Belly Button Rings

Belly button rings have proved more than a trend. Adorning the navel has become incredibly popular and has turned into a booming facet of the jewelry market. Read on for the basics on baring jewelry from your belly button, as well as what's hot.

Women's curved barbell belly button ring.

A widely accepted practice in contemporary western culture, navel piercing has gone from something seen as an extreme practice to something worn by the girl "next door." The roots of modern body piercing began in the 1960's -- a symbol of rebellion and the epitome of self-expression. Today, hundreds of pop stars and media darlings show off their freshly pierced navels -- creating a heightened love for the studs and rings reserved for belly buttons.

The first recorded instances of belly button rings are from ancient Egyptian civilizations. Pharoahs and royalty wore navel jewelry, perhaps as ornamentation that further signified their status from the general masses -- or perhaps for a purpose in their alleged after lives. It was illegal for the ordinary Egyptian to get his navel pierced.

• Who can get them: Although virtually anyone can get them, having enough skin for the piercing to adhere to is important. For those with protruding navels, piercing may still be possible from an experienced body piercing artist. In most cased, you must be 18 years of age or older to have your belly button pierced.

• How long does it take for the initial piercing to heal? It can take between one and two years for the navel to heal after the piercing. Proper care and cleaning can shorten the healing time.

• How should I care for my belly ring? Your belly piercing should be cleansed two to three times daily with a mild anti-bacterial soap and a diluted salt solution. Piercing artists advise against touching the piercing until fully healed. If it is absolutely necessary to touch the ring area, be sure to thoroughly sanitize hands first to prevent infection.

• How soon can I change the ring? Many piercing artists suggest waiting until the naval is fully healed before changing your belly jewelry. If you want it changed sooner, or if you are unsure about the first ring change, visit a piercing professional to ensure it is done correctly and without damage to the area.

• What is the best type of ring to get? Initial piercings should be completed with surgical stainless steel belly button rings. After the healing, you have a range of choices in silver, gold, niobium, titanium, and other metals. Plated metals are not usually recommended.

Belly button rings are a great way to showcase your personal style -- there are many different looks and designs available. The two basics types of navel rings are circular styles and curved barbell styles. Barbell style belly button rings are measured in length and thickness, or gauge. Circular rings are measured in diameter as well as thickness.

Styles in belly button rings continue to expand. In addition to gems and stones, you'll find an array of dangling and charm styles that offer feminine appeal. Common designs in belly rings include:

• Hearts
• Flowers
• Dolphins
• Stars and Moons
• Letters and Initials
• Butterflies
• Southwest and Native American Styles
• Fruit
• Vintage Style Teardrop Stones
• Unicorns
• Chinese Characters for Phrases such as "Love"
• Spiders
• Fairies
• Dangling Stones
• Dream Catcher Belly Jewelry
• Swans, Penguins, or other Birds

A hot trend in belly button rings is the spiral or twister style. The appearance of this adds interest and intrigue. Due to its design being more complex than most curved barbells or circular rings, however, you may have more difficulty keeping it from getting snagged or caught on clothes or other items.

Novelty navel rings are another popular type of navel adornment. Unique charms or designs such as dangling martini glasses, holiday designs, sports team logos, and much more are worn to show fun and individual expression.

As with most jewelry, prices for belly jewelry vary. You can find a huge selection priced between $50 and $100 from most body piercing jewelers. Depending on the metals and materials used, however, this cost can go significantly higher.

You may also find extremely low prices, down to ninety-nine cents. While prices like this might appear to be great bargains, however, you may want to avoid very low-priced navel jewelry since the materials these cheaper rings are made of may aggravate the skin and piercing.

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