15 without parental consent. Most reputable places that use good sterilization practices would require you to be an adult or have to have a parent's written permission. I would be very hesitant to have anything involving broken skin done by any place that doesn't have strict rules because you can get seriously sick if you get a blood-born illness like Hepatitis or HIV.
I had mine done several years ago & it didn't hurt at all. Until later when it was healing. It actually felt good. A friend told me that right before I had mine done & I thought she was full of it, but it actually felt good. I kept waiting for the pain and there was none. At least not until later when my jeans or shirt touched it. It never did heal all the way thru. It would seep. I kept it clean & did exactly what they said to do. It wasn't infected just would not heal. I finally took it out cuz it was so uncomfortable.
Had mine done. It's hurts really bad for a couple of seconds and its all over. Hardly hurt at all once the hoop was in. Just take a deep long breathe and scream something right after the hoop goes through - you'll be fine. It's not a big deal!
Dont be worried its not that bad...as a shot or anything, it just hurts a bit after its peirced but not while its peirced and you wont even believe you were this worried, after its dont, yea I think there is a clamp but that prob. dep. on where you go. Yes you can compair a shot to it but its quicker than a shot, and hurts a bit more after than a shot does but not by much. I dont think you could compair it to your long nails pinching it though...and overall I think you'll do fine!!!!! good luck!!
I'd say remember to breathe. I got mine done... and it didn't hurt but for a mere second. Once it's in... then remember to breathe.
They do use a clamp... and the pain from that is minimal. Just dont watch him, listen to what they say... and it'll be over before you know it.