How to pierce your navel yourself at home

Navel piercing is becoming more and more popular. For a variety of reasons, some people choose to pierce their navel themselves. If you’re planning on getting your own piercing at home, read on. However, you should be aware that professional piercing is always safer.

Table of Contents

Getting ready for piercing

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Prepare the right tools. Proper tools are essential when navel piercing; otherwise, the piercing may go badly or become severely infected. ^{[1] X Research Resources} To get your belly button pierced as safely as possible, you’ll need:

One sterile 14G piercing needle, one 14G stainless steel, titanium or bioplast navel piercing, rubbing alcohol or alcohol swabs, a body marker, one piercing clip and several cotton pads gòn.
You should not use sewing needles, pins, or piercing guns to pierce your navel, as these are unsafe and do not produce good results.

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Create a clean environment. Before starting navel piercing, you need to take the necessary precautions to avoid the risk of infection. ^{[2] X Research Source} Spray the countertop with a disinfectant (not an antiseptic).

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Hand washing. Don’t forget to wash your hands (and forearms) in warm water! Everything must be completely sterile. An even safer measure is to wear latex gloves (if they are sterile and don’t go outside). Dry your hands with a paper towel – do not use a lint-free cloth, as that can be a breeding ground for bacteria. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

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Sterilize forceps, piercing needles and navel piercings. New tools (you should buy new piercings) are usually in sterile packaging. However, if the device has no packaging or has been used, you will need to disinfect it before piercing.

You can also disinfect by soaking tools in rubbing alcohol for 1-2 minutes.
Remove the tools from the alcohol (wear latex gloves if possible) and place them all on a clean paper towel to dry.

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Clean the skin around the navel. Before getting the piercing, you need to thoroughly clean around the navel to remove bacteria on the surface of the skin. It’s best to use an antiseptic skin care gel specifically designed for piercings (such as Bactine) or rubbing alcohol. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

Dab a lot of alcohol or antiseptic on a cotton ball and thoroughly wipe the skin about to be pierced. Wait for it to dry completely before moving on to the next step.
If using alcohol to disinfect, it is important that you use alcohol with an isopropanp concentration above 70% for the necessary antiseptic effect.
If necessary, use a cotton swab or similar object to disinfect the navel. Be sure to clean both above and below the piercing site.

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Mark the piercing location. Before you get your piercing, it’s a good idea to determine where the needle goes in and out, so it’s a good idea to use a pen to mark the entry and exit points of the piercing needle. The piercing should be about 1 cm from the navel. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

It is customary to get the piercing above the navel instead of below, but you can choose where you want it to be.
Use a small hand-held mirror to check if the two markers are vertically or horizontally aligned. Only do this in a standing position, as your belly will fold when sitting and you won’t be able to keep it straight.

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Think about whether to numb the piercing area. Some people who are afraid of pain may want to numb the skin around the navel with ice cubes wrapped in a towel before piercing.

However, you should be aware that the skin becomes hard and tough when numbed with ice, making it harder for the needle to penetrate.
Another way is to use a cotton swab to apply a bit of numbing gel (such as the gel that numbs the gums before injection) to the skin.

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At this point, you can twist the “head” of the navel piercing and remove it (leave the tail intact). That way you won’t have to be embarrassed when you have to hold both the clamp and the needle in place.

Piercing

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Clamp the cleaned skin. Now you can start piercing! Use the piercing clip to clamp the navel area and pull it slightly away from the body. ^{[6] X Research Sources}

The marked entry point should be in the middle of the lower half of the clamp, and the exit point should be in the middle of the top half of the clamp.
Remember to hold the clamp with your non-dominant hand, as you will need a stronger and more steady hand to hold the needle.

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Rest. You will need a 14G sterile piercing needle. This type of needle is hollow in the middle, making it easy to insert the navel piercing as you push the needle through. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

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Thread the needle from the bottom up. Align the pointed end of the needle with the marker on the lower part of the clamp. Take a deep breath and push the needle through the skin in a smooth motion, making sure the needle exit coincides with the marker on the upper part of the clamp.

Never pierce the needle from the top down. You need to see the exit point of the needle, which is not possible if you are piercing the needle from the top.
Standing position when piercing is best, because it will be easiest for you to manipulate and observe what you are doing while standing. But if you’re afraid of fainting, lie down during your piercing (don’t sit!)
Don’t worry if your piercing does bleed a little – this is completely normal. You just need to use a clean cotton swab dipped in saline solution to wipe off the blood.

