The History
At A Glance Author Tim Contact Tim@bme.anon IAM Dreamsofstars When Three months ago Artist Margaret Studio PX Piercing Location Newcastle Less than 24 hours ago I got my septum repierced. And I feel good.
I've wanted my septum pierced for a long time now. Well, a relatively long time. About 18 months. It was just one of those piercings that attracted me from the go. And I liked the idea of stretching it even more. And I guess I like the idea of a facial piercing that I can hide if need be.
While I was still at college I had attempted to get my septum pierced twice.
Both times I went to 'Dare U' in Durham city, but was pierced by different piercers. Both times I was pierced through the thick cartilage and was in absolute agony. And both times my piercing was crooked.
I kept the first for three days, before the pain was too much, and I realised how crooked it really was. The ring hung from my face at a horrible angle, and was very low on my nose. It was just asking to be ripped out.
After removing this I again asked my piercer to redo it for me. Instead the other piercer was to have a go.
Once again I was in a lot of pain and my eyes watered like hell. This really wasn't pleasant. I was happy to have my septum pierced though. Only until I got home, to double check and find again, it's stupidly crooked. Not only that but it simply wouldn't hang from my nose. As soon as I flipped it down, and moved my face, the tension just made it automatically flip right back up inside my nose. Which wasn't good, as I was wearing a curved barbell with small spikes (No, it wasn't comfortable). Well, that piercing lasted all of one day before I was annoyed enough to take it out and let it heal over.
Since then, I tried a few times to pierce it myself (unsuccessful I must add). But I always kept that piercing in the back of my mind. I really wanted it done.
Day One
Well, back to yesterday. I was in Newcastle with my girlfriend doing a little shopping when we called in Kathmandu to look around. In the end we ended up buying some 8mm tunnels. The bloke serving us had a neat sleeve, made of blue stars and some old English writing, so I asked him if he could recommend any good piercing or tattoo parlours in the area, as I was on the look out for some new jewellery. He told me the best place in the area was PX piercing, and gave us the directions. So off we set.
On the way the bells suddenly started ringing in my head. I'd heard of PX Piercing before on BME, and I'd heard good things. So with an added bounce, we continued.
Eventually we found the place in the middle of China town or somewhere like that (Norden House, 41 Stowell Street to be exact), and after going up escalators and along corridors we finally found the place. We took seats in the living room and had a look around at the jewellery.
After a minute or two, another door opened and a man came out and introduced himself and asked how he could help. We had a little chat about dermal punches and stretching cartilage among other things. I then asked him about stretching my tongue and if he could get half beads for my next stretch. He couldn't help me with the half beads but he was really nice and cool and made us feel really welcome anyway. He took us into the piercing room to meet the other piercer (I have a feeling it was his partner??) and we talked with her too. They answered lots of questions for me and were really cool. After about 10 mintues we let them be and went on our way.
However, I just shut the door on the way out when I had the sudden urge to be pierced. I turned to Poppy and asked what she thought of me having my septum repierced. In the past she really hated the idea. But surprisingly today she said if you want it go for it. After a few seconds of thinking we walked back in the studio, the piercer coming straight back to greet us. I'd hadn't even seen a portfolio from him, but I still felt totally at ease. I told him I'd been pierced crooked twice before, and asked if he thought I was suitable for a septum piercing, and if he thought he could pierce it for me. He took us back into the piercing room and told the other piercer what I wanted.
She immediately offered to take a look at my nose for me, which I gladly accepted. She out some gloves in straight away and then started to examine my nose. After a minute of playing poking and prodding she told me my septum was fairly straight and she could pierce it for me. She said she could also see the scars from the last two attempts and told me I'd been pierced too low, which I already knew. I decided I felt comfortable in the hands of these guys and asked if I could have my septum pierced. They told me it was fine and immediately turned to start proceedings. I had to slow them down and ask if I could come back in a hour or two. I needed to feed myself and get a drink in my system first. I made an appointment for 3:15pm and left for food.
In the next two hours I ate a little, drank some sugary pop and did some more shopping with Poppy. I really was shitting myself. I was so nervous. I remembered the pain from the last two attempts and all the watery eyes. I just didn't want to go through with it. Before I knew it, it was time to set off for my appointment. I smoked a lot on the way.
When we got there we had a five minute wait in the waiting room. I was really nervous at this point. Eventually we were called in the room, and I was asked to fill out some form for the studio records. While doing this I had a little look around the piercing room. I noticed spore tests on the wall dated form the week before. I was impressed.
I was asked to sit down on the chair while I was marked up, cleaned up and inspected for piercing. For starters she cleaned my nose out with some type of spray on a tissue. After doing that and changing her gloves she took a surgical marker and spent a few minutes marking me up and checking me over. I was so nervous. Both piercers kept reassuring me telling me I'd be fine.
