Types of Navel

Everyone has a different belly button, meaning some belly bars will suit you more than others. This page will help you make a good jewellery decision by taking into consideration size, shape and how it will sit once in the piercing. Find the perfect jewellery for your belly button!

We have put together some photographs, descriptions and examples of good choices along with the reason for the choice. There is also a short insight into the important facts when being presented with the naval for an initial piercing, and healing times.

Navel 1:

Navel Type:

Not quite an ‘outey’ as you can see the area just above the main hollow has a lip, the piercing would be no problem with little chance of it growing out. The navel piercing should be done with a curved belly bar as the area is very flat, a ring would sit to one side throwing the piercing crooked after a few weeks.

Suitable Jewellery:

An ideal piece for this navel piercing would be something quite flat to stop the belly bar rocking from left to right giving it lateral stability. I would recommend a Trillion or Gold Bling Cluster Flower. Both these pieces offer lateral stability and are big enough to hide unattractive fleshy swirls.

Estimated Healing Time:

This navel is very open allowing for good air circulation, it is also higher than the belt line. With regular light cleaning and sensible jewellery the belly piercing should settle within 4/6 weeks and be completely healed inside 6 months (this is assuming the person leads a healthy lifestyle).

Navel 2:

Navel Type:

This thin oval shape navel is suitable for piercing with either a belly ring or a curved belly bar.

Suitable Jewellery:

An ideal piece for this navel would be a Ball Closure Rings size 10mm or 12mm. If I was to use a curved navel bar - the Mini, Amour or a small Diamond Solitaire/Double. After healing, any of the belly droppers would also suit. For piercing, the body jewellery (if using a curved belly bar) would have to be slightly more curved than normal to take away any pressure so that it does not grow out.

Estimated Healing Time:

This navel is not very deep. Using the correct navel jewellery it should have reasonable air circulation, it is also higher than the belt line. With regular light cleaning and sensible piercing jewellery it should settle within 6/8 weeks and be completely healed inside 8 months (this is assuming the person leads a healthy lifestyle).

Navel 3:

Navel Type:

This navel is deep, small and round but has width from left to right. You can see that the area just below the navel is quite prominent and sticks out further than the area we are piercing at the top. If you look carefully you can also see a red line where the belt line has been - this goes directly across the area to be pierced. I would strongly recommend that this person wears lower clothing so that it does not rub the navel piercing.

Suitable Jewellery:

I would recommend a curved bar with a normal round or teardrop shaped setting no larger than 10mm. The Open Triangle, Mini or Diamond Solitaire/Double would all be suitable. The jewellery would need more of a curve than normal so that it does not keep popping out of the top every time they sit down. Wearing the correct length of jewellery will always be very important for this navel type.

Estimated Healing Time:

This navel is quite deep. Using the correct jewellery it should have reasonable air circulation, with suitable clothing and regular light cleaning this person will take longer than most. It should settle within 6/8 weeks and be completely healed inside 8/12 months (this is assuming the person leads a healthy lifestyle).

Navel 4:

Navel Type:

This navel is deep and very small. You can see that the area just below the navel has a scar from exploratory surgery. The navel piercing could be done easily with a belly ring but the person would not be able to wear a Ball Closure Ring as the piercing would need to be too deep to stop it going crooked. I would prefer to do the piercing with a small curved belly bar with just a small end. Using a mini from the BMG range would be ideal as it is flat at the back. I would use a 12mm bar but leave 2/3 mm of bar so that the mini sits just below the hole allowing for air circulation.

Suitable Jewellery:

Mini or a small Diamond Solitaire/Double would be suitable. I would also recommend having the belly bar shortened as soon as it is healed to prevent it turning left or right.

Estimated Healing Time:

This navel is deep. The piercing would be prone to growing out unless an extra curve is added to the bar. If this person takes care to keep the inside of the navel clean and dry it should settle within 6/8 weeks and be completely healed inside 8/12 months (this is assuming the person leads a healthy lifestyle).

Navel 5:

Navel Type:

This navel is a classic ‘outey’ - not really suitable for piercing at the top. There is more room and a small lip of skin at the bottom of the navel. I would recommend the navel piercing to be done at the bottom - a "downey". However this is still not ideal but by using a small belly ring or small navel bar would be possible.

Suitable Jewellery:

Once healed, I would recommend a Gold Bling Cluster Flower as this has a flat back. The flower would cover the navel with the ball being underneath at the bottom.

Estimated Healing Time:

This navel is open offering good circulation of air. It should heal up quickly settling in approx 4/6 weeks. It should be completely healed inside 5/6 months (this is assuming the person leads a healthy lifestyle).

Navel 6:

Navel Type:

This navel is an oval shape with more flesh at the bottom than the top. It could be pierced either at the top or bottom easily. The initial jewellery should be a round or oval curved navel bar.

Suitable Jewellery:

Most jewellery would suit this belly button. The Amour belly bar would be perfect for the initial piercing. It is the right shape and offers good air circulation as the frame is vented behind the gemstone.

Estimated Healing Time:

This navel is normal, using suitable jewellery it should settle within 4/6 weeks. It should be completely healed inside 5/6 months (this is assuming the person leads a healthy lifestyle).

Navel 7:

Navel Type:

This navel is probably one of the most common shapes and ideal for piercing with a wide range of jewellery. It is not too deep and quite open. The only thing I would be concerned about is putting in something too heavy. The flesh above the navel looks quite soft with not much strength so putting in something that weighed more than 4 or 5 grams could stretch the skin downwards. I would recommend a curved belly bar rather than a belly ring.

