As someone who has been fascinated by all forms of body art my entire life, I have been drawn to the world of body art history. I am fascinated by the cultural and spiritual impact body art can have, and I can honestly say that navel piercing is something that truly intrigues me more than most types of body art.

For starters, I think this type of piercing looks great and, in the right context, can be very attractive. Also, for truly artistic individuals, a navel piercing can be the crowning piece needed to take a body art project to new heights. In short, these piercings are cool.

On the other hand, this type of piercing tends to be seen more as a novelty and cosmetic decoration. It can often have less than pleasant connotations for the person getting the piercing, and navel piercing tends to be seen as something of the high school and college girl crowd type that no self-respecting adult would find. admirable to have

It’s this broad spectrum of opinion about a navel piercing that prompted me to learn a bit more about the procedure, and for all the body art fanaticism I claim, it turns out I learned a thing or two.

Here are some things I learned about navel piercing that might surprise you too:

Jewelry Gauge Matters – A 14g tends to be the standard width of piercing jewelry, with occasional piercers wearing thinner jewelry. Standard tends to be seen as the way to go, especially to help prevent problems from developing during the healing process.

Healing can take a long time – You may be surprised to learn that healing can take anywhere from four months to a year, depending on the source.

Your piercer needs to be trusted – It can be tempting to just get a navel pierced by someone who says they’ve done it, especially if you’re a spontaneous person. Resist this urge and do some research on piercers in your area.

The pain can vary quite a bit, will it hurt? It depends. Not everyone deals with pain in the same way, so, truth be told, there’s no way to establish a real answer. That said, assume you’re going to feel noticeable pain.

Every belly button is different – Whether you’re talking about an inside or outside, or talking about the way the skin is presented above and below the navel, not all piercings are created equal. This means that your experience will not be the same as your best friend’s, so consider drilling.

A navel piercing is an understated entry into the world of body art and one that, despite all the back and forth about the message it conveys about you, ultimately says what you want it to say. With that said, strive to find the best piercer you can with the right credentials, experience, and satisfied customers. And of course, don’t rush into things.