Like many people that have written experiences for BME, I initially didn't like the "look" of septum piercings. However, again like many others, my outlook on them has changed. What tilted the scales for me personally was seeing an "older" gentleman (mid 50's perhaps?) that had a 6g CBB in his septum. It was a well-crafted piece; so much so that I initially mistook it for a "fake" piece. However, when I asked him about it, he assured me that it was in fact genuine (even going to far as to remove it in front of me). He was happy to answer my questions about it, and his openness about it really piqued my curiosity at the time. However, that was a couple of years ago, and in the interim, I forgot about it, concentrating instead on other modifications that were more important to me at that time.
At A Glance Author Cyka Contact Cyka@bme.anon IAM Cyka When Three months ago Artist Marea Kinney Studio Aesthetics Location Indianapolis, Indiana I'm still not certain to this day if I like the "look" of it on me personally, but that wasn't the reason that I ended up having it done myself. I ended up getting my septum pierced because of the things that I'd read about it – for instance, how some peoples got it for cultural reasons. I liked the idea of having a piercing with a deeper cultural meaning, as opposed to for aesthetic reasons. I don't consider cultural appropriation to be a negative thing, necessarily, although some people might disagree with me (and they have the right to hold their own opinions, much as I have the right to have mine). To elaborate, I think that if the person that does the appropriating "gets" something out of it that means something to them personally, or broadens their scope of the world in general, then that can't be a bad thing. Along those lines, I liked the idea of it being a more meditative piercing. I imagined that when I got the piercing, I would be "in another place" mentally, and it would be something very deep and profound.
Well ... yes and no.
I discussed it at length via Instant Messaging on IAM with my piercer, Marea (IAM: tattooedheart) before actually having it done, of course – what size piece I would get, what style, etc. We jointly decided that I'd get a 16g 5/16" Industrial Strength staple-shaped titanium retainer. I really didn't like the "look" of a CBR at all, and this seemed to be the best alternative. Additionally, there was the added bonus of being able to "flip it up" in the event that I went to work for an employer in the future that didn't approve of that particular piercing (more on that later).
The day (Sunday, September 16th, 2007) finally arrived for me to have it done, and I drove up to the studio, Aesthetics Body Modification (http://aestheticsbodymod.com/) in Indianapolis, Indiana from where I live in Terre Haute. I decided that it would be a good idea for me to eat something beforehand, so I went to Yats (http://www.yatscajuncreole.com/) for some excellent food. I then went over to the studio, and hung out with Marea and Alan (IAM: redneckzombi) while waiting on Vanessa (IAM: steelwings) to arrive (she and I had pre-planned this particular visit to Indianapolis). I think she got stuck in a spatial anomaly because we waited, and waited, and waited ...
... but finally, she made it, and once she'd settled in, she decided that she wanted to get something pierced, as well. However, she wasn't sure of exactly what she wanted, so she and Marea spent some time deciding on what to do. Alan had taken off during this time, to go do something else (besides it was a Sunday, and having been up there on Sundays before, it was sloooooo-o-o-o-ow). Anyhow, once she decided what she wanted done (both traguses) and with what, it was time to decide who would go first. No one really could decide anything, so I finally decided to go for it, even though I was scared as hell and nervous about the pain factor. It's why I hadn't volunteered myself before then ... despite Marea's assurances that it was an easy piercing, I was still scared of how much it would hurt.
At any rate, things were cleaned, autoclaved, etc., and shortly it was my time. I went back to the piercing room, got onto the table, and laid down. Marea felt around inside my nose and then held the needle to my "sweet spot" for a moment, telling me in advance of every single step that she was doing. She knew that I was really nervous, and she handled it really well. I'll be the first to admit that I'm a "wuss" when it comes to needles and pain, but she was patient (as always!). Vanessa came into the room with me and held my hand the whole time, sensing that I needed the extra bit of support (I did, despite the fact that I've had other piercings done without anyone with me.).
Once everything was ready, Marea told me that she was ready whenever I was. Well ... I wasn't ready. I was far from it, in fact. But after closing my eyes and breathing deeply a couple of times, I told her to go ahead, despite the fact that I couldn't seem to calm myself down.
It hurt. Really bad. In fact, it didn't just make my eyes water, it brought natural tears to my eyes. I mean, I realize that I have a very strong aversion to anything that remotely resembles pain, but I've had uncomfortable ear cartilage piercings done before (like my conch!) and they didn't make me cry.
Having said that, though ... I wasn't embarrassed on account of it. It was what it was. The "yes and no" part from earlier: all thoughts of meditation or "being centered" flew out the window once she started to stick me with the needle. However, in retrospect, there are many ways to accomplish this. So what if it didn't happen when I got pierced? It doesn't mean that it was a failure; it just means that it wasn't "my time", and that it was more important for me to concentrate on the here and now this particular time. In other words, I went in to the experience with certain expectations. Those particular expectations weren't met, but I came away with something from the experience nonetheless ... I learned that it's okay to let myself go; that it's okay sometimes for people to see past the exterior wall that I've built around myself as a self-defense mechanism. It was a safe environment, and for that brief moment, I was unconcerned with putting on my "face". I could be myself, and no one would think any less of me because of it.
Vanessa then proceeded to get her piercings done. We all talked for a few minutes afterwards before we left, me with a shiny new (flipped-up) piercing.
Marea had told me that I needed to keep it flipped up for six weeks as part of my aftercare regiment. However, about a week later, I started having some problems. It wouldn't stay flipped up! It kept falling down, and although I was unconcerned about my job (and the manager) at the shelter, I was in fact a bit concerned about my job (specifically the manager) at the tobacco store. Fortunately, I didn't see her a lot over the course of the next few weeks (and ultimately, I found out that she didn't care one way or the other. When I cornered her and asked her about it, she said, "of course I noticed it, but it's just a piercing", as if she were giving nothing but the weather report.).
At any rate, on top of the "staying up" issue, the right-hand side of the piercing was sore as hell. I'd meant to get it changed out to something else a couple of weeks later to help stave off the irritation, but I ended up getting really sick and having to cut my time in Indianapolis short, before I could get up to the studio.
Finally, about five weeks after getting it initially, I made it back up there on Sunday, September 21st, 2007 to get the jewelry changed out. We finally decided on a 3/8" high-polish niobium continuous ring to put in there. It didn't hurt at all on the left-hand hole, but the right-hand hole hurt like the devil.
I'd hoped that the ring would work better, but it had the opposite effect, and it exacerbated the problems that I'd been experiencing. At first, I attributed it to changing the ring out, and the stresses associated with that. After a time, however, I realized that changing to the ring was a poor choice, and I contacted Marea once again to discuss my options.
We finally decided that it would be best to put the retainer back in, and so I went back to the studio on Friday, December 14th, 2007 (coincidentally, my 37th birthday – getting to go back to the studio was a great "present" to myself) to put it back in. Quite honestly, getting the ring out and the retainer in wasn't pleasant, but the pain subsided the instant the retainer was back in.
In closing, if you get a piercing – any piercing – and for whatever reason, it isn't working with your body as well as it should be, don't hesitate to call upon your piercer for assistance. He or she should be happy to work with you to figure out what works best for you, your body, and any special needs that you have.
Also, despite the issues that I've had with this piercing, I'm happy to have it. If you're interested in getting this piercing, do your research on it, your piercer, and your own body. Although it may hurt less (or more) than mine did, don't skip getting it because of the fear. The pain only lasts for a few moments.