Although I'd been thinking about getting a septum ring for a while, the final push was having to dye my hair from a fantastic pink to a mousey brown at the behest of a recruiter attempting to find me a job. Willing to concede a few things about my appearance in the name of securing an employer that would provide health benefits, I was still not a little bit sad at having to sacrifice things I really liked (such as having pink hair) in order to have a job that I probably wouldn't (such as being a secretary). So, directly after my first interview to work at a law firm, an interview that eventually proved successful, I did what any self-respecting girl who had just been forced to abandon Manic Panic seemingly forever would do - I decided to go ahead and get my septum ring.
At A Glance Author tigricula IAM tigricula When Two years ago Artist Brian Decker Studio Pure Location Brooklyn I liked the idea of a septum ring because it's easily hidden and it's not girly. I more or less just wanted a reminder that my 9-5 job was something I needed to pay off student loans, pay rent and finance my drinking habit and that it might not be a bad idea to separate work-me from non-work me. I knew I was going to get it done at Pure, because I pretty much give all my business to Brian Decker, at least since I've lived in New York. When I got to the shop, I told Brian what I wanted and that I liked the idea of bigger gauge jewelry, and we agreed that I'd be pierced with a 10g needle. I said that I wanted a retainer because I had every intention of stretching and didn't want to get jewelry I would only use for a month or two. In the backroom of the shop, I lay down on the table while Brian set up. He prepped the materials and explained the upcoming procedure. I figured on the piercing being fairly painful, but wasn't really that nervous. After everything was autoclaved and set out, Brian had me move my head so that it was dangling off the edge of the headrest and titled more or less parallel to the floor. He cleaned the inside of my nose and then he did this thing where it felt like he was moving the cartilage around to sort of clear a cartilage-less space for the needle. It hurt, but he said it would make it easier and more even when the needle went through. The last thing I wanted was a crooked septum piercing, so I wasn't about to object. Then he asked me if I were ready, I said yes, and he went ahead with the piercing, doing the breathe in, breathe out and pierce routine.
In my opinion, getting your septum pierced really, really hurts. I'm not someone who psyches herself out for piercings and I honestly don't tend to get nervous about them (Because personally, I kind of don't think you should be getting piercings if you're really freaked out by the idea. Pushing your limits and boundaries aside, if body modification makes you incredibly uncomfortable or seems overwhelmingly scary, perhaps you should re-evaluate whether you're getting it done because you want it or if you're getting it done because you want to be someone who has a particular modification. But that's just my shameless editorializing.) so I don't think it was an instance of psychosomatic pain. I think it just really hurts. I resented the fact that my eyes teared up and wasn't looking forward to Brian inserting the jewelry. Resentment aside, the jewelry wasn't that bad and the initial pain that had been so startling disappeared pretty quickly.
Healing for the septum went really easily and really well. Aside from pressing a hot towel to my nose periodically throughout the first two weeks, I basically left it alone and it healed without problems, possibly the easiest piercing to heal I've ever had. After two months had gone by without incident, I ordered (from Brian) an 8g glass pincher. I had never stretched a piercing before and had heard plenty of horror stories. And of course, I had my own recollection of how much the initial piercing had hurt. That said, the stretch went seamlessly, and I was able to switch back and forth between an 8g pincher and a 10g retainer whenever I pleased. The stretch to a 6g didn't go nearly as well, so I've kept it at 8 for the moment.
Basically, getting my septum pierced was one of the most satisfying piercing experiences I've ever had. It healed well and was easy to take care of. Perhaps more importantly, although it doesn't make up for having to be a brunette, it does a lot for reminding me that the world of being a legal secretary is not, by any means, my whole life.