Body Piercings & Their Suggested Jewelry

Initial jewelry: Captive bead rings, bead rings, circular barbells in 14 to 10ga and usually 7/162 to 1/22 in diameter; rarely as thin as 16ga and as small in diameter as 3/82. A ring which is too small in diameter will constrict the piercing and cause the entrances of the piercing to migrate to conform to the tight curvature of the ring. Curved barbells (1/4 of a circle) in 14 to 10ga and 3/8" to 5/82 in length. Teardrop and oval rings may also be worn when less extruding jewelry is desired.

The shape of the navel varies from person to person. Not all navels can be successfully pierced. An "innie" navel with a distinct ridge or lip is most likely to be pierced successfully. Navels lacking a distinct ridge often cannot support a piercing and the piercing migrates or rejects. The upper ridge is usually more prominent than the lower ridge. Often there is a natural indentation or slight wrinkle where the piercing is made. The entrances of the piercing should be placed equidistant from the edge of the ridge to make the piercing as perpendicular to the tissue as possible.

The navel should be examined for suitability and measured before the jewelry is selected. Placement of the piercing should be determined after examining the navel in different body positions. The dimensions of the jewelry should be chosen after measuring the width of the piercing. Often the navel ridge will stretch and flatten when the piercee reclines. No more than 1/3 of the ring should be through the piercing. If a curved barbell is chosen it should be at least 1/8" longer than the width of the piercing.

A curved barbell is recommended if the piercee's waist folds at the navel when he/she is sitting. In this case a ring would be forced to one side causing the piercing to heal crookedly and scar. A curved barbell is also recommended if the navel ridge is not distinct or if the ridge flattens or inverts when the piercee reclines. If the ridge is not distinct the width of the piercing often exceeds ?" and requires a ring of an uncomfortably large diameter. A curved barbell provides a non-constrictive curvature.

Although the navel piercing is one of the most popular piercings it can be one of the most difficult to heal. Wearing tight waistbands or frequent activity involving bending at the waist can prolong healing time. The pressure of waistbands will force the ring to one side causing the piercing to heal crookedly and scar. Too much pressure can cause the piercing to migrate or reject completely. A navel piercing performed at 14ga may heal without incident if waistbands are avoided during healing but may begin to migrate when the wearer resumes wearing very tight waistbands across the piercing.

Some women have successfully worn navel piercing jewelry throughout pregnancy.

In other cases, the navel ridge pops out, making the jewelry uncomfortable. Monofilament nylon or teflon is a more flexible option to metal jewelry. A piercing that has been completely healed for several years will most likely remain open if the jewelry is not worn; it will shrink, necessitating the aid of an insertion taper to install the original jewelry.

The outie is a remnant of the umbilical cord which is connected to the interior of the abdomen and internal organs. If an outie piercing were to become infected, the infection could travel to the interior of the abdomen or internal organs.

Of piercing "outies" Michaela Grey, formerly of the Association of Professional Piercers http://www.piercing.org/app/ , comments:
The falciform ligament of the liver is attached to the umbilicus and the liver, with only about an inch of ligament betwixt. In layman's terms, any piercing of the scar tissue, whether recessed or an outie, would be only about an inch or so away from a serious liver infection. I have never seen any outie where there was enough loose, non-umbilicus fatty tissue covering the actual button. It might take a few years, it might happen tomorrow, or it might never happen, but the proud piercee has a little ticking time bomb on her belly.