Up until about 6 months ago, I wasn't too into piercings. I considered myself a tattoo person. After seeing my girlfriend look positively stunning with her bridge piercing, I got one as well, and loved how it became invisible when I wore my glasses (which I kind of figured would happen). Needing to keep my 'corporate' appearance (my tattoos can be covered with long sleeves), I wanted a piercing I could display, yet hide when necessary. Enter the septum. Easily displayed, easily hidden.
At A Glance Author Doctor Dr!b!n! Contact Doctor Dr!b!n!@bme.anon IAM dribini When Three months ago Artist Georg Studio High Priestess Piercing Location Eugene, Oregon One night, after sushi, my girlfriend and I went to High Priestess Piercing (where we always go, best place in town), and Georg (gpoopus on IAM) made me a deal I couldn't refuse. Free piercing with purchase of jewelry, the slow Saturday night special. We started with a 14 gauge, with a niobium retainer. The sensation was a bit stingy for a second, and made my eyes water. No blood, no sweat... only a couple involuntary tears. My nose was a bit swollen for a couple days, but I did enjoy the rush of it-- a bit different from the long, more drawn out effects of endorphins while being tattooed. Before I was even close to healing, I wanted more.
I've always enjoyed the rush of being tattooed-- and the pain as well. Ten to fifteen minutes of various pain, depending on liner or shading needles, and then.... endorphin heaven for several hours. My bridge piercing, while a slight rush, felt more like a crunchy shot, with very little after-effects, but my septum-- center of my head, right between the eyes, and the swelling just extends the feeling of the initial piercing. Although hidden with a retainer, it's a piercing that's hard for you to forget you have... so the rush lingers. The retainer itself is a little weird to get used to, but once you get onto actual jewelry, and start getting the 'freakshow' looks from the straight-laced folk, it's all worthwhile.
Anyway, I'd been looking for jewelry online, and found that all the cool stuff I wanted to wear in my septum (captive bead rings, pinchers, pyrex rings and tusks) was AT LEAST 10 gauge, with more at 8 gauge. Two weeks after the first piercing, I was back to see Georg, who told me I could stretch quickly if I chose, and that I was at a perfect point to do so. Up to 10 gauge from 14. A quick ouch, watering eyes, and I was at 10. Swollen again for a few days, then aching for more.
Still on a retainer, I went to find an actual piece of jewelry to wear. Found a beefy circular barbell, SUPPOSEDLY in a 10 gauge, that turned out to be a little bigger. I'd been tugging on my retainer for about two weeks when I had it down, so it was only SLIGHT stretch, done on my own, and I was on it. Next, I found a cool 8 gauge quartz retainer, which I also moved up to on my own, with little issue. Now at 8g, I was ready for the cool jewelry. Glossy black niobium tribal captive. Stainless Phoenix Captive. Another stainless circular barbell. All the good stuff.
One day, while shopping online, I found the pyrex captives, and couldn't resist... but when it arrived, I found the glass was quite a bit bigger than the pieces I had, much closer to 6 gauge.... I thought there was NO WAY I could get it in, just looking at it. 6 gauge is about a 25% increase from an 8 gauge (4mm from about 3.2mm), and from my previous stretches, I didn't see how I'd do it. I waited about a week to heal and chill out.... then got motivated. I wanted that pyrex ring in my nose, and I was going to get it in. It's all in the mind, after all.
One night, in my bathroom, I took the ring, soaked it in alcohol, coated it with antibiotic ointment to help it go in, and pushed.... pushed.... pushed.... a very slow, painful process.... but I persisted.... pushed..... sat down, as I realized I did not need to actually see what I was doing, because I could very clearly FEEL EXACTLY what I was doing.... pushed..... put my finger on the other side to help..... and finally got it through. 6 gauge, and again, a swollen nose. A little pain, but oh, the sense of accomplishment.
Four days later, I got a single flare glass plug for the stealth factor, and good thing.... sneezing or any nose-cleaning activity is hard with a 1/2 inch 6 gauge pyrex ring in your septum. And I thought it was strange just with a 14 gauge retainer at first. I suppose this is what crossing over is about.
So I'm here now at 6.... and while, at first, I didn't think I'd consider 4..... well.... we'll just wait and see.