Learn how to change your belly button ring for the first time
After getting a navel piercing, there are many things you need to do to avoid infection and irritation. It is important to care for the piercing as you would any wound. A stainless steel needle was inserted through your skin and it is important to treat your new belly button ring as such.
After you’ve waited the recommended 6 to 12 months for your new piercing to heal, you’re probably ready to buy some new belly button rings. They are available online, at tattoo and piercing parlors, and at shopping mall kiosks. Belly rings are sometimes available at department store jewelry counters or even discount stores like Wal-Mart and Target. No matter where you get your new body jewelry, you must follow these rules for cleaning and changing your belly button rings.
Before you even buy the rings, verify that they are made of a reliable material that will not irritate your skin. Even after the piercing has healed, it may still be sensitive and prone to infection. The best materials for belly button rings are 316L surgical steel (a form of stainless steel), titanium, Bioplast or Bioflex, 24 karat gold plated, and 14 karat real gold. These materials are hygienic and strong, and belly button rings made from these things are less likely to chip or break.
Before inserting the belly ring, sterilize each product with warm soapy water to remove dirt and oil. You can also autoclave your belly button rings, which is a sterilization process that uses extreme heat to kill germs that can cause pain and infection. Generally, you will have to visit a tattoo or piercing parlor if you want your belly button rings to be autoclaved.
When changing a ring, be sure to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before starting. If you have medical gloves available, you can use them for added protection. Make sure to place your new belly ring close to where you are working so that you can spend as little time as possible without anything on the piercing.
Unscrew the top ball of the new belly ring you want to insert and set it aside. In some belly button rings, only the top ball is removable, in some only the bottom ball is removable, and in some, both balls are removable. For ease and convenience, it is recommended that you remove the top ball.
Gently hold the lower ball of the belly ring you are wearing firmly between your thumb and forefinger. Gently twist the top ball of the belly button ring you are wearing to remove it from the bar. Slowly pull the navel ring down and out of the navel piercing.
Immediately take the replacement belly ring and place the non-ball part of the barbell near the inside of your belly button (where the piercing hole is). Apply pressure slowly and gently and continue until the bar pokes out of the top hole in the piercing. If this is your first time changing your belly button rings, it may take a couple of tries to push it all the way.
Grab the top ball of your new ring and screw it in gently while holding the bar with your thumb and forefinger. Once you are done, wash your hands immediately, as well as the previous belly button ring.
By following these steps carefully, you can change your belly button rings often and easily.
