A septum piercing is the second most popular piercing after the ear piercing, especially among the primeval tribes. This type of piercing can be traced back to the 16th century among the native American Indians, Indians, Africans, and Bengalis. To this day, septum piercing is quite common, especially among millennials.
If you want to have your septum pierced, you’ll find this guide to septum piercing quite useful.
What Is a Septum Piercing?
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A septum piercing is the type of piercing that perforates the cartilage wall that separates your nostrils. It’s normally pierced using a ring that looks like a horseshoe or a hoop. A septum piercing shouldn’t be confused with the traditional nose piercing that goes through the side of one of your nostrils.
A septum piercing gives you a bolder appearance than a nose piercing because the ring sits at the base of the cartilage dividing your nostrils. That’s why everyone is fascinated by the images of traditional septum-pierced tribesmen. The piercing makes them appear iconic in many ways.
What Does a Septum Piercing Symbolize?
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Traditionally, many tribesmen got a septum piercing as a sign of strength and courage. This piercing also represented hunters, warriors, medicine men, and leaders. It was also common among the Mesoamerican tribes in Mexico, Peru, Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica.
Men from these tribes wore septum rings to show their physical prowess. Their warriors wore them to make themselves appear more intimidating.
In other parts of the world like Bengali, a septum piercing and other nose embellishments symbolized marital status, especially among women. Today, people are getting a septum piercing as a way of making a bold fashion statement.
It has also become the domain of punk rockers and rebellious teenagers who believe that it separates them from non-millennials. Many young people believe that a septum piercing is a new frontier they have to conquer and claim as their own.
While the 90s teenagers made statements with belly-button and tongue piercings, millennials are breaking new ground with septum piercings. They see it as self-expression. Some use it to show their desire to have the freedom to do what they want with their bodies and be different.
How Much Is a Septum Piercing?
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One of the most common questions that everyone looking to have a septum piercing asks is: How much does it cost? This is a genuine concern because not very many people dare to get a septum piercing. So, many people aren’t aware of its cost. Also, many beauty salons and tattoo parlors that offer this type of piercing aren’t straightforward with their prices.
Sometimes it’s difficult to know the exact type of septum ring to wear until you try several of them at the salon to see which one gives you your preferred look. Unfortunately, different types of septum rings cost differently.
For instance, you may think a stainless steel septum ring will give you a bold look, but when you try it on you realize it’s not the right one for you, so you end up getting something different and costlier.
Therefore, you’ll need to be aware of all the factors that determine the final cost of a septum piercing. You also need to understand that the cost of your septum piercing depends on the piercing process employed and the piercing salon you go to.
The experience of the piercing expert also determines the overall, cost of the piercing. So, if you choose a piercing studio with highly experienced experts who have been in the industry for decades, expect to pay more than when you go to a studio with less experienced experts.
An experienced piercing expert gives you some level of assurance and peace of mind knowing that you are less likely to develop complications. This means that the septum piercing expert is likely to have a busy schedule because of the high number of clients streaming into their salon every day. Therefore, their prices are going to be higher than salons with less traffic.
The location of your preferred piercing studio will also determine the cost of the piercing. If the studio is located in a densely populated area, it’s likely to have more traffic. The busier a piercing studio is the higher its prices.
However, the average cost of getting a septum piercing is between $40 and $90. This price range is usually inclusive of the jewelry. You also need to factor in the tip you’re expected to give to the piercing experts after the service. Although a tip is not mandatory, it’s considered to be a sign of satisfaction.
Remember that the piercing salon strives to offer high-quality services, so leaving them a tip shows that you are satisfied with their service. The cost of your septum piercing will also go up if you make extra purchases at the piercing studio.
For instance, you may be required to buy some aftercare products to prevent the piercing from developing infections. This will push the overall cost of the piercing higher.
How Bad Does a Septum Piercing Hurt?
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You’ll experience pain, especially as the needled goes through the skin and the cartilage. The piercing goes through the anterior part of your septum known as the “sweet spot”. The amount of pain and discomfort you’ll feel depends on the position of the piercing and your pain IQ tolerance.
