Belly-button piercings bring us back to the 90s and 2000’s, when pop icons like Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, Miley Cryus and Christina Aguilera burst onto the scene in all of their blonde, tanned glory. Part of their appeal was the fascination of watching kids who had grown up on the Disney Channel shed their teen queen personas as quickly as you can say “low-rise jeans.”

What is a belly button piercing? 

A belly button piercing passes through the rim of the navel. While they are typically done just above the navel on the top ridge, they can also go anywhere around the outside of the navel, wherever there is a fold or “lip.”

Navel piercings are fairly common, particularly among women and every body type can be pierced in this location. The only exception is if the line your torso creates when you bend over runs directly through the belly button, rather than up around the ribs. If this is the case, healing will be extremely difficult due to constant pressure and irritation, and so it should probably be avoided.

The jewelry chosen for an initial navel piercing has to be smooth and made of a hypoallergenic material. Typically they are made with metals such as stainless steel, titanium, gold, niobium and certain medical-grade plastics and glass. 

Traditionally, they are not the easiest to heal. It takes almost a year.

Types of belly button piercings

Captive Bead Ring or Ball Captive Ring 

Some people with a deep navel and well-defined rim can wear a round captive bead ring as their initial jewelry choice. For those who prefer to wear ball captive style jewelry, the belly should be pierced using this type of belly ring from the get-go.   Some who heal their piercing with barbells will be able to transition to captives with little difficulty, but for others it can be a daunting task. Although any BCR of the proper dimensions can be worn in the belly button, specialized pieces made specifically for the navel are available, and will always be clearly labeled as belly rings.

Curved Barbell

The most common initial jewelry choice for a navel piercing is sometimes known as a curved barbell or “banana bell” because of its shape. This seems to be the body modification of choice among teenage girls, but it is important to keep in mind that wearing tight clothing can irritate the wound and prevent healing from occurring.

Navel piercings are usually done with a curved barbell and can take anywhere from 4 to 12 months to heal completely. Once healed, they can be changed out and replaced with captive bead rings or J-bars (a curved barbell in the shape of a J). 

A J-bar is a modified form of the curved barbell. It takes an acute turn at the lower end instead of a completely smooth curve which places the lower ball of the jewelry a bit more forward. They are used almost exclusively for navel piercings as they heal better than the standard curved barbell. 

Belly Button Jewelry or Dangle 

Jewelry comes in all shapes and sizes and can be purchased practically anywhere. They come with attachments such as butterflies, hearts, or stars that adorn the jewelry by dangling down off the ring. The dangle is more decorative and is a great choice when wearing a belly ring for a fashion statement. Because of all the extra parts however, it’s not advisable to sleep or exercise in dangle items.

No one brought out the crazed belly button jewelry piercing like Britney did in the 90s. In 1999, she was on top of the world with her debut album: Baby One More Time, becoming the all-time highest-selling album by a teen artist. Everyone copied this woman! 

The 2001 show may be her most famous performance on stage and perhaps the most famous VMA performance of all time. Britney showed off her belly button jewelry this time, with a green, bejeweled bikini top and the shortest shorts of all time. Oh, and a large albino Burmese python.

True Navel Piercing

If you have an outie, don’t fret, it can still be pierced. Rather than passing through the skin just above the opening, a true navel piercing meant for outies, goes through the belly button itself. 
This is also a good option for those who have an umbilical scar tissue that protrudes from the navel. This is the only type of piercing where the actual navel gets pierced. For this type of piercing, a curved bar is the best kind of jewelry to use as it can move and won’t get irritated.

Inverse Belly Button Piercing

An inverse is a lower navel piercing that is vertically placed. This is when the piercing goes through the lower ridge or rim of the belly button and then goes through the interior of the navel. Most people who get this piercing will also get curved bars or rings.

Double Navel Piercing

This belly button piercing is a combination piercing that involves a standard belly button ring paired with an inverse.

Deep Navel Piercing

A deep navel is similar to a standard, except that it passes through a much larger area of skin. Regular barbells will not usually fit in these.

