Lots of people love piercings. Lots of people love surfing. Luckily there’s no dress code in surfing, so the two can work together nicely. There may be safety concerns, but like many aspects of surfing calculated risk is all part of the game.
Yes you can surf with nose or belly button piercings. It’s perfectly safe. Or just as dangerous as doing anything else with piercings in. There will always be a chance, no matter what you’re up to, that a piercing could get snagged on something. It is completely normal to surf with piercings.
As we’ve learned, it is perfectly safe to surf with nose or belly button piercings. It also will make you better at surfing. The cooler you look the better you surf, everyone knows that. You can save a lot of time by just getting sweet piercings and speed-boosting the surfing learning curve. What type of piercings make you surf best though?
Table of Contents
Surfing with Nose or Belly Button piercings
Many surfers love self-expression and counterculture. That’s why they got into surfing in the first place, as a form of self-expression and a way to feel different. So it makes sense that many people with piercings feel the same way.
There’s nothing more punk rock than being an awesome surfer with a bunch of metal in your face. When it comes down to it there’s not much you can’t do in surfing as long as you’re respecting others and yourself.
Nose piercings: There are many types of nose piercings. Stud on the left side. Stud on the right side. Septum. Double barrel shooter. All these are viable for surfing. The main concern is drying off with a towel after a surf. It is possible that the towel could get snagged on your piercing and cause some pain. Or even worse the towel could get snagged and rip the piercing out completely. This is bad because having things that are pierced through your flesh and then torn out is not pleasant.
Belly button piercings: I had my belly button pierced for years. Expressing myself through navel gems empowered me and made me feel more like a man. And of course during this time I was surfing frequently.
Yes sometimes it was a little embarrassing changing in the parking lot in front of my boys, but I didn’t let their laughter bring me down and neither should you.
Obviously if you’re a babe you won’t have this problem. Many surfer chicks rock the belly bling and it’s much more acceptable for them. Again be careful with the towel-drying off.
It took me far too long to learn this one and I went through 3 or 4 belly rings before I finally figured it out. You do feel it from time to time laying on your board, but this is a non-issue and you get used to it. In the summer, when surfing with no wetsuit sometimes I would have to clean the wax off of my belly ring but that is no big deal.
Disclaimer: These are just my own personal experiences, if you’re in doubt speak with your doctor.
Can you Surf with Earrings?
Yes you can surf with earrings. Many people do. It is perfectly safe. I’m totally guessing here, so don’t quote me, but I would wager a large amount of the woman’s QS surfs with earrings in every heat.
I once was on the beach and a lady lost her ring. Now, I know that’s not an earing but its still jewelry and could happen. We had to call the metal detector guy, old Stevie J, but even he wasn’t able to find it. Lost in the never-ending abyss of sea and sand. So the moral of the story is, if your earrings are valuable or sentimental to you, think twice before bringing them to the beach.
Surfers with Piercings
Amature surfer spotlight
Name: Scraps
Home town: Venice beach CA
Age: 24
Stance: Goofy
Sponsors: PBR, Sticky Bumps, Roxy(flow)
Scraps is an amature surfer from Venice Beach California. Her eccentric style makes her electrifying to watch on and off the board. From mean hacks to cheeky barrels she’s got something for everyone.
Keep it Gnarly: So Scraps did you get in the water today?
Scraps: Yea I had a fun surf at the pier, not too many people out.
KG: That’s always good to hear. What board did you take out today?
S: I recently got this cool old single fin from my buddy Mark. It’s super fun so I messed around on it today.
KG: Nice. Nice sounds like fun. So how many piercings do you have?
S: My septum, 5 on my left ear, 6 on the right, belly button and the old clam shell. Sooo about 13-14 in all.
KG: Sounds like a lot. Has it affected your surfing in any way?
S: Mmm I don’t really think so. Nothing performance wise. Sometimes I add an extra earring for speed haha. But no nothing I can really think of. Some stares in the line up sometimes.
KG: So people stare in the line up? Can you talk about that a little more?
S: Yea I don’t know. At my home break it’s all chill you know? Everyone knows each other. But like you know it’s a different dynamic at a new spot. And sometimes I feel like I get looks. Could just be because I’m a babe though.
KG: Anyone ever said anything to you?
S: Haha naw everyone’s chill for the most part.
KG: Any surf piercing related injuries.
S: One time I was drying off after a surf and almost ripped my belly ring out.
KG: Dude tell me about it! I’ve done it too many times.
S: Yea gotta be careful with those bad boys.
KG: So any new piercings for you in the future?
S: Yes I’m always on the lookout. Nothing planned really, just kind of see how I feel in the moment. You never know. Most of mine have been pretty spontaneous.
KG: I got you. So if you get a new piercing are you out of the water for a bit?
S: Yea or so they say. Risk of infection and all that jazz.
KG: How long is it recommended to stay out of the water?
S: I mean they say 6-8 weeks while it heals, but who really has time for that.
KG: Do you listen?
S: I stay out for like maybe 48 hrs. But if there’s swell I don’t have much of a choice but to get in.
KG: Yea I feel you for sure. Any recommendations for surfers thinking of getting some face bling?
S: Haha yea go for it!
KG: Well thanks Scraps, pleasure talking to you as always. And remember to keep it gnarly.
S: Pleasures all mine, see you in water soon hopefully!
