The trend for septum piercings comes in waves. They’ve been fashionable in certain subcultures for ages, but it seems like in the past 3 years they’ve become mainstream. You no longer have to be a punk or dress solely in black to wear a septum ring, there’s plenty of pop stars rocking septum piercings and we’re pretty sure that’s why everyone wants one. Septum piercings are cool and edgy, they’re a nice way to add a little something to your look, and they leave no visible scars when taken out, but it’s still a piercing, so here’s everything you need to know before getting a septum piercing.
1. Preparation
When deciding to get any 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. Wear it for a couple of days. Research piercing salons and individual piercers. You want someone with a lot of experience, who knows what they’re doing. Ask your piercer’s opinion too, if they have a lot of experience they’ll be able to tell you honestly if a septum piercing is a good idea for you. For example, a deviated septum can impact how the piercing will look and if it’s going to be crooked you 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 the pain is inevitable. You’re literally making a hole in your body, so you have to be prepared for that. Most piercers say that a septum piercing is relatively low on the pain threshold but it all comes down to your pain tolerance. It’s a quick piercing so it’ll only hurt for a second. Your eyes will water because of the area in your nose you’re dealing with, it’s just a reflex, but it should only be a small stinging sensation.
3. Healing
The healing time for a septum piercing is 6 to 8 weeks. It’s not too long, but you do have to realise that during this time you won’t be able to play around with jewelry or take it off. In order for the septum piercing to heal properly, you just have to let it be for that time. So make sure it’s ok for you to wear it at work. You will also be required to clean it daily.
4. Infection
The risk of infection 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, that doesn’t mean you should take it lightly and disregard hygiene.
5. Aftercare
The aftercare is really simple. Just leave it alone and don’t touch it. If you get one of those horseshoe rings right away – don’t flip it up to hide it. Just leave it to heal for a month and clean with antibacterial soap every day. If you have to touch it, make sure your hands are clean and always soak the piercing first before trying to move it around. But the rule of thumb is – don’t touch it.
6. Removal
If for some reason you want to remove your piercing remember that the hole will close up. For some people it might take 2 weeks, for some it might take a month, but it will close up. It will also be getting smaller with every day, so keep that in mind if you decide to take off your piercing temporarily. After a month of having the septum ring out, you will have to get it repierced again if you want to wear jewelry again.
7. Scarring
All piercings leave a scar. Some leave big scars, others leave just a small barely visible indent. The septum piercing leaves a tiny scar, but it’s not going to be visible at all since it’s inside your nose, so you don’t have to worry about that. So if scarring is something that you worry about and that’s what’s stopping you from getting a piercing – in this case, it’s not an issue at all.
8. Jewelry
When it comes to picking jewelry – it’s best to look for implant grade metals. Don’t buy cheap stuff on Etsy, it’s not meant to stay in your body for long periods of time. If you want gold jewelry – it’s better to invest and get real gold. If you want silver looking rings – go for titanium or white gold. Actual silver isn’t a great choice if you’re gonna keep it in for long, as it can leave a mark.
9. Judgement
Another thing you have to consider when getting a septum piercing is the judgement you might 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 deal with it? What about work? These aren’t huge factors, but it is something 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.