Septum Piercing Beaten To Death
The Septum Piercings are one of the most widely worn and oldest non-ear piercings known to man. It also allows one to hide in easily when needed, which is not common with facial piercings. Over the years, I have done this piercing on several professionals who were not allowed to wear visible piercings at work. Wearing either a Septum Retainer or Circular Barbell enables the wearer to flip the jewelry up and into the nostrils.
If you polled most piercers about what their least favorite piercing is, Septum piercings would likely be at the top of the list. The main reason is that no one's nose is completely straight. When marking the placement of the piercing, it's a struggle between the piercee's anatomy and what will look "straight" or fit into the person's facial structure. Swelling during the first few weeks can make the piercing appear crooked. Since the most common jewelry used is an expanded Circular Barbell, sometimes the jewelry itself will end up a little crooked.
In some cases, the pressure of the Septum cartilage can cause the jewelry to shift or move during the healing process. Although the piercing was done correctly, a few months later, it will no longer be straight. I will try to expand on this later, and your piercer should cover these issues with you during the consultation.
History and Background:
The Septum Piercing is the second most common piercing, right behind ear piercings, in primitive cultures. It is even more common than nostril piercings. It is believed that the popularity was due to the ease with which the piercing can be stretched, allowing the wearing of large jewelry, often fashioned from animal parts such as tusks, feathers, and bones. The piercing was worn to make one more attractive, and the larger the jewelry, the more intimidating it was, giving the impression that the person had tusks.
The wearing of Tusks in piercings was a predominant feature of warrior cultures on the Pacific Islands, including the Solomon Islands, New Guinea, and parts of Irian Jaya. The Asmat tribe of Irian Jaya wore a large Pig Leg Bone, or the bones of enemies slain in battle, with diameters as large as an inch, called an Otsj.
Aboriginals in Australia pierced the Septum to flatten the nose. They would pass a long stick or bone through the piercing, causing the nose to expand downward and appear flatter. In Nepal and Tibet, a pendant called a Bulak is worn from the septum. The jewelry can be so large that the wearer must lift it to eat or drink.
In South and Central America, the Aztecs, Maya, and Incas wore a range of jewelry in their septums, including that made of Jade and Gold. The tradition is still carried on by the members of Cuna Culture in Panama that continue to this day to wear thick gold rings. Many North American Native Tribes also wore Septum piercings. Most notable is the Nez Perce tribe, which was named after the French words for "nose pierced."
In most cultures, the piercing signified the person’s entrance into adulthood. The piercing was then stretched over time to signify maturity and status within the tribe—for example, the more fearless and accomplished the warrior, the larger the jewelry.
In modern Western Culture, piercing seemed to gain popularity in the Punk and Rock subcultures of the late 1970s and early 1980s. It is becoming increasingly familiar with the growing popularity of Modern Piercing. Although often worn only by the more extreme members of the piercing culture in the past, the piercing has become increasingly popular and more mainstreamly accepted since 2010, primarily due to a shift in jewelry designs, which have become thinner and more elaborate with the broader adoption of Clickers and Hinged Rings.
Anatomy, Marking, and Placement:
There is a large triangular piece of cartilage that makes up the majority of the septum, and then a thinner, loose piece of cartilage at the bottom of the nostril entrances. The “Sweet Spot” and most common location of the piercing is the area between the two. If you take your thumb and forefinger and pinch or pull downward, you will notice that the two plates separate, revealing a thinner area between them.
Sometimes the sweet spot is so small that it will not allow enough room for the jewelry. This isn’t usually a significant issue, but as I mentioned earlier, the pressure of the septum cartilage on the jewelry can cause the piercing to shift or migrate, making the piercing appear crooked. This can sometimes be corrected by applying pressure to the piercing during the healing process by pulling on the side that seems higher or twisted back.
The traditional placement is as far forward as possible, so that the jewelry hangs freely from the upper lip. The piercing can be placed further back or even above the “sweet spot” if you wish. However, piercings through the thicker cartilage will take longer and be more challenging to heal. Of course, piercing above the sweet spot will also be more painful.
