After a while of thinking on it, and despite my girlfriend's protests, I decided earlier this week to go get my septum pierced. When I went to the local shop the piercer, Brian, had already left for the night. I hadn't gotten anything pierced at that studio before but had made a few prior visits. The girl at the counter, Jen, talked to me about it some and then her and my girlfriend talked about other things coming up. I took a few more days to think about, and decided to go back that Friday.
At A Glance Author Chad Contact Chad@bme.anon When It just happened Artist Brian Studio Exotix Location Brick, NJ When I went back the second night I was greeted by a different counter worker. She remembered that I had asked about being pierced before and been in a few times I told her what I was in for now and she began to get the paperwork ready for me and talked about some of her piercings, she'd had her septum done as well so she was telling me about it, and just general chatting.
After the papers were signed, I sat down with my girlfriend to wait for Brian to be ready in the piercing room. We only got about 10 seconds to sit down which helped me not have to think, "man, I'm really doing this." He sat me down, and we talked about a piercing I'd been asking about and had decided against in favor of practicality and my deciding on the septum.
Brian began by asking if I wanted a ring or a bar that could be flipped up, I went for the latter since I'd need it concealed for work, and since I wasn't sure my parents would be to thrilled with it. Brian explained that they used 16 g bars to pierce because 14 g would be even more painful, looking back I'm glad we went that way.
Brian took a barbell and bent the bar into a U shape using all tools coming out of sterile packs. It was nice to see everything being done right in front of me. He asked me what size I wanted the balls to be for the ends and showed me a few choices. I chose slightly larger balls since they were going to be visible if anything, he said they worked better for it since it would make it an even more masculine piercing, and give a stronger look. A few more minutes of talking and it was time to get to it.
He began by cleaning my nose with alcohol pads, and then marking my nose to make sure everything would sit straight. This was about when I started to get slightly nervous about it and started sweating it.
I calmed myself down and told him I was ready, he picked up the clamp and after checking the alignment on that he grabbed the needle, he had me breathe in and out a couple times to relax myself and told me not to tense up. I tried my best to listen to him but if you've had this done then you know that's not too easy. I winced a little and tried to not make Brian's job difficult.
I've had tattoos and my earlobes pierced but this pain was about the worst I've had, my eyes instantly watered and closed. The pain only lasted a moment or two but my eyes kept tearing for a minute. There was only a little blood which he said was normal.
After Brian put the piece in he handed me a cup of water and told me to check it out in the mirror and I was and am still very pleased with the results. He asked my girlfriend who watched it if I looked like it hurt at all, she said no. He replied with what I was thinking, "fuck that, it hurt bad." We laughed and he cleaned up some of the marks he had made. He taught me how to move the bar up and down in my nose, and then explained proper cleaning to me and sent me off on my way with a circular barbell to put in when it has healed up in a few weeks.
Being out afterwards there was a little bit of blood still wanting to drip out of my nose, and the joy of having it hit on accident a couple of times.
Today waking up there was a little tenderness in it when I moved it but I went and cleaned it all up, and it's becoming less sore to move.
I am liking how I look with it and enjoying that it is pretty easy to hide. If you're looking for someplace to get pierced in the Central/South Jersey shore area, Exotix on Rt 88 is a highly recommended and clean establishment.