Update on my two month old navel piercing, really crusty, is this okay?

[lmw22]

I clean it with SSS everyday for 10 minutes, some times with a drop or two tea tree oil in it.

I probably am using too much tree tea oil. I also work almost everyday, I have to wear high waisted jeans for it so it could be irritated. Doesn't hurt unless I push it up more than I should.

[BabyBirdy]

It looks okay. Make sure you’re cleaning it everyday, twice a day, with an oil based soap. If it’s easier for you, you can buy sterile saline solution to rinse the piercing with. Wash your hands before cleaning your piercing.
Also, if you have any questions go to your piercer and ask :)

This isn’t mentioned a lot but a big part of healing is maintaining good health so make sure to stay hydrated and eat healthy, adequate amounts of food :)

[Anonymous]

No, your body is rejecting it. Some people just can’t have them. I’d take it out before it gets really infected. If not, try cleaning it with some rubbing alcohol and Qtips. Remove all the crusty blood and if it starts to bleed, good, let it bleed. That’ll naturally clear it up a bit then apply some coconut oil to it...

[lmw22]

After I cleaned it, the crust fell off and there's no more today. Maybe I just needed to clean it? I'll try the rubbing alcohol and see if it stops. I have noticed it thinning, but my friends who have the same piercing said there's thinned to because their bodies got used to it and did not swell anymore. I can move it without hurting. It just hurts when I bend down to like touch my toes or something but I think that's because I'm pushing it way far up. It doesn't look like behind the top hole is flaky, dead skin, just the right side of it. I am praying I am just using too much tea tree oil and cleaning it way too much.

[Opinion Owner]

Cleaning it in that state will help it from getting more infected. It’s 2 months old, it should have healed by now. But coconut oil—the kind you can cook with, it’s solid and looks like candle wax—I keep that on hand just because it has anti-inflammatory properties that heal cuts. Move the belly ring all around when applying it.. it will moisturize and sooth the pain associated from bending over or rubbing up against your clothing or whatnot. I don’t know much about tea tree oil other than it helps some people with dandruff when added to shampoo or conditioner, lol. But you can use coconut oil every day. All natural, no harsh chemicals and safe.

[lmw22]

Coconut oil and tea tree oil are similar it sounds like. Tea tree oil is a natural antispectic that reduces scarring and bumps, however it does dry out the area a bit, so I also assume that is part of the problem as I use it like every other day. Probably need to stop that.

[lmw22]

I'll try the coconut oil and rubbing alcohol as I feel like ever since I switched from saline spray as I got tired of buying a new can every like two weeks to SSS with distilled water, sea salt and a little bit of tes tree oil that it's gone down hill. I might be using too much sea salt, not warm enough water or even too much tea tree oil, but I am up to try other things definitely. Really wanna keep it.

[Opinion Owner]

Good deal. Do you think this happened from not adding the saline spray every day? Yeah, the perfect concoction of ingredients can make all the difference if that’s what’s recommended.

But I helped heal a friend’s ear piercing that got infected because of lack of care for the first couple of months that she had it. I used coconut oil after the rubbing alcohol and my main concern was to reopen the wound to let puss and blood ooze out. She fussed because it hurt but thanked me the next day as the swelling went down and was back to normal within a week of doing it.

[lmw22]

Yeah ever since I went to SSS it started getting really crusty and irritated, might be because I work often but I doubt that causes the crust. I got some coconut oil today so I'll start it tonight

[Opinion Owner]

Awesome yeah, I try to stick with organic, all natural stuff now. Coconut oil never dries out my skin like that and it doesn’t leave a greasy residue once it dries, either. They do say the more you moisturize, the more you have to, because if you stop, your skin is more thirsty than when it started in the 1st place for some weird reason, like face lotions with ingredients with hyaluronic acid, which helps absorption.

