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    Navigate: FAQ Home Page > Piercing and Tattoos > Re-piercing
    Posted on: 12/20/2004

    Question

    I had my belly button pierced for almost a year, and had problems with it the entire time. The guy who pierced my belly button told me it was okay for me to take it out and change it after 3 months. Everyone else I have talked to about it says that I should have waited 6 months, which is probably why I had a lot of problems healing. Anyway, my piercing came out one night while I was sleeping, and when I tried to put it back in it wouldn't go all the way through. Since then I have tried re-piercing it with a sterilized, curved sewing needle, but the hole isn't big enough to put a barbell through doing it that way. Is it safe to go and get it re-pierced? I have heard that you aren't supposed to re-pierce through scar tissue. Would they have to pierce it in a different spot, or could they do it through the same hole?

    Answer

    I think it would be best to use a different spot. If you had a lot of problems the first time however, you will likely have problems the second time.


    Answered By:
    Bettina McAdoo , M.D.


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