Belly Ring 

This ring is most commonly worn to imitate fake belly button piercings. 

Horizontal Belly Button Piercing

A horizontal piercing is a surface piercing that does not pass through the rim and into the navel. Instead, it passes horizontally above or below the navel instead of going through its ridge.
Another type of horizontal piercing is when there are two separate piercings on either side of the navel that just pass through the side ridges. These piercing usually use one long barbell. Because it is a surface piercing, it is especially prone to rejection.

Double Horizontal Navel Piercing

Another form of a horizontal is the double horizontal, which is comprised of two separate piercings on either side of the navel that are then joined with one long barbell.

Multi-Navel Piercing

Multi-navel piercings are when the rim is pierced several times. It can be a combination of two or more piercings listed above. One type is a navel industrial, when a solid or flexible barbell passes through two piercings. Most piercers aim to keep a good gap between just in case. 

Stretched Belly Button Piercing

Belly buttons, just like ears, tongues, and noses, can be stretched (also called a gauging). It is done by slowly stretching the piercing over time and by coaxing it to hold thicker and thicker jewelry till the desired size is achieved. 

Common FAQs

Where Does The Belly Button Piercing Go?

Your belly button piercing will go through the skin around your belly button, usually above the upper rim of the navel. The piercing goes through the top, while the jewellery hangs down over your belly button.

Why Are Belly Button Piercings So Popular?

Belly button piercings have been kept in fashion by celebrities like Beyoncé and Kim Kardashian. Celebrities have always worn this sexy trend, so it’s safe to say it isn’t going away any time soon.

Will getting a belly button piercing hurt?

Yes, getting your belly button pierced will hurt, but only a little bit. The sharp pain only lasts a split second, and then it’s all over. There may be some dull ache for a couple of days afterwards, but it’s not so bad.

How Much Will it Cost to Get Your Belly Button Pierced?

Belly button piercings are pretty affordable for most people. You can expect to pay anywhere from $30 to $60 but prices will increase depending on the jewelry you opt for. Gold and titanium are more expensive but they are worth it for allergy cases. 

How Long Does it Take For A Belly Button Piercing to Heal?

Your new belly button piercing will take a year to fully heal. So, it’s important not to remove your belly ring prematurely.  Your belly button may appear to be healed after just a few weeks, but it is important to be patient as there is a lot going on under the surface that you cannot see. If you decide to switch your belly bar anyway, make sure to never use materials containing nickel until it’s fully healed.

Can you swim after getting your belly button pierced?

Do not go for a swim immediately after you get your belly button pierced. Do not get your piercing wet at all in the first 4 weeks, other than when cleaning.  Use waterproof bandages bought from a pharmacy when swimming after this first period, and avoid getting sand or other irritants in the pierced area. After your swim in a pool or any other chlorine water, be sure to soak the area thoroughly with warm water containing salt for 15 minutes. 

For healed belly button piercings, the salty sea water is actually a great natural salt bath that can work as piercing aftercare. Just make sure to wash the pierced area with clean water afterwards.

Risks with your new Belly Button Piercing 

Like all piercings, belly buttons have risks such as irritation, infection and rejection. 

Infection may be present if your piercing site is still irritated and red after 3 or more weeks, and a doctor should treat it accordingly. 

Rejection can happen when your body tries to push out your piercing and can lead to discomfort. 

Allergic reactions to certain materials such as nickel can occur, so be careful when buying surgical steel belly bars.

If your belly button is an ‘outie’. Piercing an outie can lead to serious health problems. If your piercer tells you that you aren’t a good candidate for a belly button piercing, respect his opinion and forget about having it done.

If you have diabetes, for instance, expect that your wound will take much longer to heal than it will for someone who doesn’t have that disease.

Whether they’re out on stage, or on the beach rocking a bikini. Or whether they were at a club dancing the night away in a midriff shirt, the lights surrounding these stars would always reflect off the bling in their belly button ring! Inspired to look like your celebrity? It sure will attract plenty of attention your way.