Like so many before me, I never thought that one day I would acquire myself a septum piercing. Before I found my interest in piercings I gave the septum piercing the same dismissive look I gave most other piercings. They, like all piercings, were for other people, not for me. And after discovering the joy of piercings, I still never thought that I would have my septum pierced. At first I thought they were ugly. Then I thought they were ugly on some people and would certainly not look good on me. And then....something changed. I don't know what brought it on, but suddenly I found myself liking septum piercings, and not just liking them but wanting one for myself. In fact, I didn't just want one for myself, I NEEDED one for myself. I had done a complete 180-degree change of opinion in a matter of a handful of months.
At A Glance Author Blackvampyremage Contact Blackvampyremage@bme.anon IAM Blackvampyremage When Three months ago Artist Mike Grant Studio Universal Tattoo Location Victoria, British Columbia
Now that I had made the decision to get my septum pierced I encountered a couple of difficulties. My job, obviously, was not going to be much of an issue because I could just get it pierced with a retainer and flip it inside my nose. My boyfriend and father, however, were different matters entirely. Actually, my father wasn't much of an issue either because I don't live with him anymore and, although I knew he'd hate it, it certainly wasn't the first time that I had gotten something that he disliked and it probably won't be the last. My boyfriend, however, lives with me and really didn't like this particular piercing. Although he would never tell me not to get something; he respects me to much for that, he did make his displeasure at my decision clear. Eventually we came to a compromise that suited us both: I would get it done but keep it hidden while I was at home with him. When I went out, I would have it showing. Maybe not the most optimal of arrangements, but sometimes compromises need to be made for relationships to work.
Now that the decision had been made and the problems surrounding the decision had been dealt with, the only thing that was left was to go to my usual studio, Universal Tattoo, and talk to Mike about getting it done. This is where I encountered yet another problem. I had my heart set on getting it pierced at 10 ga. I knew that I'd never be satisfied with the standard 14 ga and, since I wasn't planning on making it any larger than a 10 ga, felt that that's where I should start because I'd rather not have to go through the pain of stretching it. I talked to Mike about my plans and it turned out that he only had 14 ga retainers and would have to order a special 10 ga retainer just for me. Usually Mike only pierces with titanium, however 10 ga titanium retainers were extremely expensive and, since I have had no problems with SSS in the past, he agreed to order me a surgical grade stainless steel retainer. Now all that was left to do was wait.
My retainer arrived about three weeks later and a couple of days after arriving I gathered up three of my friends and went to Universal after work. This was a piercing that I was a bit nervous about because it seemed like a very sensitive area. However, I had gotten pierced in sensitive areas in the past so I wasn't about to let that bother me to much. Upon arriving at Universal I filled out the usual forms and then went downstairs with Mike and one of my friends. The other two opted to remain upstairs and wait for me. Once downstairs, Mike put on gloves and marked the inside of my nose. I checked it and everything looked good so he proceeded to clamp me. From the moment of getting clamped on I pretty much had my eyes closed. I don't have much of a problem getting pierced, but I can't stand to watch it. Watching other people get pierced can be fun, but I can't watch my own piercings. There's just something about it that bothers me.
Anyway, after the clamp was put on I was informed that the needle was just about ready to be pushed through. Deep breath in, deep breath out and the needle went through on the exhale. Or at least, that was the way it was supposed to happen. What actually happened was the needle went half way through on the exhale and I had to take another deep breath in and out and there was a second push of the needle before it was all the way through. And believe me, that hurt like a bitch! I would say that it was about equal in pain to my VCH however; my hood piercing only took one push so the pain lasted for less time.
Shortly after the needle was through, the retainer was inserted and I was pretty much done. My eyes definitely watered quite a bit for this one. I wasn't really crying, it was more of an involuntary response. The left side of the piercing also bled a little bit, but hardly at all. Once the piercing was finished, I looked in the mirror and then had Mike flip the retainer up. It was almost completely invisible. I then went upstairs, paid (making sure to leave a nice tip) and went home.
My nose was sore for a couple of weeks after getting the piercing done, especially when I accidentally bumped it. During those first two weeks it hurt quite a bit to flip the retainer down so I pretty much just left it alone. The retainer, as well, was not completely invisible. It was more than adequate for work, but when looking at it from the right angle, specifically kind of from underneath, you could see the metal in there. The first time I saw my father after getting it done he noticed it without me telling him about it. When I admitted that I had indeed gotten it done he kind of groaned and teased me but that was about it. Aftercare was really quite simple. Every day after the shower I would take a cutip and clean out all of the crusties from it. I would also give it to occasional sea salt soak (1/4 teaspoon to 1 cup of water) when it felt like it needed it. Other than that I pretty much left it alone. I would say it took about 6 weeks to heal fully.
The first time I changed my retainer to a circular barbell was really too soon. It was about 3 weeks after I had first gotten it pierced. I was going out later that night and really wanted to show it off. In order to change it I gave my nose a sea salt soak, cleaned off all the crusties and then removed the retainer. I attempted to follow the retainer directly with the new barbell but that didn't quite work. However, other than the pain I didn't have much problem getting the new jewelry in. I soon found out that I hated the new circular barbell in it because it was way to big and when it was flipped up it wasn't hidden in the least. At the end of the night I put my retainer back in.
Not long after that I ordered a pincer off of Painful Pleasures (where I get all of my body jewelry), which arrived about 2 weeks later. The jewelry changed to the pincer was much easier and I am extremely happy with it now. It's a little smaller than the circular barbell I had in earlier but larger than the retainer. Its also almost as hidden as the retainer is when I have it flipped up and I am extremely happy with it.
For anyone thinking of getting themselves a septum piercing, I would definitely recommend it. Although quite a painful piercing (at least in my case), it is easy to heal and looks great once it is healed. There are lots of good jewelry options and it is almost completely invisible when flipped up. Healing is also super easy. I would not, however, recommend trying to hide it from parents or anyone else because almost completely invisible is not the same as completely invisible.