I see the Titanic, this armored ship protecting its ornate interior and precious cargo from the icy cold waters of the brooding Atlantic. Like the steel hull, our skin acts as a barrier against a sea of bacteria and other undesirables, shielding our delicate insides from the equally dangerous threat of infection. When we get pierced, it's comparable to when the ship rams the big iceberg. Pierced areas, especially sensitive areas like the navel, can get infected months and even years after they were pierced, though infections most often occur very shortly after the time of piercing, as that is when the portal door is wide open. Local skin reactions may also be caused by an allergy to the jewelry material.
Jewelry often contains brass plating, which can cause allergic reactions or infection.
Navel piercings are among the most difficult to heal, and complete healing can take as long as two years. Things like stress, poor diet, illness, or poor quality jewelry can prolong the healing time. If you accidentally damage a healed pierce, you can substantially set back the healing process, and become much more vulnerable to infection. Navel pierces are easily damaged by being caught on the waistbands or belts of clothing. To aid healing and combat infection, it is very important to keep the pierce clean.