My experience, like most, doesn't start off with an experience but more of a fascination. Since I was about 16 or 17 years old I have been intrigued by piercings, tattoos, and other mods. But of course, I happened to live in a household where my mother didn't approve of such things. Anything that had to do with body modification was forbidden. Yet, she would allow my brother and me to pierce our ears. That, however, wasn't enough to quench my thirst and never had them done.
At A Glance Author anonymous Contact anonymous@bme.anon When N/A Artist Steve? Studio Taurian Studios Location Houston, Tx When I turned 18 my interest in the subject only multiplied because I was finally able to get something done without having her know about it. So I began to do research on what I wanted. This is when I learned about BME and it completely confused me. There were so many different mods that I soon craved. I thought long and hard of what was truly calling out to me. Should I get a labret? Perhaps my eyebrow? These ideas were soon shattered. Whatever I had pierced had to be hidden from my mom. Then out of nowhere it came to me, septum. I was to get my septum pierced.
Fast forward to summer 2002. School has ended and I can finally have it done. My best friend, we'll call her Amy, and I have been talking about when I was to get it and where and all the usual chat about a new piercing. She recommended that I go to Taurian. She has had several piercings there already and gave the place her seal of approval. All that was left was for me to pick a date. I wasn't really sure when or if I was even going to go through with it, for reasons mentioned above, so I told her I'll sleep on it. Well, I thought about it for a month and a half. On July 15, 2002 I received a phone call from Amy telling me she was going to Taurian with her brother to buy some jewelry for her labret and for me to come with her. I thought to myself, "this is my chance; if I don't do this now then it's never going to happen." I agreed to tag along and get my septum pierced as well. While in the car on our way to Taurian, I was excited as can be. I was actually going to do it!
We pull up to a small shop just outside downtown Houston and proceed to go in. the instant I open the door it hits me, and hits me hard. I was nervous, and they knew it. The place was impressive. I had never been in a piercing studio and I had no idea what to expect. There was a smell though that I can only describe as the same as a hospital. This eased my nerves because I thought if it smells sterile then this must be a safe place. So as Amy is browsing for new jewelry her brother immediately tells the clerk behind the desk I wanted to get my septum pierced. He knew how bad I wanted this and refused to let me chicken out. I filled out the necessary paper work and as I signed my name I though, "there is no turning back now." After that was taken care of it was time to get down to business. First, I had to choose my jewelry. I decided on going with a 12 gauge circular barbell instead of a retainer so I can flip it up and hide it as well as having it look good when it was down. All I had to do now was wait until everything was ready for me. While waiting I got a chance to pull myself together and think of how to break it to my mom.
Before I knew it they called my name and I was time to do it. I went into a room that was extremely clean and sat on the table. Soon, Steve comes in. I am not really sure if his name was even Steve or if he still works there but that name stuck with me. He explained to me what he was going to do and what everything was. He made a thorough explanation of everything and then told me to lie on the table with my head tilted back. He then donned his gloves, mask, and even safety goggles. He placed the receiving tube on the left side of my nose and lined it up with the needle on the right. When everything was green he told me to take 3 deep breaths. As I exhaled on the third one there was a sensation that I can only describe as strange. It wasn't pain that I felt but more like melting. The worst part of it was that my eyes closed shut, began to water, and I wasn't able to open them. Still, it was relatively painless and was over in a matter of seconds. After everything was screwed in I took a look in the mirror and I was in awe. For lack of better words, it rocked!
He explained the necessary aftercare, sea salt soaks, anti-microbial soap, etc. I also got a sheet explaining what to do in case I forgot. The ring was then flipped in my nose and I was on my way out.
A month or so passed and it was healing nicely, so nicely in fact that I could forget if it was flipped up or down. This was a bad thing apparently. At the time I was working at a video store that was in the process of remodeling. Because the store was closed and we had no customers to impress we could forego the uniforms and dress how we wanted. Needless to say, I had my septum ring flipped down for all to see. All of my co-workers approved of it and thought it was awesome. The problem was, one day I had it down like usual, and as we were fixing shelves and packing/unpacking movies my mom shows up to drop off my car and give me the keys. As I reach for the keys she looks and me and says very angrily, "what is that thing is your nose?" I was busted. I had totally forgotten it was showing and she saw it. I was speechless at the time and she said she'll talk to me about it when I get out.
When I got off work and went home I got the scolding of a lifetime. She said I was going to get some mysterious disease or some bull along those lines. I explained to her everything that happened and that I was told while at Taurian hoping to calm her down. She soon tired of yelling and went to bed.
So now it has been just over 3 years since I had it done and my mother quickly got over it even though she still doesn't approve. In the past years I have stretched a few times and for my piercing's 3rd birthday on July 15th I stretched once more, to a 2 gauge. This has been my only mod thus far and I am completely in love with it.