She then put some Xylocaine on my nose to help with the pain. I was then moved to a bed and laid down ready to be pierced. Before piercing she asked me if I was allergic to anything or if I had any health conditions or was on medication. After answering no we were ready to go. I noticed she didn't have any clamps, and when I asked she told me she was going free hand. I'd never been pierced free hand before. But I didn't mind, after all, she was doing the piercing. I saw her change her gloves once more before she advanced at me with the needle. I couldn't believe I was paying someone to put me through this type of pain. She lined the needle up to my nose as my whole body tensed anticipating the pain. She didn't give a countdown, she just pushed the needle through, and it slid like a lot knife through butter. I hardly felt a thing compared to the last two times. It was so amazing. I had a little tear in my eye, which I expected, but it hardly hurt at all. I told her I thought I loved her. I was so amazed at the lack of pain. I kept wanting to sit up and look at the needle in my nose but they kept making me lie down. I was on a high. Pretty quickly she swapped the needle for a retainer and let me look in the mirror. It looked so straight and perfect, God I was so happy. I kept telling them how pleased I was. They gave me the option of flipping it up or leaving it down, but I opted to have it hidden for the time being. She again changed her gloves before flipping it into my nose. I was then taken through the after care before we had general chit chat about the bod-mod world in general. They were such nice people and really cool. They remembered I'd been asking about dermal punches and gave me the number for Quentin at Kalima, down in Worthing, which as nice of them. After another 5 mintues of chatting I paid my cash and set of on my way, thanking them lots, and telling them I'd be back. I was so happy with the service, I even left a decent tip.
I was pretty happy for the rest of the day, my nose was a little sensitive, but after a while I stopped noticing it. It was pierced pretty high up in my nose, so when the retainer is flipped up you really have to have a good look to find it. And that's good, because my parents really hate piercings, and they hate septum piercings especially.
One thing to look out for with a fresh septum piercing is kisses from your girlfriend. You might find she knocks your nose while kissing. Twice. And you might find it extremely painful.
After I got home I left my new piercing alone for a few hours, but before bed I gave it a good salt soak, and used cotton buds to get rid of all the crusties and little drops of dry blood. Getting those little buggers out of your nose without removing nose hairs is a hellish task. The pain wasn't immensely bad, just sensitive, enough to make my eyes water. My piercing is extremely prone to bleeding every time I touch it, the slightest movement gives a small trickle.
Day Two
Ok, day two of my piercing. Its been there for twelve hours and I am almost forgetting it's there. I didn't sleep as well as usual, I was cautious of knocking it in the night, but it wasn't too bad. I gave it another salt soak in the morning and flipped the retainer down so I could double check it was straight and to take some photos. Well, surprise, as soon as I move it, it starts to bleed. I was only a small trickle, not even enough to form a droplet and drip, but it did bleed a little. After taking my photos and cleaning my nose I was going to leave the retainer down for the day (I was home alone) but I soon realised it wasn't comfortable. The retainer pinched my nose while it was flipped down, but when it was inside, it was comfortable. So I flipped it back up.
At noon time I had a burger to eat. Every time I opened my mouth to take a bite, all the skin moved around and I kept getting sharp pains in my septum. Kind of like pulling the hairs out with a pair of tweezers. I soon learnt not to open my mouth so wide.
By the afternoon I had a few little drops of dry blood on my piercing which were annoying me. I tired to pull them off with my finger nails but I just kept pulling on hairs. Eye watering material. And so another salt soak was undertaken to help clean my nose out.
Day Three
Ok, my piercing will be 48 hours old in about 15 minutes time. My nose feels great. I woke up this morning having had a good night's sleep, and found my septum had hardly any crust on it at all. I gave it a five minute salt soak anyway and used cotton buds to give it a good clean. I flipped it down again to have a look, but when I went to push it back up, my retainer nearly slipped out. Luckily I caught it before it escaped, it slid back into place no problem. My nose hardly hurts at all. Sure it's a little sensitive, but that's to be expected, but all in all, it's good. On the plus side I can almost pick my nose again without being in agony.
My parents get back from their holiday tonight. I was nervous in case they saw my septum (they won't be happy) but I've seen my girlfriends mum tonight and talked to her for a little while. She didn't notice. And Poppy says its really hard to see without having a good look. I think I agree, the piercing is rather high. When the retainer is flipped down there is only about 1mm of metal showing. My aftercare is fairly uneventful to now, rather easy in fact.
Day Four
I did another salt soak today. I had some rather painful moments. Moving my face in the wrong way was enough to make my eyes water. Eating hurt a little at times too. By the afternoon I was feeling better though. I couldn't resist playing with it all day (probably why it was sore) I flipped it up and down about four times to show different people. I spent all day looking at pictures of big septums on BME, I cant wait to stretch mine up.
Day five
It's the morning of day five. I woke up with my retainer covered in snots. Yukky. I gave it all a good clean and there was no blood or anything. Just pure snot. Its feeling pretty good right now. The retainer is comfortable. There's no pain. I really am starting to forget its there and not notice it so much. It's becoming part of me.
By the afternoon time I had decided to change my retainer for a different retainer I own (the same U-shape, but wider). This was because when it was flipped down it nipped my septum. This one was wide enough not to. Swapping them over was a little bit painful, making my eyes water. For the rest of the day I left the retainer flipped down no problem. I also ventured into public, and surprisingly encountered minimal double takes and stares. Most people didn't even seem to notice. Which is cool by me, makes for an easier life.
The Third Week
Ok, I've had this baby for three weeks and I'm perfectly happy. I don't seem to get crusties anymore, just snots, although I could be mistaken. My parents saw it, but didn't even really care when they found out how easily it could be hidden. Its even been stretched up to a 12g by accident when I picked the wrong retainer up. I didn't realise I'd stretched until nearly three days after, which shows how painless and easily that went.
I'd definitely recommend getting your septum pierced, its an excellent piercing, I love mine so much. It may be painful to begin with but trust me, its worth it. And I'd definitely recommend PX Piercing in Newcastle, it's a really good place, with some really nice people.