When marking, I have the piercer lie reclined with their head tilted back over the edge; this way, I can see easily into the nose. I will usually first mark a straight line at the bottom of the septum to dictate how forward or back the piercing will be placed. Also, I will use this as a guide for the angle of the piercing. Next, I will locate the sweet spot. Over the years, I have found that pinching the tissue first and then releasing it works best. When marking, you want to have the tissue as natural as possible. When marking, I apply slight pressure to ensure I have found the sweet spot. Yes, you can tell the difference.
Groupings:
Though it is not common, I have done a grouping of three Septum piercings. If this is something that you are considering and have the room in your anatomy to get more than one, you should mention this at the time of the first piercing. It may affect the placement of the first piercing. I would not suggest doing more than one at a time. I found that since the area is tight, after the first one, it seemed that the placement had shifted from the swelling.
Stretching & Stacking:
As you know from history, the septum can be stretched, and it may affect the shape of the nose itself. Like any piercing, it takes time to allow the piercing to grow tissue and toughen. Slow and steady is the best course of action. Usually, consider twice the healing period between each stretch.
Stacking is a form of stretching where, instead of adding one thicker piece of jewelry, you add additional pieces of jewelry. This will cause the piercing to form in an oval shape instead of a circle, unlike the circular shape that typically results from traditional stretching. This can create a very custom and unique look by combining different rings of various sizes, shapes, designs, and colors.
The Forever Piercing:
Septum piercings are one of the rare piercings in that, after prolonged wear, they never completely close. It is not uncommon for septum piercings to stay open for years after they have been abandoned. However, like all piercings, it is best to leave jewelry in the piercings at all times. If you need to remove the jewelry for some time, it is best to test how long it can stay out without causing you to struggle to put it back in. Start with 15 minutes, then try 30 minutes the next day, and so forth. If it is for medical reasons, a glass septum retainer is the best option. Understand that even in that case, if the procedure requires anesthesia or surgery in the area of the nose, you may still need to remove the jewelry.
Jewelry Size and Type:
The size of the jewelry should always be based on the client's anatomy. Both the shape, size, and thickness of the area should be taken into consideration when selecting jewelry, as well as their future plans.
Some issues should be considered before choosing jewelry size and type:
The thickness of the jewelry will either increase or decrease the damage to the piercing in the future. Additionally, a thicker gauge may increase the period during which the piercing can be left empty. It is a balancing act between a thickness that will not tear easily, but you also want the jewelry to be light enough not to add extra stress to the piercing during the healing process. Generally, I like to pierce Septums at 14g or 12g. With larger gauges, you are making a larger piercing, which means that more blood vessels will be cut or nicked. This means that the larger the gauge, the more bleeding will occur and the longer it will continue. Since there is more impact and trauma to the area with larger gauges, it means more inflammation and a longer recovery time.
The width needs to be wide enough to pass comfortably through the piercing without causing pressure on it, and also to allow for proper inflammation and cleaning. The standard is to have 1/8 to 1/4 inch of extra space between the width of the piercing and the width of the jewelry. With circular jewelry, not only does the width need to allow for swelling, but it should hang freely for the Septum. If the ring is too small and tight against the bottom of the septum, it will add additional stress to the piercing, which could lead to migration, prolonged healing, tearing, and other issues.
When selecting the gauge of the jewelry, there also needs to be a discussion about whether the piercing will be stretched in the future. Not only would piercing at a larger gauge speed up the process of reaching their goal, but piercing at a smaller gauge and allowing the piercing to heal completely can lead to a stronger piercing. A Stronger piercing will stretch much more easily without issues.
Jewelry Styles:
Circular Barbells - A circular-shaped horseshoe with two threaded ends. Generally, I feel they are the best option because they can be flipped up easily during healing, but are more secure than Septum retainers. I start with a 3/8 width and then expand the jewelry to fit the client’s anatomy. This has the advantage of reducing the length of the jewelry, allowing it to fit comfortably inside the nostrils. There are two disadvantages, though; the expanded jewelry can sometimes expand in a way that will make the piercing appear crooked. The other concern is that the ends can come loose and need to be checked regularly.
