Should I take out my belly ring?

[skm05]

Hey guys, I'm new here so I'm still trying to figure out how all this works, hopefully I'm doing this right lol anyways so I got my belly button pierced about 9 weeks ago, and ever since I got it its been pretty irritated and red but I kind of just assumed that was to be expected in the natural healing process.

Probably around 3.5? or so weeks ago a lump appeared next to it and it bled a bit, which got me pretty freaked out that i might have developed an infection (especially because it appeared after a night out which resulted in it getting pretty dirty - like literally visible dirt - and i'm not entirely sure how well my inebriated self took to cleaning it)

A friend of mine said that if it does get infected, the skin around it can die and I'll have a huge gaping hole in my stomach, so in order to prevent that I went to the doctor

Heres a pic of it at that point: (replace -- with . in all links)
tinypic--com/r/jhqwkw/6

and another:
tinypic--com/view.php?pic=34euofn&s=6

The doctor gave me a 10 day prescription of antibiotic Cephalexin, and gave me a bacitracin ointment. She told me that if it did not get better in 10 days, to come back and we would have to take out my belly ring.

Well, 10 days passed and it still was not better, but after reading a bunch online that said NEVER take out your belly ring because it will close up the hole and spread the infection inside your body, I didn't go back to the doctor.

Here is a picture of it 10 days after the antibiotics:
tinypic--com/view.php?pic=2yzbtz9&s=6

The fact that it was just as bad when she said it should have gotten better got me pretty paranoid, so i went to a different doctor (about 3 days ago). He was really confused about the entire situation, and pretty much picked off the entire lump, and told me that i should take out the belly ring for about 3 days or so, because the ring is irritating the infection and not letting it heal, and also prescribed me something (i think bactrine or bactine, something along those lines i haven't picked it up yet).
Here is what it looked like after he picked it off:
tinypic--com/view.php?pic=n4y3cw&s=6

After reading around on these forums i realized bumps are pretty common and not something to be concerned much about, but i just wanted to make sure its nothing to worry about because im getting a lot of mixed signals with my piercer telling me its just an irritation (she didnt see it, i just said it looked a bit infected) and my doctor saying its infected. Also its freaking me out a little bit how the doctor kind of just picked it off because no posts talked about that as a solution so i'm hoping he didn't just make what would have been just a simple scar bump into like something potentially worse.
Heres a pic of it where it is now:
tinypic--com/r/ra0mfm/6

So yeah, thats where its at right now, I'm really scared of what my friend said that if it is infected the skin will die around it, I don't really know if thats true but I just want to make sure its not infected, and also whether I should take the advice of my doctor to take it out and let it heal or if that would be a bad, bad idea.
Sorry this post is so long and the inconvenience of the links, its the best I could do lol thanks so much guys!

[RedBullBabe]

Haven't not slept last night, well, I haven't got the brain power to add in dots to links and view pics, and I'm not a doctor but... If it is infected then you definitely shouldn't take your jewellery out or it will trap the infection inside etc.

I don't know what jewellery you have in there, but based on your opening post I'm going to assume a BCR. Ringed jewellery will make it difficult for your navel piercing to heal, so you need to go back to your piercer or a better one and get them to swap your jewellery for a bananabell.

Have you been doing SSS? I found using an eggcup was great for SSS when healing my navel piercings; which can take six months to a year to heal.

[kitebunny]

A friend of mine said that if it does get infected, the skin around it can die and I'll have a huge gaping hole in my stomach

No. Just no.


It looks a little irritated but not anything to worry about. Keep it in, clean it once a day (in the shower is fine) and leave it alone. No touching, no moving the bar around, no nothing.

[MxSherwood89]

Just looks like a standard bump to me. Your story is a classic example of how little many doctors know about piercings. As Anne said, just a quick rinse in the shower every day and no messing with/touching it should be more than enough.

[~Nox~]

Most were huge so just linking this one for you:



Seems like just a standard bump to me. Slightly worrying the doctor just picked it off, no idea why on earth he would do that :S To me that just seems like he's increasing the chances of it getting infected by opening up the wound.

I wouldn't be taking it out tbh, just be aware due to the trauma it might take slightly longer to heal now. Do you know what material the bar is? The skin around it seems a little blotchy, which could just be down to irritation but could also be a reaction to the metal.

I would echo what the others say, try leaving it alone as much as possible and making sure to keep clean with a rinse in the shower. Keep a close eye on it for real signs of infection: if it starts oozing dark coloured pus, gets really hot and painful etc.

[skm05]

Thanks so much for the replies, I'm not really sure what it's made of, but I'm definitely gonna follow all your advice and just soak it and rinse. The doctor prescribed me antibiotic, should I not even bother picking it up? Don't want to spend the money on the medication if its not an infection lol. Thanks guys I really appreciate it.

[Bimbielf]

Can you go back to your piercer & show them? And ask for their thoughts as compared to what the Dr has said? I echo the others & suggest rinsing with saline in the shower & then water & do this twice & day & don't touch it. But I would still get the piercer to take a look. Make sure you have the correct amount of salt to water. 1/4 seasalt to 1 cup of boiling water & allow to cool.

[EnvyKatt]

Salt water soaks will keep it really clean. I also found them soothing if a piercing got bumped..

[RyleeK]

Ouch :(

[piercedmary]

Warm salt water makes it heal fast.