If you are thinking about getting your belly button pierced, you have probably thought through some of the aftercare of a new piercing already. However, you may not have considered the different pre-piercing care you should be doing before getting a belly button piercing. One thing many people don’t think about is; should you shave your belly button before getting it pierced?
While it may seem like a great idea to shave your belly button if you have hair or peach fuzz, it might not actually be the best choice. While your piercer may decide to use a razor to shave around your belly button before getting pierced, doing it at home can cause infection and other issues.
Before you pick up the razor to get rid of your peach fuzz, there are few considerations you should make first. The number one issue that can occur with shaving your belly button before a piercing is an infection.
Other issues could be cuts or razor burns that will need to completely heal before you can get a piercing anywhere near them. Instead of shaving, there are several great pre-care things that you can do to get ready for your piercing.
Don’t Pick Up the Razor
The number one issue with shaving your belly button at home before getting your belly button pierced is that you are risking infecting the area, which will leave you at a higher risk of your piercing getting infected. When you shave at home, water, dirt, debris from your razor, and many other things can get into the micro-abrasions that happen from shaving.
When you go in for surgery, your surgeon will always ask you not to shave the area you are having surgery on because of the risk of infection. Getting a piercing is no different; if the site gets infected, you may have to have your piercing removed.
Even if you don’t get an infection from shaving the area, there are a few other downsides to shaving before heading into your appointment. If you accidentally cut yourself or get razor burn from shaving in a new area, your piercer will likely make you wait to get your piercing until those issues heal. Piercings already have a high risk of infection, and most piercers do not want to risk putting in a new piercing if you already have these risks in the area.
Although you should not shave your belly button at home before your appointment, it is likely that if you have enough hair or peach fuzz on your stomach, your piercer will shave it during your appointment.
Your piercer will use a clean, single-use razor after sterilizing the area. Because of the precautions that will be taken before your piercing, it is unlikely that you will get an infection from your piercer shaving your belly button
Pre-Piercing Tips
The first and most helpful thing you can do before you get a new piercing is to make sure you understand the aftercare to make sure the aftercare will fit your lifestyle.
The most common issue with piercings is that individuals do not consider the work they will need to do to keep their piercing healthy. A belly button piercing will require a significant amount of cleaning and care in the first several months until it is healed.
Proper cleaning
Before you get your belly button piercing, make sure you understand the cleaning procedures that will help keep your new piercing from getting infected. The most common reason that new piercings get infected is that they are not cleaned every day as instructed.
Most belly button piercings often need to be cleaned twice a day with a q-tip and saltwater. Without proper cleaning, your piercing will become infected. Infections can cause swelling, pain, and other issues. If your new piercing becomes infected, you may have to have it removed.
If you do not take care of a new piercing that has become an infected, you may need medical attention. Before getting your piercing, make sure you understand the care required and decide if you have that time to commit.
Loose clothing
Because of where a belly button piercing is located, you need to think about your clothing. You will be unable to wear tight clothing and may also need to avoid pants such as high-waisted jeans or other types of pants that reach your belly button.
If you wear tight clothing, it can rub against your piercing and cause irritation. Thinking about the kind of clothing you will need should be a part of your pre-care.
If you need to wear tight clothing for work or maybe even for a sport, you may need to consider getting your piercing at a different time. If your sport requires you to wear clothing that could rub or get caught, you should wait until after your sport ends to get your piercing.
If you need to wear different clothing than you usually do to accommodate your piercing, make sure to consider dress codes at your work, school, and anywhere else you frequent. Taking all these factors into consideration will help make sure you do not risk irritating or infecting the piercing.
Avoiding Water
Another thing to consider when getting a belly button piercing is that you cannot submerge fresh piercing in water for up to 6 weeks. This means that you will not be able to take baths, sit in hot tubs or go swimming.
Many people choose to get their piercings during the winter months because they are less likely to swim or spend time in pools. If your piercing is wet for a prolonged period, it can get infected. Consider the type of lifestyle you live and the time of year it is before getting your piercing.
Important takeaways
While you may think that shaving your belly button will save you time at your piercing appointment, it could prevent your appointment from happening. Shaving can cause scrapes, cuts, razor burn, and, most importantly, infections. It is best to let your piercer decide if they should shave your belly button or not. The best practice is to assume that you should leave the area alone. Your piercer will be able to clean the area and only do what is necessary.
Instead of shaving before getting your belly button pierced, consider planning out how best to take care of your piercing. You should consider several things before getting your piercing; most importantly, make sure that you can keep your piercing clean.
If you have a busy schedule or think you may forget to listen to the instructions that your piercer gives you, make sure to consider that before getting your belly button pierced. Another thing to consider is if you will be able to wear loose-fitting clothing for a few weeks while the piercing is healing.
If you are an active swimmer or it is summertime, and you spend more time in the water, you should also adjust your plans to get pierced. The most significant considerations that you should make before getting your belly button pierced is the risk of infection. Piercings are very exciting, and most people will have no problems, but you should make the appropriate plans to take care of your belly button properly after getting it pierced.