50185 Gratiot Ave, Chesterfield, MI

Open 7 days a week — walk-ins welcome

(586) 949-6200

Book NowInkslingersEst. 1989 · Detroit

Body piercing

Navel Piercings

Placed through the upper rim where the anatomy supports it — and honestly assessed where it doesn't.

A navel piercing goes through the lip of skin above the belly button, not through the navel itself. It needs a genuine overhanging ridge to sit in. Roughly a fifth of people don't have one that's suitable, and piercing them anyway means a barbell under permanent tension that migrates out within a year or two. We check first and we'll tell you straight.

Do you have the anatomy?

We look for a defined lip of skin at the top of the navel with enough depth to seat a curved barbell without tension. Some people have a shallow or absent ridge, and for them a standard navel piercing isn't going to work. A lower-rim placement is sometimes an option. This assessment is free and takes a minute — no pressure either way.

The long healer nobody warns you about

Navels take six to twelve months to fully heal and they're constantly aggravated by waistbands, seatbelts and bending. Expect it to be a bit tender on and off for months — that's the norm, not a complication. High-waisted clothing, loose waistbands and avoiding pools and lakes for the first couple of months all help considerably. In Michigan that timing is worth planning around: get pierced in fall, and you're settled well before boat season.

Pregnancy and weight change

A healed navel piercing usually needs to come out or be swapped to a flexible PTFE retainer during pregnancy as the skin stretches. Significant weight change in either direction can also alter how the piercing sits. Neither is a reason not to get one, but it's worth knowing so it doesn't come as a surprise.

What's included

  • Free anatomy assessment before any commitment
  • Implant-grade titanium curved barbells with swelling allowance
  • Upper and lower rim placements where suitable
  • Free downsize once initial swelling settles
  • Flexible PTFE retainers for pregnancy and sport

Questions

Navel Piercings — what people ask.

Why won't some piercers do a navel piercing on me?

Because your navel lacks the overhanging ridge the jewelry needs to sit in without tension. Piercing anyway means a barbell fighting your anatomy every day, which migrates and scars. A refusal here is a piercer protecting you, not turning down business.

Can I swim with a new navel piercing?

Not for the first two to three months. Lakes, rivers, pools and hot tubs all carry bacteria a fresh piercing has no defense against — and navels are slow healers to begin with. Showers are fine from day one.

Full piercing aftercare instructions →

Related

Often paired with

Nipple Piercings

Done privately and professionally, with straight barbells and a clear, unhurried aftercare plan.

Body Jewelry

Implant-grade titanium, niobium and solid gold — sized properly and fitted for free.

Serving

Navel Piercingsfor clients across metro Detroit and Macomb County — we're on Gratiot between 22 and 23 Mile, with parking out front.

Chesterfield TownshipNew BaltimoreNew HavenHarrison TownshipMacomb TownshipRichmondSee all areas →

Book a session

Ready when you are.

Consultations are free. Call the studio or stop in — we take walk-ins every day.

Call (586) 949-6200Plan your visit