You've probably seen a standard navel piercing. It’s a classic. But honestly, for some people, one just feels... incomplete. That’s where the double belly button piercing comes in. It’s a bolder look. It’s symmetrical. Sometimes it’s vertical, sometimes it’s horizontal, and occasionally, it’s a full-on "industrial" vibe for your torso.
Getting two holes poked in your stomach isn't exactly a walk in the park.
If you’re thinking about doubling up, you’re likely wondering about the pain, the anatomy requirements, and whether your body will actually tolerate that much metal in one small area. Most people think they can just walk into a shop and ask for "the double," but there is a lot of nuance to how these are placed.
What a Double Belly Button Piercing Actually Looks Like
Most of the time, when people talk about a double belly button piercing, they mean a "top and bottom" setup. This is technically two separate piercings: a traditional navel piercing on the top rim and a "reverse" navel piercing on the bottom rim. When you wear jewelry in both, they meet in the middle of the navel crater. It looks balanced. It looks intentional.
But that’s not the only way to do it.
Some people go for a "double top" or "double bottom." This involves two piercings side-by-side on the same rim. This is way more dependent on your specific skin folds. If you don't have a wide enough "shelf" of skin, the jewelry will crowded, or worse, it’ll start migrating because the piercings are fighting for space.
Then there’s the "quad." That’s the top, the bottom, and both sides. It forms a cross shape. It's intense. It’s also a nightmare to heal if you try to do them all at once. Professional piercers like J. Colby Smith, who has worked with high-end clients and celebrities, often emphasize that anatomy dictates the piercing, not the other way around. If your navel winks (closes up when you sit), a double piercing might be a recipe for constant irritation.
The Anatomy Test: Can You Actually Get This?
Not everyone has the stomach for this—literally.
You need a distinct "lip" or "rim" of tissue for the needle to pass through. If your belly button is flush with your stomach, or if it’s an "outie," a traditional navel piercing—let alone a double—is probably off the table.
Here is a quick way to check your viability:
- Sit down in a chair.
- Look at your belly button in a mirror.
- Does it collapse into a thin slit?
- Does the top skin touch the bottom skin?
If it collapses heavily, the pressure of your body folding will push against the jewelry. With two piercings, that’s double the pressure. This leads to migration, where your body slowly pushes the metal out until it’s hanging by a thread of skin. It leaves a nasty scar. A reputable piercer will tell you "no" if your anatomy doesn't support the weight of two pieces of jewelry. Trust them. They aren't trying to ruin your fun; they're trying to save you from a permanent scar.
Pain, Healing, and the "Double" Factor
Pain is subjective, obviously. But let’s be real: the second one usually hurts more.
Why? Because your adrenaline is already peaking from the first poke, and your nervous system is on high alert. Many people choose to get the top done first, let it heal for a few months, and then go back for the bottom. This is actually the smarter move. Healing one navel piercing is a 6-to-12-month commitment. Healing two simultaneously is an olympic sport for your immune system.
Navel piercings are notorious for being finicky. They are right at your waistline. Your pants rub against them. Your seatbelt hits them. You sweat into them. When you have a double belly button piercing, you have twice the entry and exit points for bacteria.
The Aftercare Reality Check
Don't use isopropyl alcohol. Don't use hydrogen peroxide. These are too harsh and kill the new skin cells trying to grow around the metal. Use a sterile saline spray (0.9% sodium chloride). Spray it on, let it soak, and pat it dry with a clean paper towel.
You’ll see "crusties." This is normal. It’s just lymph fluid. Whatever you do, do not pick them with your fingernails. You’re just introducing staph bacteria directly into a wound.
Choosing the Right Jewelry
Material matters. Most "cheap" jewelry is made of surgical steel, which often contains nickel. Nickel is the number one cause of allergic contact dermatitis in piercings. If your piercing stays red, itchy, and weepy for months, it’s probably the metal.
Go for Implant Grade Titanium (ASTM F-136). It’s biocompatible. It’s what they use for hip replacements. It’s more expensive, but so is a trip to the doctor for an infected piercing. For a double setup, you’ll usually start with curved barbells. Once you’re fully healed—and I mean fully—you can experiment with hoops or "dangles," but keep in mind that heavy jewelry in a double piercing can cause the skin between the two piercings to thin out over time.
Common Myths vs. Reality
People say that belly button piercings affect pregnancy or internal organs. That’s nonsense. The piercing is strictly "subcutaneous," meaning it stays in the skin layer. It doesn't go anywhere near your abdominal wall. However, if you get a double belly button piercing and then get pregnant, you will likely have to take them out. As the skin stretches, the tension on the piercing sites becomes extreme, and they will almost certainly migrate or reject.
Another myth: you can "train" your navel to accept a piercing. You can't. If the skin isn't there, the piercing won't stay.
Costs and Finding the Right Artist
A single navel piercing usually runs between $40 and $80, plus the cost of jewelry. For a double, expect to pay double the service fee or a slightly discounted "set" price. If a shop is offering a double piercing for $30, run. They are likely using low-quality needles or sub-par sterilization.
Look for a piercer who is a member of the Association of Professional Piercers (APP). They follow strict safety protocols regarding autoclaves and single-use tools. Ask to see their portfolio of healed double piercings. Anyone can take a photo of a fresh piercing that looks good for five minutes. The real skill is in the placement that stays put three years later.
Potential Complications (The Not-So-Pretty Part)
Hypertrophic scarring is common. These are those little raised bumps that appear next to the hole. They aren't keloids (which are rare and genetic); they are usually caused by irritation or the jewelry being at a weird angle. If you get a bump on a double belly button piercing, it’s often because the two pieces of jewelry are clicking against each other or your clothes are snagging them.
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Infection is the big one. If the area gets hot to the touch, you see green or yellow pus, or you start running a fever, go to a doctor. Do not just take the jewelry out. If you remove the jewelry while an infection is present, the skin can close up and trap the infection inside, leading to an abscess.
Final Actionable Steps for Success
If you're serious about getting a double belly button piercing, don't just wing it.
First, spend a week wearing high-waisted leggings and see how often they rub against your navel. If you can’t give up high-waisted clothes for six months, don't get this piercing. It will never heal.
Second, find your piercer. Go in for a consultation first. Ask them to look at your anatomy while you are sitting, standing, and slouching. A good piercer will spend ten minutes just marking your skin with a pen before the needle ever comes out.
Third, buy your aftercare supplies before you get pierced. Have that NeilMed saline spray ready on your nightstand.
Fourth, sleep on your back. If you’re a stomach sleeper, a double navel piercing is going to be a miserable experience for the first few weeks.
Lastly, be patient. This is a project, not a quick fix. If you do it right, a double navel setup is one of the most striking and unique body modifications you can have. Just respect the process and your body’s limits.
Check your wardrobe for low-rise options now, because anything hitting that midline is going to be your enemy for the next year. Keep it clean, leave it alone, and let your body do the work.