Great. Now that I've got your attention with that fantastic title, here goes.
At A Glance Author Rebecca Contact Rebecca@bme.anon When It just happened Artist Jeff Studio Cold Steel Location San Francisco, CA I am not a stranger to piercing. At the same time I am not a veteran. I am somewhere in between, someone who likes piercings mainly for aesthetical value and for personal choice. I have a varying array of ear piercings, six lobes, two tragus, a rook, and a daith, along with a standard 14g navel and a small nose stud.
A septum isn't something I really ever thought I'd too. I went through my "dark" phase as a teenager, and I wanted a lot of piercings then. Eventually, by the time I was 18 and could actually get them done, I didn't have the desire to do so. Sure, at 15 I wanted my septum done, but deep down I doubted I'd ever really do it.
Fast forward a few years. A good friend of mine recently put her ring back in hers after a three year hiatus. I saw it, and it reminded me that after all these years, maybe I did still want it.
I like the fact that this is probably the most shocking piercing, yet it is versatile. It can be flipped up for a discreet hideaway inside your nose, or pulled down for an in-your-face look. Since I'm not too fond of the thought of having sharp needles near my womanly areas or my tatas, I like this piercing because not everyone knows I have it - unless it is flipped down or I tell you, nobody would have ANY idea - I like knowing that I have it, even if nobody else can tell.
Anyhow. Throughout the last week I was really entertaining the thought of doing it. I recently decided that yes, I'd do it. If it was an issue or I didn't like it, I can always take it out. It won't leave a scar and it will be completely unnoticeable.
I informed my inspirational friend, Marissa, and told her that is was a go. Huzzah, field trip time. We decided on a night to go, which would be Tuesday (this past evening). I called a few places beforehand to make sure they a.) had septum retainers in stock and b.) pierced with them. The first shop I called had them, but did not pierce with them and actually advised against piercing with them. I was unsure of their reasoning for this because I know it's easier to heal with a retainer, and it will heal straighter than with a CBR. The next shop I called did pierce with them, but wouldn't have any in until Wednesday or Thursday.
Three really is a magical number. I called the third place, Cold Steel on Haight Street in San Francisco. They DID have them in stock and they DID pierce with them - score. Not only that, but the gentleman who answered the phone was VERY nice and more than happy to give me information.
After Marissa got off work, I went to her house and then we left. It's gotten to the point where I don't really get nervous before I get pierced - I can eat a crapload of food and not feel sick. Pretty nice.
We got up there and parked and walked over to the place. Marissa was having a cigarette outside and I was antsy to get inside, because it was about 7:40 and they closed at 8:00. We go inside and I ask if I can still get something done. The guy says they usually stop doing piercings at 7:30 but they can squeeze me in. He asks me what I want and I tell him. "Oh," he said, "you were the one that called earlier about that weren't you?" I laughed and said yes, and he was all "I was wondering if you were gonna come in!"
I wanted to get it done at 14g and maybe downsize to a 16g, but they didn't have any 14g in stock. The smallest retainer they had was a 12g, so I decided to just not be a pansy and get it done at 12g. I paid while he left to set up. The total came to $39.66, which in my opinion is a fabulous price considering the service and professionalism I got.
I followed him back to the room and he told me his name was Jeff. He asked what made me decide to get this done, and made general friendly conversation - he was great. He washed his hands very well and then put some gloves on while I sat down. He asked how high up I wanted it, and I basically told him it needed to be as discreet as possible. He laughed and took a long cotton swab and cleaned the inside of my nose with a cleaning gel, then marked the little ridge underneath my nostrils for straightness.
He told me to lie down so he could finish marking it and look for the infamous "sweet spot." As I was lying there he said, "Oh my god your sweet spot is HUGE." I was all "I'm assuming that's good." He was all "yeah, I could pierce this at an 8g and you wouldn't feel anything!" He actually wanted the other piercer to come in and look at my "amazing sweet spot." Haha.
He put the receiving tube on the left side of my nostril and told me he was going to massage the sweet spot a bit to break up the tissue and to make somewhat of an imprint of the tube so he could see it easily when piercing it. It was a little pressure, nothing awful at all, but he kept telling me to let him know if it was uncomfortable. He told me everything he was doing and why he was doing it, which made me feel really at ease.
Needle time. He poked a bit and I flinched, but I told him to go anyway. He did another little test poke, and then put the needle through. As it went through, I let out an "OH FUUUCK." My eyes immediately watered up and tears went down my face eventually. Jeff told me that as soon as I'd let out the "oh fuck" the needle was more than halfway through. Fine by me!
I told Marissa to snap a picture of the famous "needle through the face" picture and she did, with me giving thumbs up. Jeff took the retainer and slid it in, which pinched a bit. Personally I think putting the jewelry in is worse than the piercing, but this time it wasn't all that awful.
My nose bled a little bit, snap another picture! Jeff cleaned up the tiny bit of blood and the super hot chunk of tissue that was sitting in my nose. He then flipped it up for me to show Marissa how hidden it would be - and it really is, it's completely invisible when it's flipped up. I asked him to pull it down again so I could see, and I just grinned when I saw it. I loved it. Both agreed it looked good on me, and I think it looks pretty decent myself. Even if it didn't I would have loved it anyway.
Jeff was pleased with it so he asked me if he could take a picture of it for himself. He went back to get his camera while Marissa got a picture for me. Jeff came back and took a few pictures. I cracked a joke about how I had this wonderful zit the size of Montana, and he said he'd Photoshop it out. How kind of him.
The three of us talked for a few minutes and then he offered to go over aftercare with me. Since I've already healed 13 other piercings, I told him I already knew the drill, and he said that was fine, and if I had any questions in the future just to let him know. I thanked him profusely, especially for taking me at the last minute, and tipped him.
Honestly I had heard some sheisty things about Cold Steel from other reviews. They couldn't have been more wrong. This is by far the best experience I have ever had - they were friendly, knowledgeable, helpful, polite and efficient. Jeff is an incredibly nice guy who helped me relax, did a wonderful job on the piercing itself, and was great throughout the whole procedure.
My septum is about six hours old and a little sore. I've flipped the retainer up and down a few times to practice, but it started to get a little irritated so as of now it's flipped up and left alone. I clean it with Dr. Bronner's soap and put saline solution on it as a dressing of a sort.
So nobody else can see it. I'm ok with that. I know that it's there, and it's my secret. I have a less "mainstream" piercing that I like, and that I did for me - I don't care if nobody else sees it - I know it's there.