Hi
I had my belly button pierced 10 years ago (I was 13) and it has gradually shrunk over the years from a 14 to a 6. I can also feel that the skin is thinner as I can feel the bar. I want to take it out and let it heal and have it re-pierced. However I have grown very attached to it and want to be without for a short amount of time as possible! How long will it take to heal? Do I worry about infections? Will there be a noticeable scar? Will I be able to get it re-pierced at a size 10 or 12 as I have heard it can migrate back into the old piercing. Help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time.

I had the same problem twice, it can mean that your body is actually rejecting the jewellery so it means that the skin will get thinner and thinner until it is fully pushed out of your body, and this can either be from infection or just your body. And as for re-peircing it the absolute least amount of time I would wait is 4 months, because I re-did my piercing after 3 and they basically re-pierced through the old hole, which you don't want. And if you remove the piercing and it is fresh and only a couple months it can only take hours to close. But honestly wait for repiercing and yes it is very possible that it can migrate back into your old hole. And yes you will be able to get it repierced.

After almost a year, I finally repierced my belly. My belly was doing the same. It was rejecting it and the skin was getting thinner, so I took it out and let it close. Yes, there is a noticeable scar, but if you get it repierced, you can hardly notice it. Getting it repierced didn't hurt as bad as I thought. My piercer pierced it just right above the scar. So far it's doing great. :-) Just don't under/over clean it.