February 2016 Moms

Belly button piercing

I had my belly button pierced when I was 14 (1997, Gwen Stefani,etc) but haven't worn anything in the piercing for at least 15 years. I thought it had closed up. Now, because the skin around there is stretched to the max it's really itchy and sort of oozing a little. This didn't happen during my last pregnancy. It's gross and annoying - anyone else? Thoughts on what to clean it or treat it with?

Re: Belly button piercing

  • I took my piercing out when I got pregnant, and it's doing fine. But, when I got it pierced it took a LONG time to heal(like a year). They told me to clean it with warm salt water. I used to take a small Dixie cup and fill it with warm salt water and like press it on my belly button so that it was upside down on my belly button. I would lay down like that for a couple minutes with my belly button completely submerged. I'm not sure how easy that would be being pregnant though. Haha. You can also try hydrogen peroxide, but do not use alcohol because it kills good skin cells.
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  • Use a warm clean washcloth and put it on there for about 10 min at a time then dry it well. Use some neosporin/antibiotic ointment in the area. Don't use any hand creams or lotions near it (this may have gotten into that little opening and started the problem). Don't use hydrogen peroxide. It has corrosive properties and actually kills the skin. If it doesn't clear up in a few days call the dr and see if you can get a prescription antibiotic ointment.
  • My belly button piercing has been out for the last 5 years and was closed up. A few weeks back, I had puss coming out of both the top and bottom hole. It was red and itchy, but it didn't hurt. I just squeezed the junk out and cleaned with peroxide for about three days. Doctor looked at it at one of my regular check ups and said it wasn't anything to worry about, unless it kept oozing puss, which it didn't. She said the skin stretching probably caused it to open a little bit and get bacteria in there.
  • I think that this happened to me during my first pregnancy. I remember taking most of the cotton off a q-tip so that I could push it through the hole.

    On another note, my only stretch mark is between the two holes of my belly button piercing! Anyone else??
    *E 10/2012, H 7/2014, F 2/2016*
    Pregnancy Ticker

  • Thanks guys. I have been slathering on the coconut oil and lotion so that's probably why.
  • I think that this happened to me during my first pregnancy. I remember taking most of the cotton off a q-tip so that I could push it through the hole.

    On another note, my only stretch mark is between the two holes of my belly button piercing! Anyone else??

    same!!! I keep getting into odd positions to look under my belly in the bathroom and check but so far just little ones from my piercing! My mom never had them with me, so I'm kinda wondering if they really are genetic?
  • I took mine out last pregnancy and it never closed up and a few weeks ago I had this pimple like thing on the inside of the hole that was oozing and gross and sort of painful. I put a warm wash cloth on it and cleaned it out with saline solution and it cleared up within a couple days.
    Pregnancy Ticker
  • I wish I had known these things could happen when I got it at 16 lol. I took mine out last summer and it never closed. Sometimes it just smells... It's not even an open wound anymore!
    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker

    Surprise BFP! 06/08/15
    Nadine GraceMarie  02/10/16
    Diagnosed with placenta increta post delivery: emergency partial hysterectomy - cervix and ovaries still intact 
    Gestational surrogacy or adoption TBD

  • I'm so glad that I removed mine 10 years before DD. If I still had a hole this pregnancy, it would have ripped open by now. Little man is stretching that part of my belly past its limits. And @MississippiCatfish and @dragonfly321, I hate to scare you, but I didn't get my first stretch marks with DD until she dropped at 39 weeks (I literally cried)!! But, they shrink and fade very quickly. This little man has created stretch marks EVERYWHERE on my belly. DH just looks at my belly, frowns, and says "I'm sorry"
  • edited January 2016
    SgtLou2 said:
    I'm so glad that I removed mine 10 years before DD. If I still had a hole this pregnancy, it would have ripped open by now. Little man is stretching that part of my belly past its limits. And @MississippiCatfish and @dragonfly321, I hate to scare you, but I didn't get my first stretch marks with DD until she dropped at 39 weeks (I literally cried)!! But, they shrink and fade very quickly. This little man has created stretch marks EVERYWHERE on my belly. DH just looks at my belly, frowns, and says "I'm sorry"
    This is my third baby, so I'm pretty hopeful to not have any surprises in that department!

    ETA @Dragonfly321 My mom doesnt have any either.  I think that genetics really does play a huge part! 
    *E 10/2012, H 7/2014, F 2/2016*
    Pregnancy Ticker

  • I had one (briefly) a few years ago, but I took it out and it healed over. I haven't had any opening or oozing, thank goodness, but the spot where it scarred over is so stretched! It's this big dark spot over my actual belly button! Looks a little funny, but it could be worse I guess!
  • I have dermals on my hips and back dimples as long as belly button piercings(2) they all have been having discharge. (don't judge Im a RN NP and husband is a project manager for a huge company we both have piercings and tattoos...but can be professional and cover all up for pur jobs) I had tried several cleaners nothing seems to work... I have a h2o spray from a tattoo shop which does a little relieve. I also been using Neosporin 1x every other day which does wonders! As long as its clear yellow or light green dont worry.... anything darker could indicate an infection. Ask your doctor if they can prescribe a cream for you.
  • I took mine out in August during a surgery , so much more recently than yours was removed, and the itching is almost unbearable! It aches sometimes because the fresh healing but when I told my doctor they said not to scratch it and to clean it like I would a fresh piercing . Anti itch cream may help, it didn't for me, but you could always try.
  • I got mine pierced when I was 13, but I haven't worn anything in it for years. Now it just looks funny and feels weird. My belly button was really deep before and now that it is stretched out the part that was inside is super sensitive. I just put lotion on it when I do my regular out of the shower routine.
    I am 27, DH is 26.
    We have been married since September 28, 2013.
    We had our first child, Zoey, February 7, 2016.

    images 300168
  • @MississippiCatfish all I hear is that genetics play a role in how likely you are to get stretch marks. My moms belly is riddled with come on account of 3 kids 3 c-sections I luckily only have 4 at least that I can see lol the underbelly is a complete mystery!
  • Since it seems like from previous posts you are a home remedy/ natural type person... i figured id suggest raw garlic. we use garlic oil for my husband's ear infections and when i get clogs and infections from BFing...i make fresh garlic compresses in nursing pads and it clears them right up. It's pretty potent stuff and has antibiotic and antimicrobial properties... id make a compress with luke warm water and chopped garlic and tape it right on my belly button if it were me.

    Here is some more info on the wonders of garlic...lol

    https://www.naturalhealth365.com/0913_raw_garlic.html/
  • Since it seems like from previous posts you are a home remedy/ natural type person... i figured id suggest raw garlic. we use garlic oil for my husband's ear infections and when i get clogs and infections from BFing...i make fresh garlic compresses in nursing pads and it clears them right up. It's pretty potent stuff and has antibiotic and antimicrobial properties... id make a compress with luke warm water and chopped garlic and tape it right on my belly button if it were me.

    Here is some more info on the wonders of garlic...lol

    https://www.naturalhealth365.com/0913_raw_garlic.html/

    I was just telling my friend how I am convinced garlic is so powerful it can save lives! I will def. try some garlic oil today. Thank you!!
  • I took my belly button ring out like 2-3 years ago and thought it was all closed up but it's definitely open and gets really irritatied! It's red and itchy!!
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