What To Do When Your Navel Piercing Gets Infected

I've had my belly button pierced for over ten years, and I am unfortunate enough that it still gets infected from time to time. These infections come seemingly at random, mostly when I'm fighting off a cold or flu, or if I switch laundry detergents. They irritate the hell out of me. I already went through the pain of the initial piercing and survived the 6-8 weeks of tenderness while it healed, so it's never any fun when these incidences pop up and have to be dealt with all over again.

It doesn't take rocket science to recognize the first sign of an infected belly button ring -- it HURTS. It hurts to touch, and it sure as hell hurts if you accidentally hit it or your clothing snags on it. The area around the piercing turns noticeably red and can sometimes feel hot to the touch. In early stages, it may release pus. However, if the infection goes untreated, it can get even worse and begin to bleed and/or release a yellow-green discharge. If you are experiencing those symptoms, you should get checked out by a doctor right away, as antibiotics may be required.

If you are still in the early, redness/pus stage, here are the steps you can take to make it feel better.

Clean the entire area thoroughly with plain Dial anti-bacterial soap, the kind that comes in a dispenser. (Do not use bar soap.) Dial anti-bacterial is their standard, orange-colored soap that contains no scents whatsoever. Another option is to use an anti-microbial soap, such as Satin. Satin is most often recommended to clean new piercings, but it can certainly be used to treat piercing infection at any time. While in the shower, wash your hands with the Dial soap, then gently lather and wash the piercing and surrounding area using your fingers. Rinse thoroughly and gentle pat dry with a towel.

Although you might be tempted to, do not remove the piercing. Especially if there is pus present, removing the piercing and letting the hole close up will prevent the pus from draining completely and could result in an abscess.

I swear by saline solution (the kind you get in the eye care aisle at CVS, it costs about $4.99). If I wash the piercing with anti-bacterial soap in the morning, then halfway through the day I'll follow up with a saline soak. Basically, this is achieved by lying on the floor and squirting the solution into your belly button (so it lets the bottom hole of the piercing soak thoroughly), and onto the top hole as well. Use a clean Q-tip to move the ring back and forth so the saline solution gets in all the way.

An Epsom salt soak is another option. Fill a dixie cup with warm water and sprinkle some Epsom salt into it. Lean forward, place the cup against your stomach so it surrounds the belly button area completely, then lay back and let it soak for about 15 minutes.

Some people insist on using a triple-antibiotic ointment cream to treat an infected navel piercing. I personally have never needed to go this route, so I can't vouch for it. Others recommend cleaning the area with alcohol, which is absolutely NOT suggested, since alcohol dries out the skin but also does not promote healing.

Luckily, I've never had to deal with an infected piercing for more than several days. By following these steps, it will usually clear up fairly quickly. Remember, if your symptoms do not go away, or if they worsen, make an appointment to see your doctor right away, as more serious intervention may be needed.