What Is a Belly Button Infection?
5. Does Belly Button Piercing Cause Infections?
When a belly button is pierced, a needle is used to create a hole in the flap of skin directly above the navel opening. A piece of jewelry is then worn through the hole, typically with a jewel or other pendant resting inside the belly button. “Outie” belly buttons, or those that protrude, are pierced by creating a hole directly through the protruding skin. The jewelry then dangles in the same way an earring would.
Belly button piercings can take up to one year to heal completely. During that time, piercings can become infected if the piercing needle was not sanitized or if the person has an allergic reaction to the jewelry. Other sources of infection are touching the piercing with unwashed hands, wearing clothes that rub against the belly button, or failing to keep it clean. Piercings through outie belly buttons can cause infections that risk spreading to internal organs and may become life-threatening.
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