Since the time I first had my ears pierced over a year ago, I've been very slow to jump into any new piercings - meaning I haven't gotten ANY piercings since my lobes. I've gotten one straight-edge tattoo, but other than that, no other mods. For a good while, my wife Rhea was interested in a septum, and I encouraged her to get one. After a month or so, however, she dropped the idea. I, on the other hand, began the entertain the idea of a septum. What would it look like on me? Was a facial piercing my thing? I threw the idea of a septum around for a long while, and eventually I decided to get it done. I currently live in Boston, but as I was going back home to Denver soon, I figured I'd go back to my original piercer (as he's the only one I trust. Plus, piercings are expensive out here in Boston) to get it done.
At A Glance Author Jhonn Contact Kryton1984@hotmail.com When Three months ago Artist Kevin Studio Peter Tat-2 Location Denver, Colorado I knew that I'd be getting a higher gauge piercing (another reason for going back to my original piecer, Kevin), somewhere around a 10 or an 8, but as it got closer to my vacation in Denver, the size in my head kept going up. "Sure, an 8 would be okay, but what about a 6 or a 4? Dermal punch or not?" And of course I'd be stretching it, too. My ears are at a healthy 3/4", so what harm could it do to have a 2 gauge septum? "But what about a 0 or 00?" my brain eventually asked? And so I talked it over with Kevin on the phone: 8 gauge piercing with a needle and an immediate stretch to a 6. No dermal punch.
I was a little nervous the day I walked into the shop with Rhea (just before New Years, I believe), but I was still determined to get this piercing. I chatted with Kevin for a bit as we picked out the jewelry, which would be a 6 gauge solid ss plug. Kevin took it and held it up to my nose, deciding that he needed to make it shorter. So, after a quick grinding and autoclave session, we were ready to pierce. Kevin led me into his little red room (we joked about the paint color, as red isn't as "calming" as a blue or green room) and had me lie down flat on my back. After a quick nose cleaning and several glove changes, we were ready to go. Dots were made (I learned then that my right side is quite a bit thicker septum-wise compared to the left. Odd how I never noticed it before...) and the receiving tube was put on the right side while the needle was positioned on the left (Kevin commented on how he didn't get to use these big needles very often. That made me feel *much* better ). He then asked if I was all set, I gave him the "Ok," and the needle went in. My eyes scrunched up (I was sure I had messed Kevin up by doing this, but evidently I didn't), and the first thing I said was "Ooh, that felt good." To be honest, it hurt, but as usual, the tapering hurt much worse. Once the jewelry and stubborn o-rings were put on, I paid and tipped Kevin, and Rhea and I left. I even offered to drive home!
As for aftercare, I just washed with soap. No salt soaks, just soap and water. The piercing was completely hidden as my infamous 'sweet spot' was very high up. In fact, no one noticed it; at least not until I lifted my nostril to reveal a 6 gauge plug up in there.
After coming back home to Boston, I began to get a little concerned about my piercing. I could take it in and out, and it seemed to be healing well, but there was a huge mound of flesh around the hole of my left septum (where the needle and taper exited), so much so that the o-ring on that side would sink right into it. I figured that this was just excess tissue pushed out by the needle, as it seemed less disturbing with the jewelry out.
Then came along the urge to stretch. At this point, the piercing was well healed, and so I ordered a 4 gauge black acrylic septum claw online. It came 5 days later, and I immediately set about putting it in. Using natural calendula lotion, I lubed up the claw after washing my hands and the jewelry thoroughly. It went in fairly easy, but there was of course some pain. By the end of the day, however, there was no pain and I could take the claw in and out with no effort. Sadly, though, the tissue on the left side became even more distended, and it almost looked like a keloid, as it was quite lumpy, hard, and not exactly near the piercing anymore, and thus I was afraid I had 'blown' my septum out somehow. Luckily, though, after many salt soaks and the picking off of dead tissue with tweezer(probably not too bright, I know), this 'tissue' is almost all gone.
I still have some crusties up there, meaning it's not fully healed (I bump the thing a lot, especially at night), but once it is, it'll be a 2 gauge claw, then a 0 gauge self- done tapering and plug, and then hopefully a 00 gauge self-done tapering and hollow plug. I can't wait.