Many of those who would like a septum usually inquire very well before having it done. It is one of the least painful piercings, but it needs special attention and care during the healing period. If you're not willing to treat it with the right delicacy and take the time to keep it clean, then you should probably think again. Keep in mind that, depending on the shape of your nasal septum, there is a chance that the piercing will appear crooked. The point where to make the perforation, being very thin, could in fact undergo pressure from the cartilage, making the jewel distorted. The piercing may or may not straighten during the healing period, depending on your body's ability to adapt. The swelling of the delicate first few weeks may also make the piercing look crooked, but in this case just wait for the swelling to pass. Apart from that, the septum is an interesting and fantastic piercing, and allows you to wear (or, as the case may be, hide) a wide variety of jewelry. Be inspired by your imagination.
Steps
Step 1. Find a good piercing studio
Make sure it's professional and clean, and possibly the piercer is friendly. Tell him you intend to do a septum. If he is a serious and professional person he will invite you to make an appointment, if instead you want to do it immediately you could risk not being satisfied. If so, you'll have to wait a while to get their attention.
Step 2. Make an appointment
When you arrive at the studio, you will need to fill in a consent form, after which you will be escorted to the area where you will be pierced. They will take all the necessary material for the procedure. Needle and forceps should be in a clear plastic bag closed with a strip indicating that everything has been properly sterilized. Piercers don't usually show that stripe, but if you're worried ask to show it to you. Make sure they use disposable needles and that everything follows hygiene rules.
Step 3. Find out about the correct procedure
- The piercer will clean your nose with disinfectant. It will be a little uncomfortable, it doesn't smell good, but nothing special. Breathe with your mouth during this phase.
- The tip of your nose will be lifted for an accurate look inside, so as to find the precise point where to place the pliers and then perform the perforation. You will likely have a curved ring attached to show you the approximate location of the piercing.
- Later you will need to lie down, or sit up straight (different piercers, different methods). Sometimes an assistant may also be present. The septum will be grabbed with forceps, which will hurt more than you think.
- As you insert the needle, you will feel it pass through the tissues. The pliers will then be removed and the jewel will be inserted. It will not be very pleasant but, after a few seconds, it will be all over. After cleaning the piercing from any traces of blood, the ball will be applied that will allow it to close.
Method 1 of 1: At home
Please note: It is highly recommended that you go to a professional for a nasal septal piercing, rather than doing it yourself.
Step 1. Retrieve everything you need
You will need to get a needle, pliers, jewelry, cotton balls, disinfectant wipes and a handkerchief cleaned up.
Step 2. Sterilize everything
Do not proceed until you are certain that everything is perfectly clean.
Sterilize the needle and the forceps, and of course the piercing as well. Passing them through a flame will not remove all germs! Instead, leave them in boiling water for ten minutes, and to be absolutely safe, put them in an alcoholic solution for a few minutes.
Step 3. Lay all the material on a clean handkerchief, so as not to attract bacteria, and disinfect the nose with wipes, or wash it with soap and water
Also your hands must be very clean. If possible, wear latex gloves.
Step 4. Apply numbing cream to desensitize the affected area (DO NOT USE ICE
see why in the Advice section below).
Step 5. Take the pliers and hold the point to be pierced
If you feel a strong pressure, it means that you are using the pliers in the right way. Now, despite the cream, you may feel some pain. Breathe in. As you exhale, insert the needle into the thin portion of skin between the thick cartilage towards the tip of the nose and the bony portion behind it. You will feel like an intense sting that will make your eyes water a lot. During this phase, take a slow, deep breath to ease the pain. Place a finger on the other side of the septum at needle height to make sure the hole is coming in as straight as possible.
If you are not using a piercing needle, remove the needle and insert the jewelry as quickly as possible. It will be quite difficult, but don't get discouraged
Step 6. Clean any blood with a cotton swab
Advice
- Hoop and even semi-open piercings can be easily turned inside the nostrils so that they are not noticeable in school or work situations, or even to be able to hide them from parents. Trust me, it works wonders. Nobody will be able to see it. Semi-open piercings are particularly suitable for this purpose, as breathing with circular ones would be more complicated.
- During the first few weeks of healing you will find on the white matter piercing. These are normal body secretions that allow you to verify that healing is going well. Body secretion color indicator: White - perfect healing, keep it up. Yellow - mm … maybe it's time to go to a studio and ask what's wrong, you could risk an infection. Green - definitely infected, do not take the jewelry out until the piercer tells you (he will probably advise you to see a doctor who can prescribe antibiotics to heal the infection, so you don't lose the piercing).
- A nasal septal piercing takes six to eight months to heal completely. After a month you should be able to change it, but take it easy. Listen to your body.
- IMPORTANT: Nasal septal piercings must be done through that portion of skin between the thick cartilage at the base of the nostrils and the cartilage behind the nostrils, unless desired higher. Some people don't have a thin spot to pierce, so if they want this piercing they have no choice but to pierce the cartilage itself.
- DO NOT use ice. Ice makes the skin much harder and harder to pierce.
- For daily cleaning use sea salt (it does not contain iodine, therefore it does not burn). WASH YOUR HANDS every time you wipe your nose. You have to do your best to prevent infections, and the first thing to do is always to wash your hands. Create a saline solution by adding half a teaspoon of sea salt to about half a liter of water. Shake well and heat in the microwave for 20 seconds, then pour into a bowl. You could also just put a generous pinch of salt in half a glass of water. Dip a cotton swab in the solution you just created and clean the jewel well with it. When the wad has cooled, throw it away, dip another wad in it and place it on the pierced area for at least 5 minutes. Make sure you get all the scabs off, but don't get them into the hole as this will cause irritation that is hard to bear! Then take a hand soap, preferably liquid, and wash the piercing using, if possible, cotton buds. Rinse to remove the soap residue, otherwise you will feel a little discomfort when you put the jewelry back on. The nose knows how to maintain - thanks to natural secretions - proper hygiene inside the nostrils, so washing it more than twice a day is not necessary. Indeed, this will slow down the healing process. The best thing to do is let the body do the rest.
- The nose will remain a delicate area for approximately 2-3 weeks after piercing. Even the smallest bump can hurt you. So be careful for a few weeks and everything should be fine.
Warnings
- Over time, the piercing may smell bad. "Urban dictionary" defined it as "the cheese of the ear", however since the hole in question is located in the nose it is more appropriate to call it "septal fright". It may sound strange but, again, it is simply natural body secretions that continue to form, and the best way to get rid of this odor is to clean the jewelry thoroughly.
- If you notice swelling next to the piercing, if pus appears, or if your nose is bleeding excessively, it is best to have the piercer, preferably the one who performed it, take a look to make sure it is not infected.