I’d add the coconut oil in a little travel size container, so small that it can fit in your pants’ pocket for easy access on the go until it heals up a bit, lol. It’s good for cleaning with a Qtip too. Let me know how it turns out :)

[lmw22]

I also got bandages like the big ones to put over it to stop my work pants and belt from getting caught on it which causes most of the irritation around it.

[Opinion Owner]

Good deal... but I’d take it out maybe during the day just so the skin heals a bit and sterilize it before putting back in too. You could also try the spray and maybe the coconut oil over top of that. They have a skin routine rule out there to add the thinner product on 1st before a heavier one, like serum before lotion

[Opinion Owner]

But just so you know, I only tried this on an infected ear piercing not the naval area! So.. do it at your own precaution... if it gets worst, you might wanna stop, lol

[Opinion Owner]

It wouldn’t hurt to do light compressions in the shower with a wash cloth to get the oxygen and blood flowing

[lmw22]

Today I did a little mix of things, I used the saline spray first early in the day, then later used a little of the coconut oil, lightly spread it around the like crusty areas and that really moisted them a lot and then used more of the saline spray to get it off and all the crusties fell off. Feels a lot better and looks better already. Hopefully it'll work.

[Opinion Owner]

YAY ☺️

[chriscdi]

stressin way too much for no reason and im jealous of your stomach hair

[lmw22]

Thank you, I'm almost full blooded Italian

[chriscdi]

that explains it, im only half, i see

[ciitruskiwi]

It looks fine. If it gets red, itchy and warm to the touch then it's probably infected. Right now it looks fine

[Blubby1234]

Dear lord please stop posting this I don’t want to see your hairy belly button

[lmw22]

Thank you for putting your society standards created by a patriarchy and putting down women for things that they can't control.

[Blubby1234]

This is like the 3rd time you’ve posted this. And I’m not patriarchal at all

[lmw22]

I am sorry that I want an opinion if crusting this much is okay as this is my first piercing and yes you sound like you conform very well.

[Blubby1234]

No I don’t need to conform but I don’t post my stomach all over the internet.

[lmw22]

Okay and? Your point is? I am asking other people if crusting this much is okay as I can't go out and get checked by a piercing shop since y'know quarantine ⭐

[jaybee281]

@lmw22 the first thing you said is hilarious.. It's not patriarchy or anything it's just disgusting like i was about to say it and tell people how the fuck do they consider a woman's hairy belly button to be normal that's like the opposite of being feminine.. Like it's quarantine okay don't take care about it but just don't post it for fuck's sake

[jaybee281]

Care of it**

[Blubby1234]

@jaybee281 lol

[jaybee281]

@Blubby1234 not gonna lie before i saw your comment i almost lost faith in humanity how can this shit go unnoticed😂🤦🏻‍♂️

[lmw22]

@jaybee281 it's called being human, women have hair all of their bodies. mine happen to be darker since i have dark hair and have pcos, a health condition that causes my hair to grow thicker and is basically like cysts on my ovaries. they can shave their whole bodies if they want, i did it for a long while but y'know, got tired shaving every inch of my body for other people. proud of my body, it might not be perfect, but i love it and my boyfriend loves it too. self confidence is key in life. sorry you guys can't think society standards.

[lmw22]

**outside society standards

[Anonymous]

Piercing is so disgusting. Don't know why people like them.

[lmw22]

Ok boomer whatever you say boomer

[Opinion Owner]

Well not a boomer -- an X-er. That generation has more tattoos. Education helps 😀

[lmw22]

it's a joke lol

[kauto_tonko]

Is the picture really necessary?

[lmw22]

Yes it is because it's my first piercing and I am very concerned about it as my parents don't know about it and if I get an infection I am fucked.

[kauto_tonko]

You don't have ear piercings? That's not an infection by the way

[lmw22]

I used to have ear piercings, but I got them very young. Like one so my parents were supposed to take care of them for me because y'know a baby can't take care of them so they got infected ⭐

[kauto_tonko]

Fair point. That's perfectly normal though, it's part of the healing process. I just cringe looking at crusty or sabbed wounds. It'll swell if it gets infected 😁