Captive Bead or Beaded Ring - A circular ring with a fixed bead or ball, or a bead or ball that is held captive by the tension of the ring. For piercing and healing, depending on anatomy, the ring’s width also needs to be wide enough to hang freely below the septum. The most common size is 7/16 to 1/2 for healing. This ensures there is space for swelling, while also making the piercing area as flat as possible.
Septum Retainers - A U-shaped piece of jewelry without a closure. It can be easily flipped up and sized to accommodate swelling, offering all the advantages of a circular barbell. However, since there is no closure, they can fall out and be less secure when worn down.
Clickers and Hinged Rings - Though they are a great option after the piercing is healed, they shouldn't be used to pierce with. Usually, they are slightly heavier, more likely to snag on clothing and bedding, and the seams can be rough. With some gem settings that are close to the ring's thickness, there is a risk that these rough settings may enter the piercing and cause damage and trauma.
Silver - Never use any jewelry made of Silver. This will lead to silver poisoning.
For more detailed information on what Jewelry to buy, go to my blog, Post Healing Jewelry Guide
Procedure:
I always do the piercing Freehand with a Needle-Receiving Tube. I was trained to use forceps, but I have found that they tend to increase the likelihood of the piercing being crooked because they alter the shape of the anatomy. Several piercers utilize specialized forceps with a tube on each side. I have always felt that they would have the same issues as standard forceps.
The Procedure:
Consultation and paperwork.
Evaluating the piercee's anatomy to ensure that the piercing can be done safely and to size the jewelry.
Setup
Disinfecting the piercing area with a surgical scrub
Recline the piercee with their head tilted over the edge.
Marking the piercing
Place the needle receiving tube on the exit point of the piercing.
Lining up the needle and distract the piercee.
Injecting the piercing needle through the piercing area and into the needle receiving tube
Insert and close the jewelry.
If done with a Circular Barbell or Septum Retainer, I will check to make sure the jewelry can be flipped up. If not, I will adjust the jewelry so that it can be done easily.
Stop any bleeding and clean the piercing area.
Hassles and Aftercare:
Although they heal relatively quickly, healing within two to three months, during the first couple of weeks, they are prone to discoloration, redness, tenderness to the touch, bleeding, and swelling.
Basic aftercare will involve using a Sterile Saline Spray twice daily. The Axiom stocks, and I suggest Neilmed's Piercing Aftercare. This comes out in a fine mist and will not require additional items or steps. Just spray each side of the piercing. This is to loosen and remove the hardened discharge or "crusties",
If the piercing seems to have shifted or seems crooked, gentle pressure in the direction that would correct this or make it seem more straight should be done during the healing period a few times a day. There shouldn’t be pain, and make sure to wash your hands before you start.
If you experience itching, a way to relieve it is to cup some water in your hands, submerge your nose, and blow bubbles through your nose. This will stimulate the area and hopefully satisfy the need to scratch.
Pain:
I’ve heard mixed results from clients over the years, from it being the most painful piercing they have ever experienced to stating they didn’t feel the piercing beyond pressure and a pinch. You may experience throbbing and aching for about 20 to 30 minutes after the piercing is done. Then there will be tenderness to the touch for about 2 weeks.
Risks & Concerns:
The area is rich in blood and is not prone to infection or other problems. However, the piercings need to be taken care of during the healing period. Sleeping on the piercing or piercings should be avoided, as well as any other stress on the area.
Conclusion:
If your employment doesn’t allow visible piercings and you want one, it’s easy to hide a Septum piercing during the work week and then flip it down and show it off to the world on the weekend. Everyone’s anatomy is different and never completely straight. Therefore, you should understand that the piercing may appear slightly crooked when viewed up close. At arm's length, it will seem perfectly straight. This might have more to do with the shape of your face than the skill of the one who did the piercing.
