I never really liked piercings when I was younger, I wasn't sure what to make of them, and they looked like they'd hurt. Then when I was 9 I begged my mum to let me get my ears pierced, because all my friends at school had them done. I went to the hairdressers and paid £7 for them to be pierced using a gun. My brother had bought a toy gun that day that sounded just like the piercing gun, he wound me up and I couldn't get it out of my head. That was my first piercing experience. I waited until I was 12 for my next, my nose. Another gun piercing. Next was the top of my belly, then the bottom, then my lip. The last 3 were done with needles, so I've got used to them by now.
At A Glance Author Rach Contact Rach@bme.anon When It just happened Studio The Studio Location 2nd floor, Afflecks palace, Manchester I don't know what it is about the septum piercing that I found so disgusting, but I do know that eight months ago when my boyfriend told me he wanted his done, I was dead set against the idea. I thought they were hideous. But I've grown to love them recently. I'd lie in bed and figure out the positioning with my fingers, I'd fit my lip ring or fake body jewellery in, to see what it would look like. I never thought I'd have the guts to go through with it, because I'd heard it was really painful.
I decided I would save some money, and see if I still wanted it done when I had enough. I'm terrible at saving, so it gave me longer to think about it. Easter came last weekend and I got some money off my dad, so I thought 'why not?' and decided to put it towards my septum. I chose Tuesday to go to Manchester with my best friend, Ste, and have it don't at Studio – where I'd had my lip done, because I knew they were clean, and they came highly recommended.
So off I went on Tuesday, Ste at my side; walked into Studio and paid them my £20 + £5 voucher. They told me that they were cleaning the piercing room, and to take a seat. I couldn't, I was so nervous. I paced up and down by the seats until the guy I'd paid came back to me. He told me that they wouldn't be able to pierce me that day because the woman who was going to be piercing me had huge false nails on, and so she couldn't and the other guy couldn't do septum piercings. He gave me my money back and asked me to come back the next day.
I was so disappointed. I'd got all worked up and excited for nothing. I stood with Ste outside Studio and waited for my boyfriend to show up. He came and I told him what happened. He stayed at mine and agreed to go with me the next day while I got it done.
I walked in on Wednesday, paid the guy with red spiky hair and paced again. Braden (my boyfriend) told me to calm down and have a seat, but I couldn't. I was so nervous. The girl who was going to pierce me came out and told me she was ready for me. I followed her into the room and she pulled the door shut behind her. The wipes, clamps and needle were on the tray next to the bed, all in packets – so that reassured me that it was clean. She cleaned my nose with the wipe and then picked up her pen and started drawing dots and lines on me. She told me that she was making sure it was straight.
Next she picked up the clamps and put hem in place. It hurt a big I guess, but not really any more than other piercings. She repositioned them a few times and then let them hand while she got the needle out of the packet. She approached the piercing from my left side, and pushed the needle through slowly, turning it as she went. It hurt so badly, but I didn't really care. My eyes were watering and I let out a quiet "shit" a couple of times. I could feel the needle getting a bit stuck as it came to break the skin on the right side. Then it popped through. I breathed a sigh of relief as she removed the clamps and told me "You've been through the worst bit now," and picked up my bar.
I opted for a banana bar, 1.6 – the same as a belly bar, so I can flip it up inside my nose for school. She pushed the end of the bar into the receiving tube, and pulled the tube through the hole. It stung a bit in the middle but I didn't care. I had my septum piercing. I thanked her and walked out with a huge grin on my face.
The pain eased really quickly, and within a quarter of an hour it only hurt if it was touched. A few hours later one of the balls dropped off. I managed to find it but it took me about five minutes to screw it on again, which hurt. I practiced flipping it up inside my nose, and cleaned the few bits of dried blood off of the bar and around the holes either side. I've noticed that the cartilage underneath the piercing is really tender, but I guess that's just with it being pushed down, and I'm sure it'll ease off soon enough.
I'm really happy with my new piercing and would recommend Studio, on the second floor of Afflecks Palace, Manchester to anyone who lives nearby and wants a decent piercing.