Here’s what you need to know about belly button piercings, according to a pro

In the beauty and fashion world right now, the ‘90s and noughties are back — and with that comes belly button piercings. Having a belly button piercing for some people was an unofficial rite of passage back then. As someone who went the moment I turned 16, I was in that piercing studio quicker than my little legs could take me. I had not, however, prepared myself in any way, shape and form. This is what I wish I’d read before then. 

So, what is there to know about belly button piercings in 2023? Well, quite a lot, actually. There are different placements you may not know about, belly buttons that aren’t actually suited to the piercing, and jewellery types you may haven’t heard of. Plus, there are some key things you’ll need to know if you want to avoid infection and get your new belly button embellishment healed as soon as possible. 

We’ve quizzed Niki Yeadon, piercing expert and founder of Crystal Point Piercing on everything you need to know about belly button piercings…

What is a belly button piercing? 

Professionally known as a navel piercing — but often referred to as a belly button piercing — it features “a piece of jewellery sitting through the skin fold, most commonly above but also around the hole in the middle of the stomach (the navel), explains Niki.  

 What types of belly button piercings can you get?

“The most common navel piercing is through the top fold,” explains Niki, but only if someone’s anatomy is suitable (more on that later!) Although through the top is most common, you can get the navel pierced in all angles, including the slides and lower navel if the piercer thinks your anatomy allows it. 

“For some anatomy shapes, a floating navel can help it heal better. The M&M disc (which are flat discs) on the bar allows for the client to sit comfortably, avoiding the bottom of the bar getting caught in the skin and delaying healing,” says Niki. 

What type of jewellery is typically used for a belly button piercing? 

“We always use internal thread implant grade titanium approved by the APP (association of professional piercers) for the initial piercing,” says Niki. “Either 12 or 14 gauge and 12 mm length — when it’s healed it may shrink a little and end up around 10 mm length,” she adds. 

“There are 1000s of designs to choose from once it is healed, but during the healing process there are some important things to look out for,” says Niki. “The cleaner the jewellery the more the body likes it,” she explains. If the jewellery is on the cheaper end, it often has low grade polishing on the surface, she adds. It can contain small traces of lead, cadmium and nickel, this means that the surface has small irregularities where the body fluid collects and can create problems whilst healing. 

It’s important not to change your jewellery until the piercing has fully healed. If you’re worried about changing the jewellery, you can always pop back to the piercing studio to get it changed. Once you’re all healed though, you can start thinking about the types of jewellery you can get.