All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. In regards to swimming after having a piercing the NHS states You should avoid swimming for at least 24 hours after having a piercing and ideally until it. These cookies do not store any personal information. This will help to loosen any crusts that may have formed and thus ease their removal. References This website uses cookies to improve your experience. During the healing process, Lauren Dozier, MD,a dermatologist and medical director at Brickell Cosmetic Center in Miami, FLsuggests staying away from antibiotic ointment, as this can suffocate the piercing site and cause more problems. To ensure that the piercing heals faster and you get to enjoy swimming much sooner, you can follow these tips to accelerate the healing process. The UK's National Health Service (NHS) advises, " After having a piercing, it is important to keep the area clean and dry." In regards to swimming after having a piercing, the NHS states,. Plus, Figueroa says its not good to submerge an open wound in water, especially because the chemicals in a pool will irritate a healing tattoo. In this case, several readers have written to tell us that this article was helpful to them, earning it our reader-approved status. Unless you have an impeccable sports bra, breast bounce when you're running or doing aerobic forms of exercise is kind of inevitable, and can be very irritating. Brooks says, The same is true if your clothing rubs against piercings anywhere on your body. Wait and be wise. Because of that, most piercers recommend waiting the full year-long period before switching it out, but if you cant wait, your best bet is to go back to your piercer to get it changed out. Answer (1 of 26): If you where pierced with a needle (best and only way) your pierced nose should have a spacing that is healing using fun stuff like white blood cells. While many simple piercings, like the ears, take only around 6-8 weeks to heal, the healing period for a navel piercing is much longer a belly button piercing takes 6 months to 1 year to heal completely[ source]. We've got the details on its benefits and how to use it. At times, there may be movement from stage three to stage two for a number of times before it heals. Below are the healing stages and various aftercare procedures. When it comes to new piercings and working out, the location of said piercing is the main issue to contend with. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. When this is observed, it is important for it to be followed up by proper belly button piercing aftercare for the healing to be seamless. Considering laser tattoo removal? This involves observing cleanliness with the aim of keeping the piercing clean and avoiding passing microorganisms to the area. Generally, theyll recline your chair until youre lying in a relaxed position. Ask the 1 piercing u: Be sure to go to a licensed and highly qualified expert on piercing, and ask them how long to wait before swimming in the ocean. This allows the jewelry to hang slightly over the belly button to essentially highlight itself. This means they havent been used on anyone else. This can be in the form of gray or green discharge. Generally, piercers use an autoclave to kill any possible bacteria or other pathogens on the equipment. The following sections will give you some tips on how to swim with a belly button ring. Heres what to do if your body rejects the piercing. Read our, How to Change Out a Belly Button Piercing. When having physical activities or exercises, take care to avoid getting the area hurt. LEARN ABOUT BYRDIE'S EDITORIAL GUIDELINES. No, you shouldnt swim for at least 24 hours after getting your belly button pierced. Those dos and don'ts will change depending on where you've been pierced, too. During the healing process, you should do the following: Its normal to see an off-white fluid coming out of the area in the first few days after your piercing. (n.d.). Keep it moist with a mild disinfectant such as Bactine. Also, if your tattoo is in an area that will be stretched or flexed a lot during exercise, it's smart to put exercise off until the wound is fully healed. A new body piercing may be red and tender for a few weeks. Ensure that you know how to swim with a belly button piercing to avoid infections. (Explained). Want to Know How to Hide Ear Piercings? Running will flex and expand your calf musclesyou cant avoid that repetitive motion, and if you just got a calf tattoo, this could be stressful on it and impact how it heals. Let's be honest:A year is a long time to not be in the water. First and foremost, hide the navel from the direct hitting sun. Make sure you clean the area very slowly and thoroughly including the piercing jewelry. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our. After the placement is confirmed, the piercer will use a hollow needle to create a hole in the designated location. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Avoid excessive caffeine and alcohol. Everyone heals differently, so they may provide you a range. These are: The Inflammatory Stage This is the first stage of the healing process. Remember, a piercing is something for you to enjoy for years to come. As a general guide, healing times for the most common body piercings can be: It's possible to pick up an infection from any body of water, so while your piercing heals you should avoid swimming in: If you have any signs of infection, see a GP. Later on, you can follow the tips so as prevent an infection and enjoy your splash in the pool. While it's not doctor-approved, there are precautions and aftercare tips that you can take if you can't avoid submerging your piercing in water. This will ensure that the body has enough to form repair tissue for the area. The initial jewelry should not be changed until such a time that the piercing is deemed healed. In that case, pat your piercing dry to avoid retaining moisture (bacteria love moisture and need it to grow!) Not quite. I always recommend seeing a physician, such as a dermatologist, for evaluation and treatment right away if you develop any of these symptoms, says Dozier. Answer #1 Hi boredom410, Piercers recommend you wait a month after your piercing to go swimming in chlorinated pools. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,600],'outdoorfavor_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_1',671,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-outdoorfavor_com-large-mobile-banner-1-0'); Hot tubs have similar water treatments to pools, so its also recommended to avoid these. Belly Button Piercing Aftercare. This ThoughtfulTattoos article tells you how to swim with a belly button ring. This will also help to relieve discomfort and pain on the area. This is why choosing your piercer is so important. Each day, clean the piercing with a mild soap and warm water daily. If you have body hair around your navel, they may remove this with a new disposable razor. When a piercing is performed outside of a specialized, sterile environment, your risk for contracting an infectious disease increases. JNP. 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