Why can’t I get my navel pierced?

Technically, anyone can have the skin around their navel pierced, however, anatomically, not everyone is setup to heal a navel piercing.

In order for a navel to heal properly it must have a good lip of skin above the navel (or in some cases, below) with space both behind and below the lip for the jewelry to sit without pressure. The lip of skin should be a flap (like an earlobe), with an obvious front and back to it and a defined edge between the two. Without a well-defined “lip” above the navel there is an increased chance for problems healing—including rejection. Likewise, attempting to pierce navels that do have a flap but do not have enough space behind them to allow jewelry to sit comfortably will generally result in a difficult and problematic healing process.

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Important: Read This Before Getting a Belly Button Piercing

Posted by Samantha Lindsay | Jul 11, 2016 1:46:00 PM

Health

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Belly button piercings may appear totally cool and effortless from an outside perspective, but they actually require serious commitment if you want them to look good in the long run. They heal slower than many other types of body piercings, and they require a significant amount of aftercare.

This guide will take you through the piercing process and show you how to avoid potential problems as you heal. If you follow this advice, you'll be showing off a piercing that is both stylish and healthy in no time!

Feature image: Spookygonk/Flickr, used under CC 2.0

Can You Get a Belly Button Piercing?

Some people are disqualified from getting a belly button piercing.

Typically, belly button piercings go through the “lip” of skin above the belly button. Although most people can technically get these types of piercings, it's best to have a good flap of skin above the belly button for the piercer to put the jewelry through if you want it to heal properly. The piercing also needs room below and behind the flap so that the area doesn’t become irritated in the healing process. If you don’t have a solid flap of skin on the top of the belly button, sometimes piercers can go for the lower lip of the belly button instead (though this is a rare option).