Suitable Jewellery:

Most designs from the BMG range are suitable but for the initial piercing I would stick to Amour, Open Triangle, Butterfly, Trillion or English Rose,

Estimated Healing Time:

This navel is normal, using suitable jewellery it should settle within 4/6 weeks. It should be completely healed inside 5/6 months (this is assuming the person leads a healthy lifestyle).

Navel 8:

Navel Type:

The hook - always a bit awkward but many people have them. In an ideal world I would design a piece for this navel which has more metal on the side without the crease - this would rectify the unbalance. Piercing this navel is done by using the centre or the top curve - often marking these up gives an optical illusion of being straight when it is not. Using care and attention to mark this up correctly the navel can be easily pierced with a curved belly bar or belly ring.

The main problem with "the hook" is the area on your left as you look at the picture just underneath; the top curve is more raised than the right. The trick is to get the body jewellery to sit facing the front. The raise of flesh will naturally turn the jewellery to the right (as you look at it) - A piece of navel jewellery offering left to right stability is essential for a good result. For this navel piercing I would recommend the BMG Trillion. This will create an optical illusion and offer the left to right stability required. Alternatively we could start from scratch and design the perfect custom made belly bar.

Suitable Jewellery:

Trillion, Bling Cluster Flower or Butterfly.

Estimated Healing Time:

This navel is normal, using suitable body jewellery it should settle within 4/6 weeks. It should be completely healed inside 5/6 months (this is assuming the person leads a healthy lifestyle).

Navel 9:

Navel Type:

The plug hole – Looks a little like swirling water disappearing down a plug hole. Nice and open with loads of air circulation this is an easy belly to pierce. Initial body jewellery should be a curved belly bar as there is not enough depth for a navel ring to remain straight, ball closure rings would turn this piercing crooked very quickly. Most BMG designs would be suitable for this navel piercing.

Suitable Jewellery:

Trillion, Open Triangle, English Rose, Diamond Solitaire/Double, Bling Cluster Flower or Amour.

Estimated Healing Time:

This navel is normal, using suitable belly jewellery it should settle within 4/6 weeks. It should be completely healed inside 5/6 months (this is assuming the person leads a healthy lifestyle).

Navel 10:

Navel Type:

Half moon with a smooth drop down from the navel. This is probably the most versatile of navels and very common. It is nice belly to pierce and will heal well as the air circulation around the piercing is good as there is no hollow for bacteria to hide in. Amour, Trillion and Butterfly would suit this type of navel for an initial belly piercing. Droppers are great once this is healed as they will just hang down perfectly.

Suitable Jewellery:

Most belly bars will suit this navel – Especially the Trillion, Amour, Open Triangle, English Rose and Butterfly.

Estimated Healing Time:

This navel is normal, using suitable body jewellery it should settle within 4/6 weeks. It should be completely healed inside 5/6 months (this is assuming the person leads a healthy lifestyle).

Navel 11:

Navel Type:

Half moon with a smooth drop down from the navel. As you can see this navel is very similar to the one above (No 10). In piercing terms the only difference to be aware of is that the skin just above the navel is loose. The suitability of body jewellery is the same except that I am going to ensure the piece used is not too heavy as the skin has less rigidity to hold much weight.

Suitable Jewellery:

Amour, Trillion and Butterfly suit this type of navel for an initial piercing. Light weight droppers are great once this is healed as they will just hang down perfectly.

Estimated Healing Time:

This navel is normal, using suitable body jewellery it should settle within 4/6 weeks. It should be completely healed inside 5/6 months (this is assuming the person leads a healthy lifestyle).

Navel 12:

Navel Type:

The hollow - quite an easy one to pierce. Suitable for a belly ring or a curved navel bar. I would prefer the curved bar as a ring piercing would have to be deep to stop the ring turning the piercing crooked and therefore the owner will have problems wearing a bar in the future. The bar will need to have a small ball or something vented to stop bacterial build up behind it. If the piercing was done with a large round ball it would act like a plug sealing off air ventilation and making the piercing prone to infection.

Suitable Jewellery:

Open Triangle, Mini, English Rose or Diamond Solitaire/Double.

Estimated Healing Time:

This navel is normal, using suitable jewellery it should settle within 4/6 weeks. It should be completely healed inside 5/6 months (this is assuming the person leads a healthy lifestyle).

Navel 13:

Navel Type:

The reverse "C" - In some ways this is similar to the hook as it requires lateral stability to stop the raised section of the left (as you look at the picture) from turning the bar to the right. Not suitable for a belly ring piercing as this would find a seating on the left (as you look at the picture) throwing it crooked. I would use either a small ball or something wide at the top to help it sit facing forward.

Suitable Jewellery:

Open Triangle, Butterfly, Bling Cluster Flower or Trillion.

Estimated Healing Time:

This navel is normal, using suitable body jewellery it should settle within 5/7 weeks. It should be completely healed inside 6/8 months (this is assuming the person leads a healthy lifestyle).

Navel 14:

Navel Type:

Half moon with a smooth drop down from the navel. This is one of the most versatile of navels and very common. This particular half moon is quite small so the body jewellery will have to be quite small too. The Trillion may be too large but most other designs will suit. The main reason for showing yet another half moon is that you can see straight away the belt line. This person’s navel is very low in fact it is quite a bit below the belt line. This is not too much of a problem as long as they don't wear tight fitting clothes that will cause it to be rubbed during every day living. The skin itself looks unhealthy so I would recommend that the customer comes back for a check up in approx 6 weeks. Just so we can keep an eye on things.

Suitable Jewellery:

Open Triangle, Amour, Butterfly, English Rose, Diamond Solitaire/Double or Mini

Estimated Healing Time:

This navel is normal, using suitable body jewellery it should settle within 6/8 weeks. It should be completely healed inside 6/8 months (this is assuming the person leads a healthy lifestyle).