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Wear navel piercing. Place the removed end of the jewelry in the hole of the needle (jewelry will be almost equal to or slightly smaller than the needle) and push the needle out with the jewelry. DO NOT pull the needle out. You need to keep the contact between the needle and the navel piercing for a smooth transition. The needle will fall off the tail of the jewelry when it comes out of the skin, so you need to be ready to catch it. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

Try not to pull the needle out too soon before the jewelry is completely pierced!
Take the tip of the jewelry that you removed earlier and screw it back onto the tail of the jewelry. Great! So your navel is pierced!

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Wash your hands and clean the piercing. Immediately after finishing, wash your hands with antibacterial soap, then use a cotton ball dipped in saline solution or wound wash solution and gently wipe around the piercing. ^{[9] X Research Source}

This is the hygiene regimen for the first day and of course the most important. You should take a few minutes to clean it thoroughly.
Do not pull the piercing. Clean and let the piercing heal. You can get an infection if you touch or dislodge the piercing.

Follow the right care steps after piercing

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Piercing care. Your work is not done yet! Remember that a new piercing is also an open wound, so it’s extremely important that you maintain a strict hygiene regimen for the next few months. You will have to keep doing this until the piercing is completely healed to prevent infection and itching. ^{[10] X Research Source}

Wash your piercing with antibacterial soap once a day. Avoid rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, or ointments, as these can cause dryness and irritation of the skin if used daily.

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Wash with salt solution. A great way to keep your piercing clean and free of infection is to wash it with a saline solution. You can buy a saline solution at a pharmacy or piercing facility, or make your own saline solution at home using non-iodized sea salt with 1 cup of warm water. ^{[11] X Research Source}

Dip a cotton swab in the solution and carefully wipe around both ends of the piercing.
Gently push the jewelry from one end to the other to clean the whole jewelry.

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Avoid swimming in any body of water. Whether it’s a river, lake, or hot tub, you need to avoid soaking in water for the first few months, as the water can harbor bacteria and easily infect your piercing. ^{[12] X Research Source}

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Wait a while for the piercing to heal. If you see clear or white discharge, the wound is healing normally. Anything that has a color or smell is a sign of an infection and needs to be checked by a doctor. ^{[13] X Research Source}

Some experts recommend a strict regimen of care for four to six months after navel piercing. After 2 months, evaluate the condition of your piercing.
Do not disobey! You need to let the piercing heal before replacing it. You can change the tip of the jewelry, but don’t touch the tail. This action not only causes pain but also slows down the healing process.

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Pay attention to signs of infection. Even if it appears to have healed, the piercing can still become infected. If an infection is suspected (signs include swelling, pain, bleeding, or oozing), apply a warm compress every 3-4 hours, then wash the wound with an antiseptic solution and apply an antibiotic cream. . ^{[14] X Research Source}

If you don’t feel better within 24 hours, call your doctor.
If you don’t want to go to the doctor, you can go to a piercer. They will help you tailor your care regimen and provide you with specialized products.
Never remove your navel piercing when treating an infection – this will only put the infection at risk of getting trapped inside the piercing.

Advice

Learn about navel piercing. You have to be sure that you want to get your belly button pierced and feel confident doing it at home.
Do not touch the new piercing. You should only touch when cleaning the wound with antibacterial soap. ^{[15] X Research Source}
Watch for signs of infection. If in doubt, see your doctor.
If you’re not confident in piercing yourself, find a professional piercer.

Warning

Do not use household items available in the house for piercing. They are not safe and can cause infection.
Getting a piercing can cause scarring if you don’t wear it later.
You may be in danger of piercing yourself. If you are obsessed with navel piercing, it’s best to go to a professional piercing facility.
This is not suitable for children under 13 years old.
Don’t use the piercing gun. The piercing gun is very unhygienic and it pierces with strong force.

Things you need

Sterile 14 G hollow needle . You can also use a cannula needle to make it easier to pierce the jewelry.
Highlighter
Rubbing alcohol or other skin antiseptics
Clamps/tweezers
Sterile jewelry (sizes 14G and 18mm to leave room when the wound is swollen. Bioplast or bioflex is best because it can be bent to the body and can be cut short when the wound is less swollen).
Sterile latex gloves (optional, but recommended)

Steps