POPSUGAR UK

"Floating" Belly Button Piercings Come With a Trippy Twist — See For Yourself

14/04/2021 - 08:05 PM

Things that you expect to be floating: boats, shelves, possibly even alien spaceships. Your belly button piercing is not one of them, but it's actually a very common alternative to traditional belly button piercings [1] — most people have just never heard of it. Similar to how there are different locations and techniques for piercings on your ears, a "floating" belly button piercing is just a different type of navel piercing [2].

"It's similar in the placement, but different in the technique," Matt Mayfield [3], from New York Adorned [4], told POPSUGAR. "We're all used to seeing the most typical type of navel piercing, with a curved piece of jewellery with a gem or styled top and bottom piece. With a floating navel piercing, you only see the top piece."

Starr Ellis [5], the owner of Nine Moons Piercing [6], added: "The lower part of the jewellery is not visible, giving it the appearance of a singular stone or piece of jewellery levitated just above the belly button."

Piercers primarily use the technique on someone who doesn't have the anatomy for a traditional belly button piercing but to find out if you fit into that category you should consult with a professional. "How your belly button is shaped plays a major role," said Mayfield. You may think that there are only innie and outie belly buttons but it's far more complex than that.

"Each person's belly button will be shaped differently, having different curves and folds, and therefore the pierce-able area will vary from client to client," said Ellis. "You would need to discuss your optimal aesthetic goal with a skilled, reputable piercer to see if it's a viable option for your anatomy or if there's an alternative idea that could work better."

As for the healing time and aftercare [7], the placement doesn't change anything. Mayfield said both "floating" belly button piercings and traditional ones are fairly easy. "The 'less is more' approach for piercing aftercare is suggested for all piercings," said Ellis. "Warm running water rinses, sterile saline irrigations, and check-ups with your piercing professional for size maintenance can be very helpful for optimal healing."


Source URL
https://www.popsugar.co.uk/beauty/floating-belly-button-piercings-48270383