The trend for septumpiercings comes in waves. They’ve been fashionable in certainsubcultures for ages, but it seems like in the past 3 years they’vebecome mainstream. You no longer have to be a punk or dress solely inblack to wear a septum ring, there’s plenty of pop stars rockingseptum piercings and we’re pretty sure that’s why everyone wantsone. Septum piercings are cool and edgy, they’re a nice way to adda little something to your look, and they leave no visible scars whentaken out, but it’s still a piercing, so here’s everything youneed to know before getting a septum piercing.
1. Preparation
When deciding to getany sort of piercing it’s important to do the necessary prep first.Try on fake or clip-on jewelry and see if you like how it looks. Wearit for a couple of days. Research piercing salons and individualpiercers. You want someone with a lot of experience, who knows whatthey’re doing. Ask your piercer’s opinion too, if they have a lotof experience they’ll be able to tell you honestly if a septumpiercing is a good idea for you. For example, a deviated septum canimpact how the piercing will look and if it’s going to be crookedyou need to know this in advance to make an informed decision.
2. Pain
All piercings hurt,there’s no going around that. Some hurt more, some less, but thepain is inevitable. You’re literally making a hole in your body, soyou have to be prepared for that. Most piercers say that a septumpiercing is relatively low on the pain threshold but it all comesdown to your pain tolerance. It’s a quick piercing so it’ll onlyhurt for a second. Your eyes will water because of the area in yournose you’re dealing with, it’s just a reflex, but it should onlybe a small stinging sensation.
3. Healing
The healing time fora septum piercing is 6 to 8 weeks. It’s not too long, but you dohave to realise that during this time you won’t be able to playaround with jewelry or take it off. In order for the septum piercingto heal properly, you just have to let it be for that time. So makesure it’s ok for you to wear it at work. You will also be requiredto clean it daily.
4. Infection
The risk ofinfection with septum piercings is very low because of the placement.Since your piercing is inside your nose, and it’s a mucous membrane –the wound you’re making is essentially self-cleaning. However, thatdoesn’t mean you should take it lightly and disregard hygiene.
5. Aftercare
The aftercare isreally simple. Just leave it alone and don’t touch it. If you getone of those horseshoe rings right away – don’t flip it up tohide it. Just leave it to heal for a month and clean withantibacterial soap every day. If you have to touch it, make sure yourhands are clean and always soak the piercing first before trying tomove it around. But the rule of thumb is – don’t touch it.
6. Removal
If for some reasonyou want to remove your piercing remember that the hole will closeup. For some people it might take 2 weeks, for some it might take amonth, but it will close up. It will also be getting smaller withevery day, so keep that in mind if you decide to take off yourpiercing temporarily. After a month of having the septum ring out,you will have to get it repierced again if you want to wear jewelryagain.
7. Scarring
All piercings leavea scar. Some leave big scars, others leave just a small barelyvisible indent. The septum piercing leaves a tiny scar, but it’snot going to be visible at all since it’s inside your nose, so youdon’t have to worry about that. So if scarring is something thatyou worry about and that’s what’s stopping you from getting apiercing – in this case, it’s not an issue at all.
8. Jewelry
When it comes topicking jewelry – it’s best to look for implant grade metals.Don’t buy cheap stuff on Etsy, it’s not meant to stay in yourbody for long periods of time. If you want gold jewelry – it’sbetter to invest and get real gold. If you want silver looking rings– go for titanium or white gold. Actual silver isn’t a greatchoice if you’re gonna keep it in for long, as it can leave a mark.
9. Judgement
Another thing youhave to consider when getting a septum piercing is the judgement youmight have to deal with. Will your family or friends make fun of you?Or are they cool with it? If they’re not, are you prepared to dealwith it? What about work? These aren’t huge factors, but it issomething you should definitely take into consideration.
10. Price
The price for a septum piercing ranges between $50 and $100 and in most cases that includes the first piece of jewelry that’s put in right away. While we understand that price is a factor for many because it’s not exactly cheap, you have to realise that you want this done by a professional. And usually, experience comes at a higher price than someone who’s just starting out and learning.
