Although I have always been interested in getting a facial piercing of some sort, I did not rush out on my 18th birthday and pierce the first thing I could think of. I'm a bit of a wuss. I'll be the first to admit it. But I had wanted a septum piercing for a fairly long time. I'm not metal, I'm not into bondage, I just think septum rings look really cute, and I thought that sort of piercing would best suit my face and demeanor. Nostril piercings were to asymmetrical for my liking. So septum piercing was the way to go.
At A Glance Author Kath When Three months ago Artist Steve of Industrial (Flint, MI) Studio Pangea Location Ann Arbor, MI I started checking out the piercing establishments in Ann Arbor, and found Pangea to be clean, professional and friendly. It wasn't the cheapest place in town, but I found competitors to be less professional, less clean, less friendly, and less concerned with answering my questions and easing my fears. I went to Pangea several times, talked to Andrea, had her explain what they would do to my nose, and show me the jewelry I could use.
I didn't tell anybody that I had actually decided to go for it, but rather recruited an acquaintance who was looking into getting an industrial piercing and wanted to check out Pangea to come along for the ride. Finally, I came back with proper funding and moral support and I was set on getting it done. Steve, from Industrial was there helping out and Andrea asked if it would be ok if he pierced me. It was fine. I knew of Industrial and had heard nothing but good things from everyone.
I chose my poison-- a 16 gauge piercing with a small retainer (the kind that just sticks out the bottom a little... really subtle) I read over all the information, signed my life away, and sat on the chair in the back room. Everything was very clean. Everything had been autoclaved (key for proper cleanliness) and he changed his gloves constantly. After cleaning (picking) my nose with sterile cotton and disinfectant gel I was good to go. I laid back, held my moral support's hand and inhaled on command. I felt a pinch, my eyes watered really bad, and I heard a little popping noise. Then, after lining up to make sure the hole was straight, the needle pushed all the way through. The pain wasn't bad. My nose didn't bleed at all. I'd have to say the worst part was the slightly gross noise. The retainer followed the needle and it was done. I looked in the mirror and I was amazed. It was only a little sore at the time of my departure. And it was pretty bad ass. Steve explained the r ight way to push the retainer up my nose and how to take it back out, cleaning procedures, and asked if I had any questions. I did not. I left on cloud nine. I actually did it! And I didn't look like a bull.
The next few hours, my nose started to ache a little. And then hurt a bit. It kind of felt like someone had punched me in the face, but not in a bad way necessarily. I took some Motrin, that helped, and followed strict Provon soap and sea salt procedures. About 2 weeks after I was pierced, my retainer fell out. This was quite unnerving, since I didn't notice it had fallen out, had to find it on the ground, and it wouldn't go back through. I was more than a little upset. Pangea was closed, so I called hometown tattoo and piercing heroes XS (Of Rochester, MI). I was told to just shove it back through, and that just the skin, not the cartilage, had closed. This seriously hurt more than the original piercing. And it hurt for a few days afterwards. But it was not long term. To avoid this, I have found it best to flip the retainer up during showers (especially if you go right back to bed afterwards). It's been about 3 months and it is completely healed. I hit it with Dial Soap ev ery morning, taking it out and washing the ring.
I like my septum piercing because I don't always have to deal with it. I can flip it up in my nose and it is virtually non existent. This helps when visiting my grandmother, interviewing for jobs, and volunteering at nursing homes. Although some of the 80 year old women (who can actually see it) think that it is funny.
If you are contemplating a septum piercing, I would tell you to go for it. The pain isn't enough to not do it. It's not a permanent thing, you don't really have to worry about scarring (since it is up your nose hole), and you can keep it and not have to see it all the time.