Infected belly button piercing? 6 things to do about it

If your belly button piercing is infected, it can be really unpleasant. Not only is it often red and irritated, but it can also be quite painful. Fortunately, there are things you can do yourself to treat your belly button piercing. In this blog, we’ll share the most useful tips with you.

What does an infected belly button piercing look like?

If your belly button piercing is infected, it’s usually quite easy to spot. That’s because you can often see and feel the infection straight away. These are the symptoms:

  • The area around the belly button piercing is painful
  • The skin feels warm, is red and may look shiny
  • Pus or fluid is coming out of the piercing

If these symptoms appear shortly after getting your navel piercing, it could simply be irritation, which is quite common in the early stages. However, if the symptoms persist for a long time or if it isn’t a new piercing, there’s a good chance it’s an infection.

Can an infected piercing heal?

In most cases, an infected piercing can heal just fine. It’s quite common and can be caused by the simplest things, such as accidentally moving the skin. However, it’s important to look after your piercing properly, even if it isn’t infected. Always keep the area clean and avoid excessive friction, for example from a T-shirt.

Have you tried everything but your piercing is still infected? Then it’s wise to contact your piercer or GP.

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Source: Pexels

How to treat an infected belly button piercing

If your belly button piercing is infected, there are several things you can do yourself to treat it. Read below to find out what you should do.

1. Gently keep the skin clean

Clean the piercing 1–2 times a day with a saline solution or a mild, unscented soap. Do not use harsh substances such as alcohol or hydrogen peroxide, as these can irritate the skin. Be careful when cleaning and always do so with clean hands.

2. Avoid pressure and friction

Make sure there is no pressure on the skin and that no clothing rubs against it. This will prevent the skin from becoming further irritated and allow it more space to heal.

3. Touch the piercing as little as possible

Even if your hands are clean, it’s best to keep your hands off your piercing. Don’t fiddle with the piercing and only touch it whilst cleaning it.

4. Cool the area around the piercing

If you’re in pain or experiencing swelling, applying a cold compress for a short while may provide temporary relief. Always place a cloth between the cold compress and your skin for 5–10 minutes.

5. Keep a close eye on the infection

If the symptoms do not improve and you perhaps even develop a fever or experience more pain, you need to take further action. Contact a professional piercer or doctor and do not wait for the symptoms to subside on their own.

6. Use red light therapy

Red light therapy helps to reduce inflammation, pain and other symptoms. It improves blood circulation, thereby stimulating the body’s natural healing process. You can easily treat this yourself at home. Read below to find out how red light can help if your belly button piercing is infected.

rood licht therapie apparaat kopen

How does red light therapy work if your belly button piercing is infected?

Red light therapy helps with the healing of an infected belly button piercing. It works because red light penetrates the skin, allowing the cells to absorb it. This makes the cells more active and speeds up the healing process.

Here’s what red light does in the event of an infection:

  • Improves blood circulation, allowing nutrients and oxygen to reach the skin more effectively and speeding up recovery.
  • Reduces inflammation, thereby also reducing redness and swelling.
  • It helps the skin and tissues to heal by accelerating the production of new skin cells and collagen, making the skin stronger.

Red light helps to speed up the healing process and reduce pain. Of course, it’s always important to keep your skin clean. You can use red light yourself with a red light therapy device.

PowerCure red light therapy for inflammation

The PowerCure Pro is a red light therapy device that helps if your navel piercing is inflamed. Furthermore, it not only helps with inflamed piercings, but also with other complaints and conditions, in both people and animals. This makes the device useful for the whole household!

View the PowerCure Pro laser