I had first gotten my septum done back in July of 2004. From the get-go it was, what I could tell a bit off center and crooked. I didn't know what to expect since I'd never had that part of my body pierced before. My piercer, a very reputable local piercer and a member of the APP, informed me on a subsequent visit about a week later that it wasn't "sitting" correctly, that it was better when he initially pierced it, and indeed then it was. He also informed me that in order for it to sit right I would have to work at it by holding it in the desired or slightly beyond position so that it would heal in the right direction and not sit askew.
At A Glance Author staticxsculptor Contact staticxsculptor@bme.anon When It just happened Artist Noah Studio Evolution Body Piercing Location Albuquerque, NM I figured, what the hell, I can do that for a few minutes several times a day, days turned into weeks, weeks into months of practicing this ritual of holding, twisting my septum jewelery so that it would sit correctly and look "normal." I finally gave up and let it be after a few months of trying to train it to sit correctly. After several months of thinking I had done a good job because it looked good in the mirror, I took a digital picture of it and boy was I wrong! The picture revealed the flawed, skewed septum piercing that I had been walking around with for 7 months! I was tormented by it.
Not only did it look crooked but it was lower (exit hole) on one side than the other side (point of entry where the needle went in). I figured that since none of my friends who are into bod-mods had told me outright that it was screwed up that it was fine. The photo I took of my face revealed that it was not so good after all. Why didn't someone tell me? I asked myself, followed by what did I do wrong with this one as opposed to the other 11 perfectly healed piercings? I found out later that it was not my fault at all. Much to my dismay I returned to the shop in January for another piercing and inquired about what to do about my septum's crookedness.
Upon further inspection by another artist, thanks Chrissy!, it was recommended that I take it out and let it heal up and then go back for the complimentary re-pierce. Taking it out was hard but I knew that if I didn't it would be screwed up forever and going up from a 12ga to eventually a 6ga would not be possible, I was told that it would only get worse over time.
So I took it out, and was told to return in 4 weeks to have a look to check healing. I waited anxiously, and returned exactly 4 weeks after I took it out. Alas, I was told by my primary piercer, the one that pierced it in the first place, that it was not ready to give it 4 more weeks. I was disgusted because I had to wait even longer to have that ring back in my septum, I even missed the one that I had that was crooked! Talk about torture! I couldn't wait but I'm glad I did.
So I waited 4 more weeks, went back again, and my piercer told me that I should wait another week or 2 just to make sure, I was excited because I knew I was getting closer to having it back and having it look right!
So I waited 2 weeks just to be sure and yesterday I got it re-pierced with the initial 12ga captive bead ring that I had the first time around. My piercer was great about it, not only was their no charge but he told me that he had discovered that my septum was not like everyone else's, it had a sway to it and that's why it was crooked the first time around. He said he would try his damndest to account for this natural flaw in my septum.
What a relief, he recognized the problem, checked out my septum carefully and pierced at an angle that corrected for the natural sway in my septum. I couldn't be happier with the result! It already looks awesome and I am glad to have it back and it looks good! The point is this folks, communication with your piercer is key and if you don't succeed the first time, don't give up, follow your piercer's advice, and the result can be fantastic! I found that piercing the septum the second time around didn't hurt nearly as much as the first time and I couldn't be happier! It was well worth the months of torture of not having my beloved ring dangling from my septum and the crookedness of the first. Much Kudos, Noah!