I had always wanted to have my septum pierced, ever since I first saw the piercing. Once I started to see people in public that had them, I knew I would get one, someday. I had been talking to my friend Seth about getting his lip pierced, but he didn't have the cash, so I told him I would spot him. We made plans to go down there and get his lip pierced.
At A Glance Author Patrick Contact Patrick@bme.anon IAM TOOL295 When Six months ago Artist Karylann Studio Blue Devil Location Ybor City - Tampa, Florida So we head down to Blue Devil in Ybor, to get his lip done. While in there, my burning desire to get my septum pierced flared up again. I knew I was not going to walk out of there, without getting it done. I talked to Richard at the front desk, and he called Karylann up to talk to me. She said that she had just decided a few days earlier that she wasn't going to do anymore septums, and I was disappointed. For some reason she decided to do mine, and we talked about what I wanted. We decided on a 12g retainer, so I could flip it up when I went to work. She went up stairs to the piercing area, while Richard had me fill out all my forms I needed, and copy my driver's license.
Karylann called me up to the piercing area after about five mins, after she did her prep work. She directed me to the chair and I sat down, nervously. I had heard about how much this piercing hurt, and was a little worried, even though I have a relatively high pain tolerance. We chit-chatted a bit, about where I was from and so on, while she finished up. She put on her gloves and opened up the autoclave packets with the needle and receiving tube right in front of me, like she was supposed to. Next she explained to me the procedure, about how it can be difficult to get a septum piercing perfectly straight, and made sure I still wanted to continue. OF COURSE I DID! Karylann then cleaned the inside of my nostrils with alcohol, and I got watery eyes from that. She then took her pinky fingers and put them in both my nostrils, so she could take a 'look' at my septum and see where the 'sweet spot' was as she called it.
Now, I wasn't near as nervous as I had been before. I was getting into that euphoric state that I always do before I get pierced. Just mellowing out, taking in all the things that were going on inside the shop. Karylann asked if I was ready, and I confidently said 'Yes.' She got in front of me, and put the receiving tube against my septum, inside my left nostril. She then placed the needle against the other side of my septum. While she checked the alignment of the tube and needle, I noticed Seth standing in the room with me, looking frightened. Karylann then told me to take 3 deep breaths and let them out. On the third one, I had this wonderfully stinging sensation coming from the center of my face. I look down and see the needle going completely through my nose, I had done it! She got the retainer and proceeded to follow the needle out with the retainer, and straighten it up for me. She handed me a hand held mirror and said 'It looks pretty straight to me.' It was dead on, which made me even more happy. Like usual for me, there was no blood running down my nose, she had to clean up a couple drops with a Q-tip.
After handing me the shops mandatory aftercare sheet, we then discussed the aftercare techniques with each other. She stayed with the same general idea of sea salt and warm water to clean it. She warned me that my nose gunk may harden on it, and if I dont clean it off first, it could tear the fresh piercing, and cause complications. Another reccomendation she had, was to use Q-tips to clean around it, because it is far easier to get those in there with a sore nose than my fingers. She then informed that if I had any questions or problems, to stop by or call the shop and they could help me. Karylann also informed me that if I ever wanted to stretch it, they would do it for free, just charge me for jewelry.
A couple hours after I left the shop, my nose felt like I had been punched in the face. It became pretty sore, but nowhere near as uncomfortable as I thought it would be. I religiously cleaned both sides of my septum twice a day with a sea salt and warm water mix. After a few days, my nose was painless and I was able to remove the retainer and put it right back in.
After a couple of months of wearing the retainer everyday, it got stretched out to where I had to buy a 10g one, because the 12g was falling out while I slept. Over the next six months or so, I kept stretching it at home, but just putting a home made taper in it, until I was up to a 8g (But you have to be very careful with the septum, as it is close to the brain, you DO NOT want to get an infection in your nose, I cannot stress that enough). But after that, I went back to Blue Devil and had them stretch it up to its current size, of 6g.
All in all, Septum piercings don't hurt as much as its cracked up to be. Obviously it's more painful than your standard ear, tongue or navel; but should be bearable to most. When you get it done, just take your time cleaning it until its not sore, and be proud and show it off!!
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