Belly button ring infection

An infected piercing can be serious. The area around your piercing may be painful, swollen, red, and hot.

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Belly button ring infection

Bacteria can infect a belly button piercing before healing is complete. Symptoms can include pain, discoloration, and swelling. Improving hygiene and using antibiotic ointment can help. Complete healing can take 9—12 months. In the meantime, a piercing is technically a healing wound, and it may be sore, red, or irritated. Intense pain, swelling, or a fever , however, can indicate a severe infection. It can be challenging to keep a belly button piercing clean and irritation-free, especially when there tends to be friction from clothing. This makes belly button piercings more prone to infection than piercings in other areas. Distinguishing between signs of infection and regular healing can be difficult. Pain and swelling right after a piercing are common. It is important to monitor how symptoms change. If symptoms, such as pain, steadily improve, the piercing is probably healing normally. If a person suddenly experiences new symptoms, especially after a period of few or no symptoms, this can signal an infection. The risk is greater when piercing equipment and jewelry are not sterile, especially when the piercing needles have been shared. Always choose a safe piercer.

More severe infections could enter the bloodstream from the piercing site and produce a widespread belly button ring infection. A doctor may recommend removing the jewelry and allowing the piercing to close, or replacing low-quality jewelry with some made from a metal less likely to irritate the skin.

Belly button piercings are a popular way to modify your body and show off your personal style, but they come with the risk of infection. Infected belly button piercings can be painful, unsightly, and dangerous if left untreated. That's why it's best to take good care of your piercing to prevent infection in the first place. If your belly button is freshly pierced, it's normal to experience some redness and swelling around the piercing, says Howard Sobel MD , board-certified dermatologist at Sobel Skin and Clinical Attending Dermatologic Surgeon at Lenox Hill Hospital. However, if the swelling becomes severe and is accompanied by pain that feels like soreness, this may be a sign of infection, Sobel says.

We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. Healthline only shows you brands and products that we stand behind. Belly button piercings are popular and generally safe with proper precautions. However, incorrect aftercare or unsanitary conditions can lead to bacterial infections. It can take from 9 months to 1 year for a belly button piercing to heal completely. Even an injury to an old piercing may lead to infection. For example, if the piercing gets caught on pants or belt buckles. You may also have some clear discharge that dries and forms a crystal-like crust around the piercing.

Belly button ring infection

Your belly button doesn't serve much purpose after birth, but it's a popular place to accessorize with body jewelry. There are risks to this popular piercing site, though. The belly button is usually turned inward, so cleaning it can be challenging, which puts this piercing at risk for infection. This article will tell you how to spot an infected belly button piercing and what to do if it happens to you. An infected belly button piercing will look much like any other skin or soft tissue infection, with symptoms like:. More severe infections could enter the bloodstream from the piercing site and produce a widespread infection. If this happens, additional symptoms can include:. You may not know the cause of a systemic, or body-wide, infection immediately, but seek medical care if you develop signs of a severe infection like sepsis. A healthcare team will closely examine any possible causes of infection—including recent piercings. Bacteria and debris that collect in and around your piercing are not the only possible cause of infection.

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An infection can spread from a piercing throughout the body. These injuries increase the chance of infection. See a healthcare provider if you have signs of a severe infection, such as a fever. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. A belly button piercing can take between nine months and a year to heal completely, and your risk of infection is high the entire time that healing takes place. Aside from infection, other complications are also possible with a belly button piercing. Kitchen Angle down icon An icon in the shape of an angle pointing down. How to get rid of a nose piercing bump. Relationship Tips. Mar 8, Written By Daniela Ginta. Or you may need other medical care to prevent a serious infection. Sometimes, your piercing technician or healthcare team may recommend mild antiseptic cleaners such as diluted antibacterial soap. Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations.

Bacteria can infect a belly button piercing before healing is complete.

Even minor infections can get worse without treatment. This practice has expanded to many different areas of the body, including the belly button. Any piercing is essentially a puncture wound. Cleaning tips. This is because of the constant movement associated with the location. Metal can cause other problems, too, including complications with specific medical procedures, such as magnetic resonance imaging MRI and surgery. Medically reviewed by Debra Sullivan, Ph. Tawk A, et al. What is your feedback? Systemic infections often require prescription antibiotic treatment. To avoid an infected piercing, clean it twice a day, avoid tight-fitting clothes, and soak the area daily. Photo Stories. An autoclave is typically used to sterilize tools that are reusable, such as opening and closing pliers for body jewelry. Cardiovasc Diagn Ther. Das JP, et al.