This piercing can be quite painful, especially when the septum has deviated. This will feel like a strong prick, sting, or pinch. Also, note that there are more nerve endings on the outside of your nose than on the inside. So, your nasal septum has a lot of nerve endings.
That’s why your septum piercing is likely to hurt more than an ear piercing. Many piercing experts agree that, on a scale of one to ten, the pain of a septum piercing is between four and five.
However, the latest technologies in the piercing industry have made it possible for piercing experts to pierce the “sweet spot” in your septum, which is the membrane skin at the base of your septum. Therefore, they won’t pierce the cartilage, which has more nerve endings.
How Long Does It Take for a Septum Piercing to Heal?
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Before you go for a septum piercing, you need to know how long it will take for your septum to heal completely. You also need to understand the important aftercare steps to take to accelerate the healing process.
Under normal circumstances, a septum piercing should heal in two or three months. But sometimes it can take longer than six months because of several factors.
Since the piercing damages just a small amount of tissue, it shouldn’t take long for the damaged area to be reconstructed fully through natural healing. However, the piercing technique used will determine how quickly and successfully your wound will heal.
Therefore, choose a well-established and reliable piercing studio with experienced piercers to avoid complications during the healing process.
If everything goes well, your wound should be completely healed by the end of the second month. But make sure you adhere to the aftercare instructions provided by your piercing expert. For instance, you need to keep the area clean to avoid bacterial infections.
Septum Piercing Aftercare
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As you prepare to go for a septum piercing, it’s important to go over the right septum piercing aftercare guidelines one more time. That way, you’ll be aware of what you need to do to ensure that your piercing wound heals quickly and successfully.
Although it’s good to do your independent research on how to take care of your septum piercing, most of the aftercare instructions will come from your piercing expert.
Be that as it may, you need to have a clear guide to taking care of your piercing. For instance, you need to know what to do and what not to do. Here are some effective ideas on how to take care of your septum piercing:
• Keeping the wound clean and sterilized all the time: You should clean your septum piercing regularly to avoid infections. The area is prone to various microbes that can easily cause a bacterial infection. Your piercing expert will recommend the best antiseptic products to you.
• Stay healthy: Your septum piercing wound is the same as any other wound. Therefore, its healing depends on your overall health. So, eat healthy foods, exercise regularly, get enough sleep, and stay hydrated to promote faster healing of your piercing. Avoid coming into contact with other people’s germs, minimize stress, and practice good hygiene.
• Don’t disturb your piercing: Although you have to blow your nose at some point during the healing process, try as much as possible to avoid disturbing the wound. So, blow your nose gently without squeezing your nose. Don’t reuse your handkerchief or tissue to blow your nose because it may contain germs that will infect your piercing.
• Avoid blood-thinning substances: Several days after the septum piercing, you might notice blood from the wound, especially when you blow your nose or disturb the wound. Therefore, avoid taking any blood-thinning substances like alcohol, painkillers, etc. to avoid excessive bleeding.
• Avoid soap, creams, oils, ointments, and balms: Don’t apply any of these products directly to your septum piercing because they can clog the healing fistula and trap bacteria that will cause infections.
• Don’t remove the septum ring: Even if your septum piercing feels like it’s completely healed, don’t remove the jewelry inserted during the piercing before your fistula is fully strengthened and reinforced. When you decide to get new septum jewelry, it’s good to let your piercer replace it because they have the experience and skills to do it safely.
• Avoid smoking: Cigarettes contain nicotine, which has been found to have a systemic impact on your body’s healing abilities. The best thing is to quit smoking before you get the piercing or minimize your nicotine intake.
How to Clean Septum Piercing
Start by misting around the septum piercing three to six times a day with a safe saline rinse to accelerate the healing process. Also, soak your piercing in full sea salt solution at least once per day for the first few weeks after the piercing.
Although not everyone is recommended to use antiseptic sprays on their septum piercing, you can use them to disinfect your septum wound, especially if it becomes infected.
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