I Re-Pierced My Belly Button For Summer — & Here's How It Went

Skip navigation!ADVERTISEMENTStory from BeautyADVERTISEMENTI Re-Pierced My Belly Button For Summer — & Here’s How It WentMegan DeckerLast Updated May 14, 2021, 8:54 PM When a body piercing closes, it often leaves a scar. This is exponentially more likely if you don't go to a professional and you pierce yourself or let a friend stick you with a needle. In those cases, you can expect an infection, scar, or a keloid if and when the hole closes up.For example, when Sincere Williams was in high school, she let her best friend pierce her belly button — a poor decision that has since left her with a crooked hole and scarring where it closed. Now, as an adult, Williams finds herself missing the "glam" of her vintage belly button charm and wants to bring it back this summer, but needs the help of a trained professional to pierce around the scar tissue.AdvertisementADVERTISEMENTIn the latest episode of Refinery29's YouTube series Macro Beauty, Williams visits Aesthetic Ambition, a licensed piercing studio in Marina Del Rey, California, where she books an appointment with the brand's seasoned navel piercer, Luci Doll. "Belly button piercings have been popular since the '90s — since the Britney Spears revolution — and they really haven't gone out of style," Doll explains during Williams' consult. "They're still a very popular piercing that I do all the time."For Williams' case specifically, because she's being re-pierced, the process is a bit trickier. "When we have a scar from a previous piercing, especially with a belly button, it can be pretty significant," Doll explains. "In this case, the fistula of the scar is pretty long, so unfortunately we can't pierce through it because the skin will have the heal a brand-new fistula. Luckily, the scar is slightly off-center, which makes it pretty easy to get around it."Doll marks the skin where she'll pierce with a sterile marker then preps the soft tissue with Iodine. "I have Sincere take a nice deep breath in, as soon as she exhales, that's when the piercing happens," Doll narrates. "Once we are through, I transfer the jewelry through the piercing and attach the top. Once the jewelry is in place, I clean off the excess Iodine and marker, and she is set to go."For the aftercare, Doll tells Willams to apply a sterile saline solution to the piercing 1-2 times a day. "The belly button is a soft tissue, but it's a high movement area, so it usually takes about six months to fully heal," she explains before showing Williams her re-pierced belly button. "It's so cute," Williams exclaims, admiring the new opal charm that sits level in her navel. "And it's straight; I'm really happy that you can't see my previous scar. I can't wait to go to the beach and show my friends."AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT Beauty Studio5 Skin Tweaks A Dermatologist Told Me To Make For SpringAll linked products are independently selected by our editors. If you purchase any of these products, we may earn a commission. Spring is right around the by Jacqueline KilikitaBeautyForget Smelling “Clean” — I Want To Smell Like My CultureWhen I was a child, my home was an adventure in scent — fragrant spices and heady incense that I could explore without limits. I loved theby Zahara AlzubaidiHairIs Regular Brushing The Secret To Healthier Hair? An InvestigationAll linked products are independently selected by our editors. If you purchase any of these products, we may earn a commission. I’m not too proud toby Karina HoshikawaAdvertisementADVERTISEMENTBeauty Studio9 Beauty Editors Share Their Signature Nail Polish Shades For Springby Venus WongDealsHere’s What We’re Buying From Ulta’s 21 Days Of Beautyby Karina HoshikawaBeautyThe Best Haircut Trends From Paris Fashion Week Street Styleby Jacqueline KilikitaBeautyMarch’s New Fragrances Smell Like Spring Incarnateby Karina HoshikawaBeautyTiny Tulips To Sage Chrome: 16 Nail Trends To Ring In SpringWhat’s felt like an endless winter is finally easing — at least on Instagram’s coolest manicurists’ feeds. As we step into March, it seems the by Jacqueline KilikitaBeautyI Tried $320 Of Medicube Korean Skincare — & Now I Get The HypeAll linked products are independently selected by our editors. If you purchase any of these products, we may earn a commission. After more than 10 years&nbby Jacqueline KilikitaBeautyWhat Beauty Editors Are Buying At Nordstromby Karina HoshikawaBeautyCara Delevingne On Her $15.99 Brow Gel & Favorite Wuthering He...All linked products are independently selected by our editors. If you purchase any of these products, we may earn a commission. Cara Delevingne just told mby Karina HoshikawaBeautyI Didn’t Love Tatcha’s Longevity Cream Moisturizer At First — Now...All linked products are independently selected by our editors. If you purchase any of these products, we may earn a commission. There are some brby Karina HoshikawaAdvertisementADVERTISEMENTADVERTISEMENTADVERTISEMENT