J A M I E-L E I G H

Todays post is going to be on septum piercings, if you're looking into getting your septum pierced or are just purely interested in what comes with a septum piercing then this is for you as i'm going to be writing about everything you need to know before getting your septum pierced.

The septum is the cartilage between the two nostrils. The piercing usually costs between £25-£35 depending on where you go.

When you go to the studio to get your septum pierced the piercer will first talk to you about what jewellery you would prefer, most piercers offer either a bar or a horseshoe as these work best with healing and allow room for swelling. If you are offered for your septum to be pierced with a ring I would personally not recommend it as it can lead to the piercing not healing properly due to the shape of the ring. Once you have discussed the jewellery you would like the piercer will then go on to clean the septum area and begin to mark out where it needs to be pierced. Septum piercings need to be very precise as it is not actually the cartilage they are piercing, instead there is a piece of skin between the cartilage, this is what they pierce. In order for them to find the right placement for the piercing they will have to feel around your septum for the thin piece of skin. NOTE- This does mean that they do have to stick their fingers up your nose, be warned. When they have found the piercing spot they will then clamp the septum then use the needle to pierce it, after they connect the chosen jewellery onto the needle and simple slide it through and secure it- VOILA you have your septum pieced. I will warn you that when they do pierce the septum your eyes will automatically water like hell, this is inevitable so I would suggest wearing waterproof makeup unless you want to spend the rest of the day looking like a panda.

Next the question that everybody wants to know the answer to, 'Did it hurt?'. Now keep in mind everybody's pain threshold is different, some people say they didn't feel it and others say it is the worst pain they have felt. For me the septum piercing hurt a lot, out of all my piercings it was probably the worst being a 4/5 HOWEVER, that 4/5 lasted for a split second and then it was done so by the time you've even registered the pain it is over, but like I said just because it hurt for me does not mean it will definitely hurt for you. The pain itself is a sharp scratch, if you want an idea of what the pain is like take your thumb and index finger and using your nails pinch your septum as hard as you can. The pain you feel from this will be similar to the pain of getting it pierced but you will only feel it for half a second.

Again anything I tell you in this section is based on my experience it does not necessarily mean it will be the same for you. For me the healing process hurt, my nose throbbed for around four days before it began to settle down. As to be expected as it heals you will get crusts around the jewellery which need to be cleaned with solution or boiling water with salt and a cotton bud. You also need to make sure that you keep moving the piercing through your nose so that it doesn't get stuck as it heals, however do this after cleaning away the scabs otherwise you may rip them when you move the bar which hurts SO bad (I did this a couple of times). My piercing was tender for about three weeks and then gradually I could begin to move it without wincing. They say you should wait at least three months before changing your piercing as it is not fully healed until then however I had to change mine after a month due to work. Saying this it was painless when they changed the bar and I have had no problems with it since doing that but I wouldn't recommend it purely because it could aggravate the piercing.

With aftercare like I mentioned above you should use either a solution from the piercer or boiling water and salt. The piercing should be cleaned around three times a day during the first couple of weeks of it being pierced then gradually you can begin to clean it less regularly as it begins to heal. One thing you should really take on board is that septum piercings can smell, not to other people but because the piercing is in your nose when you move the bar sometimes you can get that scabby smell. This tends to calm down after a while however it can be annoying especially if you move your bar a lot. To try and avoid this make sure your piercing is kept clean and that you sterilize the bar every now and then.

Once the septum piercing has healed you can begin to get adventurous with jewellery, there are so many styles of jewellery you can try. I personally prefer the horseshoes as I can tuck them up my nose when i'm at work so the piercing isn't even visible, however not all work places have a piercing policy so you can get creative with whatever look you want to go for.

To sum this septum piercing 101 up i'm going to list all the pros and cons I can think of associated with septum piercings just to help you decide whether or not it is the right piercing for you.

- Very unique and you can create your own look with different jewellery.

- You can hide the piercing if you have the correct jewellery.

- Easy to care for and easy to change.

- If you don't like it you can always take it out.

- The pain of the piercing and the healing. (Differs from person to person)

- The smell

I hope this septum piercings 101 helped you out if you're looking to get your septum pierced and that you can take this advice on board to help you with deciding on whether this piercing is right for you. If you have any other questions on this piercing feel free to ask away and I will answer them for you as best as I can.

Thankyou!

Jamie.