For the longest time I did not enjoy the appearance of a septum ring. It was not until my 17th birthday that I began to appreciate this piercing. My mother however has a different view on septum piercings, calling them "ugly bull rings." I enjoyed the look of a small retainer opposed to a large ring and decided this would be both flattering and easily hidden. I did not run out on my eighteenth birthday to get this piercing, I waited several months before going ahead with it. I also read numerous accounts on bmezine and asked friends about their experiences. I feel that it is very important to research a piercing and its aftercare before you go ahead and get it. This way you can better decide if the piercing is really for you. I decided to go to the Chameleon shop in the garage in Harvard Square, as this seemed to be the most reputable shop.
At A Glance Author DANI Contact DANI@bme.anon When It just happened Artist Owen Studio the Chameleon Tattoo and Body Piercing Location Cambridge, MA Finally the day arrived where a few friends could come along with me to get my piercing. But when I arrived at the shop I was informed that no one was there to do a septum piercing. In the end this turned out to be a good thing, as I found out another friend was interested in getting a piercing as well. Finally a couple of weeks later we set out to get our piercings.
We arrived at the shop around 1 o' clock when we picked out our jewelry and filled out the standard form. We were then sent form the gallery to the actual piercing storefront. We waited for about 20-30 minutes before we were greeted by Owen, our piercer. We then went into the piercing room, which was very clean. I was very nervous at this point. I have heard many horror stories about septum piercings from friends and also bmezine testimonials. I jumped up on the medical table and Owen began to clean my nose, all the while talking to me and calming me immensely. I had been so nervous but just listening to him talk and describe how he pierced made me feel reassured and calmed my nerves. He swiped my nose with iodine and dried it thoroughly. He said that he did not use clamps, that he found them useless, and began feeling around for the spot between the hard cartilage. He changed his gloves several times throughout the entire process. He also said that if the septum was pierced properly it would hurt less than my nostril piercing. Owen then said that he would not catch me off guard and would tell me when he was about to pierce. He aligned the needle and said that he was starting. There was some sharp pain at first, but the rest of the process felt more like a dull pushing. It was certainly uncomfortable but definitely not like anything described in septum horror stories. He assured me that I was doing great as he pushed the needle through and quickly got the retainer and inserted it. I was done! It had not been half as bad as I thought. I looked at my friend and then at a mirror, I loved it! Afterwards he pierced my friend's nipple, which also was quick and professional. We then discussed aftercare and thanked/tipped him.
It's been a day since I have been pierced and my nose is only tender when I bump the front. I was nervous that I would rip the retainer out while I slept, but as Owen said, I flipped it into my nose and it was fine. No pain in the morning either, which was great. Flipping the retainer up and down is a little painful, as my nose is still tender. If I bump my nose kind of hard it feels like someone punched me, but only for a second. Cleaning has been easy. The salt spray feels soothing, and the Castile oil soap cleanses it. It definitely is more painful to bump than my nostril was, but in general it is definitely bearable.
The best part of my septum piercing is that I can hide it so easily. The small retainer I chose flips easily inside my nose (Owen showed me how to do this properly) so I can hide it from less appreciative people, IE my mother. All in all it was a great experience and I highly recommend this shop. The piercers are friendly and helpful, and the shop is very clean. Both of our piercings came out great and I couldn't be more pleased with my septum.
Note: Owen also informed me that any septum account where the words, "crunching" or "excruciating" are used is a sign of a bad piercing. When done properly septum piercings are no more painful than any other body piercing. So make sure you find a good piercer, and your experience will be as simple as mine.