It's hard to tell with those pics, but it looks like it is either infected or you're having a reaction to the jewelry. Does it have any discharge?
Only at certain times, like every time I change the jewelry. I clean it everyday, and maybe that's the problem? Too clean?
What are you cleaning it with? How old is the piercing? If it's new you shouldn't be changing the jewelry.
hard to tell. how long have you had it? stop changing the jewellery, its probably irritated. what do you use to clean it? it doesnt look infected anyway.
I've had it for over 2 months, and I clean it with peroxide. I don't change it much, it's only been changed twice since I got it.
ok well dont clean it with peroxide, thats really bad for piercings and probably the source of your problem. i would stop doing anything to it except one or two sea salt soaks per day. im sure theres something somewhere around here about sea salt soaks so i dont have to explain it... and dont change it. for like months. and make sure you have good material in there. i mean implant grade surgical steel, not claires crap. so change it to good material if you have to then dont touch it.
Wanderin blues hit the mark. Sea salt soaks are the only way to go. Take a cup of the warmest water you can comfortably stand, and mix in a teaspoon(you don't need much) of sea salt. Make sure its non-iodized sea salt. Fill a cup with some of the mix, press against your belly, and lie down to let it soak for 5 minutes. Peroxide is bad for piercings. it is used to kill bacteria, but doesn't discriminate against living tissue. Removing jewelery while healing is bad because it reopens to newly formed skin inside the piercing. Everytime you take out the jewelery you cause micro cuts in the fistula. Honestly, the less you do with it, the better. Sea soaks, washing it with gentle soap(I like dial) if it gets exposed to dirty water or other contaminents, and NOT TOUCHING it should do the trick. Infected piercings will feel hot, be very painful, and may have radiating red lines or come with a fever. Most "infected" piercings are just irritated. If the problem persists with the above care, consider changing the jewelry to a titanium or gold bar to rule out a metal allergy. Cheers
Everything has pretty much been said but 1 teaspoon of salt is way too much. The mixture should be 1/8 teaspoon of sea salt to 8ozs of distilled water. As for soap, I would stay away from any type of anti-bacterial soap such as dial as it has a tendency to irritate new piercings. Mild castile soaps that have no fragrance such as Dr.Bronners are the gentlest.
Looks like normal healing stage, but yes, the peroxide will be destroying skin cells corrupting the process. Seasalt mix of 1/4 teaspoon to 250ml (cup) and non-alcoholic antibacterial mixes. Avoid fragranted etc etc as said. And stop changing it! Should leave navel jewellery in for a MINIMUM of 3 months.
I agree, it looks like what happens to all of my piercings. They just get red and crusty! It happens. Try finding some H2Ocean. It's the same as the sea salt soak on name brand. I honestly trust it with my life.... it's what the piercers give you and I know first hand it's good stuff. I was never too comfortable mixing my own salt soaks because you never know what kind of bacteria is in your water at home, so I just bought the H2Ocean because I know it is 100% sterile and clean.
you can use distilled water, which is steril and 69 cents a gallon. Sea salt is 78 cents a pound in the bulk foods section of my store. A can of h20cean is about 10 bucks. So, yeah, h20cean is convenient and works well, but it can be done on the super cheap too. Its jjust what you're willing to pay. Cheers
