Septum Piercing – Pain, Jewelry, Pictures, Dangers and Aftercare

Want to go for a Nasal Septum Piercing? Read on to know how to go for a safe Septum Piercing before you actually go out to have one.

What is a Septum Piercing?

Picture 1 – Septum Piercing Picture
Source – pierceoff.com.au

Septum Piercing is the act of making an incision in the cartilage wall between the two nostrils. The word ‘Septum’ refers to a partition between two cavities or tissues. Nasal Septum is the cartilaginous wall that divides two nostrils. Septum Piercing is less common than nostril piercing.

Septum Piercing Location

In case of a Septum Piercing a small incision is made between the cartilage and the ‘sweet spot’ or bottom of the nose. It is usually pierced very close to the tip of the septum. Incision is very rarely carried out in the central part of the septum.

Septum Piercing Placement

The process involves passing a needle through the ‘Nasal Septum’ or ‘middle of the nose’.

Septum Piercing History

Septum Piercing has been enjoying great popularity since ancient days. Members of the old Mayan, Aztec and Inca civilizations were very fond of body piercing and septum piercing was particularly very common. A pierced septum with large pieces of jewelry inserted through it gave the face a fierce appearance. This was just the effect needed to scare enemies.

In later days, it was practiced by many North American tribes. The practice is still very popular in parts of countries like India, Tibet and Nepal.

Septum Piercing Procedure

Piercing septum involves making an incision at the base of the medial nasal wall with a sharp needle. In Septum Piercing needles are properly sterilized to avoid any infection. In some cases, disinfected clamps are also used to hold the sternum steady.

Septum Piercing is usually made at a 1.6 mm gauge. In people wanting to create a larger gauge piercing, Septum Piercing sizes are increased so that the incision can admit larger jewelry items. Scalpel or Dermal Punches may be needed in such cases.

Septum Piercing Jewelry Size

Picture 2 – Septum Piercing Photo
Source – amazonaws

Septum Piercing Jewelry items are usually circular barbells, captive bead rings and septum retainers. Once an incision is made, these are passed through the piercing to hide it completely. These jewelries can come in all kinds of sizes. 1.6 mm (14 ga) is considered to be the minimum size and the upper limit ends at 1 inch.

When bigger jewelries are used, a “bullet plug” or “septum keeper” can be used for support and added comfort to the septum.

Septum Piercing Information

Septum Piercing should generally be carried out in a professional piercing studio. An appointment needs to be fixed with such studios. Prior to piercing, clients have to sign a consent form.

Before the process is carried out, clients are shown an indicator strip that shows the clamps and needles are properly sterilized. If you are not shown it, insist on seeing it.

Septum Piercings begin with cleaning the nose properly. A professional cleans the nose using a strong antiseptic. The septum is clamped after that. The sweet spot is pierced with a needle. The clamp is removed and a piece of jewelry is pushed through the pierced spot. Any trace of blood is cleaned and the ball is threaded onto the jewelry.

The process is a bit painful but in expert hands, it gets over in about a minute or two.

Septum Piercing Healing Time

Following a Septum Piercing session, the entire nose remains tender for nearly 2 to 3 weeks. A minor brush to the nose can be hurtful. People with a pierced septum need to remain careful for about a month. Once you have your septum pierced complete healing can take about 6 to 8 months. But you may go easy after a month. Septum Piercing pain generally goes away after 3 weeks.

Septum Piercing Aftercare

After a Septum Piercing, you will notice a buildup of white secretion around the septum ring. There is nothing to be scared about as this is only a natural bodily reaction against piercing. However a secretion of yellow or green color may indicate an infection. In some cases, there may also be a lump and pus in the septum. In case of a Septum Piercing infection, it is best to seek immediate medical assistance.

Picture 3 – Picture of Septum Piercing
Source – blog.cz

If there is an infection, you should ideally leave the jewelry in the septum. This will keep the hole open and allow drainage of infection. Removing the jewelry may result in a closure of the hole and formation of an abscess.

In normal circumstances, it is best to clean the septum at home only with salt water. Add a pinch of sea salt into a glass of water. Soak a cotton ball with a little of this solution and press it to the septum. Throw it away, soak another one and repeat the process. Do this for 5-6 minutes daily for two times with all jewelries removed from your nose. Wash your hand thoroughly after the Septum Piercing care session.

Septum Piercing Swelling

In the absence of proper cleaning, there may be cases of Septum Piercing swelling. While Septum Piercing bumps are normal for the first two weeks, avoiding cleaning can make it last for several months. In case of normal swelling, anti-inflammatory drugs can be taken to get relief.

Ways of Septum Piercing Recovery

Septum Piercing recovery can be faster with several lifestyle modifications. These include:

Avoiding Alcohol

Alcohol can promote inflammation in people with septum piercing. It is best to avoid alcohol based drinks or at least keep it to a minimum for a speedier recovery. Avoiding use of facial care products containing alcohol can also be of help.

Cleaning

As aforesaid, proper cleaning can help your chances of speedier healing. Leaving the just pierced septum dirty can lead to infections which can be very discomforting and painful.

Septum Piercing Dangers

Any kind of body piercing can be dangerous and the same holds true for Septum Piercing. Disinfected and unsterilized needles can give rise to serious diseases like AIDS and Hepatitis. Infections in the septum are also quite common.

If the soft tissue within the septum is punctured in some way, there may be an obstruction in the blood capillaries. It can lead to buildup of fluid and blood in the area. There may also be other complications like Nasal Septum Hematoma which can result in nasal congestion and breathing impairment in serious cases. In extreme conditions, a part of the nose may get damaged causing a facial deformity known as “saddle nose”.

Septum Piercing Pictures

Want to know how a pierced Septum looks like? Check out these Septum Piercing diagrams. These Septum Piercing images will give you an idea how the nose appears after incision at the medial nasal wall.

Picture 4 – Septum Piercing Image
Source – microdermalpiercing

Picture 5 – Septum Piercing
Source – blogspot

If you are going for a Septum Piercing, make sure that you do it from a professional studio. Piercing by expert hands can result in minimum pain and reduce chances of infection. Maintaining proper safety is necessary when you are trying something that involves your body and health.

Septum Piercing Video

Check out this video before getting your piercing done.

References:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nose_piercing#Septum_piercing

http://www.wikihow.com/Get-a-Septum-%28Nose-Cartilage-Wall%29-Piercing

http://wiki.bmezine.com/index.php/Septum_Piercing

http://www.livestrong.com/article/123509-nose-piercings-healing-information/

http://www.painfulpleasures.com/piercing_history.htm

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-septum-piercing.htm