Anyone having problems with the area where navel piercing was?

sunandsand

I took my piercing out early in my 1st pregnancy and never put it back in, but the holes never closed. Had no problems with the first pregnancy, but this time, even though I've gained half the weight, the skin between the 2 piercings is stretched SO thin and its red and irritated. It could probably tear if it stretches much further...gross. 

pandabear12178

Ick, I was telling DH about this the other day too. Looks gross. I thought for sure it would had closed up ( that was my goal ) but i recently put a ring through it and its open still. But it does hurt. I mean just in general not that I tried putting jewelry through it. Doesnt look like it would tear, kinda looks like I have a second belly button though

StarrDeath

Mine kind of hurts at the top hole, like it's been pinched or something. However, I still have a ring in it. I had my normal one in until it was like having a straight barbell through it, and it looked like I just had dermals, haha. At that point, I bought a maternity barbell, which is twice as long and made of plastic, so it's bendy.

I just attributed the pain the to top ball pinching it, so I took it out for a week or so and it still hurt... so I'm guessing it's just the skin stretching and since it's separate from the rest of the skin, it has less 'material" to stretch.

wintersnight20

Mine is closed up but where the scar is it's stretched very thin and is very red looking. It actually looks like that its turning into scar/ stretch mark and the area is tender...My doctor said it won't tear since it healed up over a year ago but I'm not really sure about that. It looks pretty angry. It went from a small barely noticeable red scar less than the size of a pencil eraser to about the length of a quarter...

J&JSuiter070205

I got my belly button pierced 2 times back in college (when I had something to show off because my body kept rejecting the jewelry and the skin would get thinner and thinner until it eventually "spit" the jewelry out. I remember during that time it was a little sore and also itched, however I have had no problems since it healed the second time and I did not get it redone.

Virginny

I did get a stretch mark over mine with DS. Turned into an "X". Looked terrible, but eventually it faded after my tummy shrunk and I lost the baby weight. Now, the "X" is back and will probably get a bit worse as I grow. Bummer. 

Tink112011

Yes, the area between the two holes has turned into one big stretch mark (the only stretch mark I have so far!).  It's very red and unattractive!

TimeRacer

I took my navel ring out over 4 years ago, as it had started to reject and there was no saving it, but this pregnancy has made my tiny little scar look horrendous! It looks like I have an outtie above my actual belly button from the poofing the scar has done. The lotion I've been using to keep the stretch marks soft has fortunately helped keep down any irritation such as itching; it just looks awful.

babyboymama11

I just had my DR remove mine last week. Thankfully it's not irritated or anything but it's pretty ugly - the skin is stretched thin. I don't expect it to get any prettier during the pregnancy and just crossing my fingers that it's not so ugly after the baby's born.

WifeyMommy2011

mine has been out for a few years now and the whole area is red and looks super stretched but doesnt hurt

Lisa9926

I ended up getting a nice pretty strech mark there from my first pregnancy and didn't bother to put it back in.  It shouldn't tear as long as you leave it alone...

mpstochlinski8

that general area was sore to the touch for a while but isn't bad now. where I had piercings looks really awful as does my actual navel at this point though. 

diana563

is it possible to go to a place and have that stretched skin "clipped out"? 

jkanyugi

Tink112011:

Yes, the area between the two holes has turned into one big stretch mark (the only stretch mark I have so far!).  It's very red and unattractive!

 Same for me.  Its so pink/red and I"m HOPING it goes away enough and I can cover it up when the barbell goes back in.  I was warned about tattoos stretching, but not the piercing (which had NO jewelry in it!)

stargirljulie

So far I haven't had any problems there - I took it out shortly after I began showing, and I could probably still shove it in there if I wanted. I'd look really goofy, but the skin really isn't as stretched out as I thought it would be.

The bottom hole though sticks out just a bit so instead of my belly button protruding, it's the bottom part of the piercing.

sanbry

sunandsand:

I took my piercing out early in my 1st pregnancy and never put it back in, but the holes never closed. Had no problems with the first pregnancy, but this time, even though I've gained half the weight, the skin between the 2 piercings is stretched SO thin and its red and irritated. It could probably tear if it stretches much further...gross. 

Mine is stretched out and red and its been out for yrs but never fully closed. It bums me out. My mom is pretty smug about it, and the large tattoo on my stomach bc she "told me so". LOL. I don't think it'll tear. I have a few friends who had the same situation and theirs didn't tear.

amandalup

I had the same problem the skin is stretched so far and itchy so I finally stuck an earring back in to see if it was infected, I took it out about 3 years ago and haven't had one since, and come to find out it was. The skin was so irritated from being stretched there was this film growing in the hole and I am a very clean person so I started weekly poking the earring through and cleaning it out with witch hazel to stop the itching. When my daughter one day says she wants hers peirced I will show her my scar that came from being pregnant and the only scar I have gotten this whole pregnancy!

hello_nyx

diana563:

is it possible to go to a place and have that stretched skin "clipped out"? 

No. I have never heard of this in navel piercing, only stretched lobe reversal and other "large gauge" procedures. It probably wouldn't be worth the scarring that resulted and the remainder of the fistula would be left visible.. You can use mederma and lots of time. Though, some piercings are so well healed that the skin inside the fistula is essentially the same as the skin on the rest of your body, those may be around for the long haul..

 

For everyone feeling irritation, try a warm saline soak and a gentle vitamin E or diluted tea tree oil massage. They should help the inflammation and feel soothing.

If you're wearing a lot of pants with full panels, try to let your belly breathe a bit. Even a little sunshine can help.

If it is a stretch mark occurring over the piercing site, there is not much you can do beside your usual stretch mark routine.

hello_nyx

amandalup:

I had the same problem the skin is stretched so far and itchy so I finally stuck an earring back in to see if it was infected, I took it out about 3 years ago and haven't had one since, and come to find out it was. The skin was so irritated from being stretched there was this film growing in the hole and I am a very clean person so I started weekly poking the earring through and cleaning it out with witch hazel to stop the itching. When my daughter one day says she wants hers peirced I will show her my scar that came from being pregnant and the only scar I have gotten this whole pregnancy!

Chances are this sebum and not infection. Totally normal, white to pale yellow discharge is expected in healthy piercings. I essentially means that the skin has healed and is producing oils again.

It could also be lymph discharge, again white to pale yellow is okay. Treat the piercing like its new again.. Anything dark yellow, green, brown, or especially smelly should be brought to your doctor's attention!

Try saline wound wash soaks over witch hazel. They are more gentle and have a good anti-itch property too!

bridetobe6808

Ugh. Yes. I clean mine with peroxide. I took the piercing out when I was about 17 weeks, and it get's itchy and is red. When I clean the hole with peroxide, it feels better. Wish I had thought about getting preggo when I pierced my belly button...but I was 18 and too cool for school.

kameronchristine

Tink112011:

Yes, the area between the two holes has turned into one big stretch mark (the only stretch mark I have so far!).  It's very red and unattractive!

Thats my problem right now! I hate it and i feel like it is going to ruin my maternity pictures

 

salt78

I had the top and the bottom pierced. I took both out several years ago and they are closed, but the area around where they were hurt a lot as my skin stretched. For right now everything feels fine though.