| At A Glance | |
| Author | Eric2309 |
| Contact | eric2309@gmail.com |
| When | A month ago |
| Artist | Steve |
| Studio | Snakebite |
| Location | Dublin, Ireland |
In the space of nine months I'd had my nape, rook and conch pierced by Steve in Snakebite, and while I healed these I met someone who had at one point had their septum pierced. This person became pretty important to me, and the more I spoke to him about body modification, the more he opened up about how much he had loved his septum. Unfortunately, circumstances beyond our control meant things didn't work out between us, but less than a week after the break-up I decided that having my septum pierced would be a great way to not only remember the relationship that we tried so hard to maintain, but to remember that unfortunately thing's don't always work out quite as you'd like. It was a few months away as I didn't want to tax my immune system any more than it already was with three healing piercing.
In May, I went in to see Steve and have him change my surface bar for a shorter one. As I got up to leave, I turned around and asked what kind of jewellery he was willing to pierce a septum with. He showed me what he usually recommended - a CBR, CBB, a retainer or a bullet keeper. I told him that it probably wouldn't be until august, despite the fact that my rook was now healed and my conch and nape were very settled.
I left and thought nothing of it until just over a week later when my wage slip was handed to me. I forgot that I had worked an extra shift that also happened to fall on a bank holiday, which meant I had about €100 more in my pocket than I had anticipated. I was feeling a bit down that week for a few reasons, so I decided that the next day I was going to get my septum pierced. I called my friend who had told me she wanted to come with me when I had it done and told her of my plans. She said she was working, but would come with me on her lunch break.
The next day I hopped on a bus and headed to the city. I dropped into my friend in work and she told me that she didn't know if she could come with me because she only had an hour break and it was a twenty min walk to Snakebite and twenty mins back. That, along with the procedure would mean she'd almost certainty be late back. So instead, we had a big lunch with lots of sugar to keep my levels up, and with her wishes, I went on my way.
I arrived at Snakebite (after being asked by some girls in the lift if I worked there) and told Steve what I was there for. There was a bit of a queue, which I later found out was because they were re-upholstering their bench's. Once finished, the people in the queue quickly moved on, the girls who I spoke to in the lift were turned away for being too young and I was called into the now familiar room. I discussed the jewellery and told Steve that I wanted the bullet keeper and he asked if I would be stretching it in the future. While I wasn't completely sure yet, I told him that I wanted the option of it and that I'd also like to start off with quite large jewellery. Steve had a look (and poked around a bit - not nice!) and decided that 2mm was probably the best size for me to start out with.
After all of the usual cleaning up, I was told that I would have to lie back on the bench with my head hanging slightly over the edge because the shape of my nose gave very little visibility and this would be the only way to pierce it. I wasn't nervous about the piercing, but having to lay down made me a bit uneasy as I'd never had to lie for a piercing before. Steve explained that I'd only be that way for a few seconds and as soon as the needle was through, I could sit up. This made me relax about it a bit more, as I had begun to wonder if all the blood running to my head, combined with the piercing, would make me a bit dizzy.
After being marked up, I lay back and began my breathing. Three deep breaths, and one really big one. While exhaling on the big breath, the needle tore into my septum. Unlike any of my other piercing, I could feel the needle as it went the whole way through the flesh. This was a strange experience, and combined with being able to both see and feel the needle break the skin at the exit hole, made for the most enjoyable of all my piercing experiences. All of my others were done in places where I couldn't see what was happening (except for my labret, but that was my first needle-pierced piercing, so I had my eyes firmly shut) and so this was completely new.
The pain was minimal, and even when having the jewellery inserted, there was no blood, and I've not even had so much as a drop since then.
I paid the €60 charge, refused to avail of the offered student discount, tipped and left delighted with my new addition.
I didn't go home afterwards. Instead I went to a friend's house and from there to a party, which probably wasn't the best thing for my piercing, but since Steve had told me that to clean it, it was best if I simply left it alone and only did a soak if it felt irritated, it didn't seem like too much of a problem.
The feeling while on the bus and at the party surrounded by my friends, none of whom knew I had a new piercing was really good. It made it feel special, and since I got this piercing for reasons far deeper than aesthetics, this meant a lot to me.
Because of the way this made me feel, I chose not to tell anyone about it, although inevitably, some people did find out. When it was two days old, my mother grabbed my nose for some reason and she felt it in there (and I'm sure the yelp I let out didn't help hide it either!) and she knew straight away what it was. Luckily, my mother is fine with me getting pierced, so it wasn't a problem. Two days ago, two colleagues noticed it at separate times during the one shift. My mother, my colleagues and my friend that was initially supposed to go with me and my piercer Steve are the only people who now know about it, and while I like it this way, I do intend on occasionally wearing a small CBB or CBR once it's fully healed, so that will soon change.
My septum is one month old tomorrow (July 2nd) and seems practically fully healed, although I know it's not completely there yet. Healing has been completely uneventful, and I've only had to soak it once in the whole month. When I did, it was about four days old and it was quite irritated because I hit it in work.
Although all of my piercings mean or represent something to me, this one means the most. My initial worries of "will it suit my face," etc. have been banished because, even if it didn't suit me, I wouldn't care. This piercing means more to me than anything else I own, and because of the personal meaning, I will keep it regardless of anyone's opinions of it.
Only last night I ran into the same person that inspired my septum piercing, and meeting him again was actually what gave me the inspiration to write this. I spoke to him briefly, but said nothing of my septum piercing. He commented on my conch (which I had planned when we were together) but still, I said nothing. It was there because of him, but it was my way of remembering things - he didn't need to know. My septum piercing is mine, and it's there for me. Despite the meaning behind it, nobody but me needs to know it, and that includes him.