You may be thinking about getting your belly button pierced but haven’t taken the plunge because you don’t know where to start. Here’s all the information you need to know so that you are well-informed and feel confident when you finally pierce your belly button.

You're Getting Your Navel Pierced, Here's What You Need To Know

1. Most belly button piercings are done with a curved barbell preferably made of 14k gold, 18k gold, or high-quality titanium.

2. The standard size for a navel piercing is 14 Gauge (aka 14G). You should never use a barbell thinner than 18G since a higher gauged needle presents more risk of rejection, tearing, and migration.

3. The length of your first barbell will likely be 7/16-inch to allow for extra room for your piercings to heal and be easily cleaned. You can change the size later. (Belly button piercings almost always use 7/16-inch or 3/8-inch jewelry.)

4. During healing, protect your navel piercing from being snagged on clothing, irritated from friction, or injured during physical sports and activities with this simple tip: get a vented eye patch of hard plastic (found at most pharmacies), and secure it over your piercing using an elastic bandage like an ankle wrap.

5. Follow a daily cleansing routine for you new navel piercing.

6. Don't change out your belly button ring until it has completely healed.

You followed all the advice, and you’re completely healed. Now for the fun part: shopping for jewelry to adorn your awesome navel piercing! Remember when we talked about sexy body jewelry sizes? It’s still important. You want to look for 14G navel piercing jewelry with a barbell length of 3/8" (standard) or 7/16" (longer).

Our belly button rings are made from solid 14k gold. Our gold is nickel-free, as nickel is generally the metal that people with metal allergies react to. The reason we choose gold, platinum, or titanium as our metals of preference for your belly piercing is that these materials are more pure and tend to have fewer additives that your body can react to.

Cost considerations: if you want a healthy belly piercing and love the look of quality body jewelry, then you may want to invest in a gold belly button ring.

Even though you may want to adorn your belly button with gorgeous, sparkly, dangle jewelry all the time, it's best to wear simple jewelry for the majority of the time. Opt for basic, non-dangle curved barbells or CBRs (hoops) made from high-quality titanium or nickel-free, 14k gold with minimal adornment. Avoid long, dangling jewelry, especially during rigorous activities. Save your elaborate chandeliers and dangle belly rings for special occasions or daytime wear. Whatever you do, don't sleep in elaborate navel rings. This practice helps preserve your piercing, prevents irritation, and keeps your jewelry in good condition.