Navel piercing
From Free net encyclopedia
Navel piercing is a type of body piercing, far more common among women than men, where the skin surrounding the navel is pierced and jewelry is inserted. Depending on the amount of skin available for piercing, it may heal quickly and with few problems, like an ear piercing, or it may heal more like a surface piercing, with the associated rejection risks and extended healing time. Healing of this piercing can also be complicated by irritation and damage caused by clothing, especially waistlines or tight clothing, or the position of the navel relative to the bend of the waist.
The actual navel is not pierced when a navel piercing is performed. The most common form of navel piercing is through the upper rim of the navel. A true navel piercing requires the person being pierced to have an "outie" navel to some degree, and is extremely rare. Although there is an urban legend that an infection in a true navel piercing can travel inward to the liver or peritoneum, there are no known cases of this occurring.
Contents |
Jewelry
Most kinds of ring or bar jewelry can be worn in a navel piercing, although they are most often pierced with a captive bead ring, which is worn until the piercing has fully healed. A wide variety of decorative jewelry is available for navel piercings, often featuring precious metals or stones.
History and Culture
A contemporary piercing, there is no direct evidence of historical navel piercing, although there is a great deal of historical evidence regarding the decoration of the navel, both for ritual and aesthetic purposes.
Despite the possible long healing time and rejection, this piercing is one of the most common and popular body piercings today. Popular culture has played a large role in the promotion of this piercing, the 1994 Aerosmith music video for their song Cryin', wherein Alicia Silverstone has her navel pierced (by San Francisco, California piercer Paul King), is often credited with introducing body piercing to mainstream society. The easy hiding of a navel piercing with clothing, even during the healing process, has contributed to the widespread adoption of this piercing, especially by young people. Far more women than men have navel piercings, and it is sometimes seen as a "wild woman" symbol, bearing little to no social stigma, as other common body piercings do. Wearing midriff revealing clothing to show off one's navel piercing is a common practice.
Due to the popularity of this often difficult to heal piercing amongst young people, especially young girls, this piercing is often done with improper, unsanitary jewelry or piercing tools, including ear piercing guns. Because many navel piercings are performed and healed semi-clandestinely, piercing studios, doctors and emergency rooms often have to deal with the results of improperly performed, poorly healed navel piercings.
Procedure
1. The piercer will ask you to uncover the area around your navel. If your shirt is covering your navel, you will be required to lift it up. Some piercers may ask you to tuck it under your bra to stop it slipping down. The piercer may ask you to unbutton and unzip your trousers/pants, particularly if they are too high or too tight.
2. The piercer will clean your navel using a sterile solution (normally iodine).
3. While you are standing up, the piercer will then mark the entrance and exit holes for the piercing.
4. You will then have to get into a lying position. The piercer will place a clamp on your navel. He/she will align this, so that the marks that made are central within the clamp.
5. The piercer will push the needle through the clamp and he/she will then remove the clamp. The jewellery will follow on from the end of the needle.
6. The piercer normally places a bandage over the top of the piercing.