Septum Piercing Information

Once only seen on punks and cartoon bulls, the septum piercing — which goes through the fleshy tissue between your nostrils — has become slightly more mainstream, partly thanks to celebs sporting them.

Pretty much, but keep in mind that all noses are different. Not everyone’s septum has a columella, which is the thin strip of fleshy tissue that sits in front of the cartilage.

Ideally, that bit of flesh is the “sweet spot” that piercers use for septum piercings. If yours is especially thin or nonexistent, a piercer

Gigi Hadid Just Got A Septum Piercing

If you’re a stickler for symmetry but have a deviated septum, your piercing won’t be centered. Not a big deal, but it can be to some.

Once you’ve chosen your body artist (aka your piercer), you’ll be asked to show your ID and fill in some paperwork, including a waiver.

Some discomfort when having a hole poked in your body’s pretty much a given. That said, septum piercings aren’t generally up there with other piercings when it comes to pain.

Septum Piercing Guide 2022

Assuming your piercer hits the sweet spot, most people describe the sensation as more “weird” or “unusual” than painful and compare it to the feeling of needing to sneeze.

The pain from the needle going into the tissue only lasts a split second. Some people find that the application of the jewelry actually hurts

If you want to keep pain a minimum, try to relax. The consensus among piercers and pierce-ees (not a word, but you get the gist) is that being tense seems to increase pain.

Are Septum Piercings Painful: Your Septum Piercing Guide, 55% Off

You can expect some mild tenderness at the tip of your nose over the first week or so, but nothing major. More than that could be a sign of an infection or other complication.

Surgical stainless steel is durable, nonporous, and non-absorbable, and has a low rate of nickel release. So, though it contains some nickel, the way it’s processed makes it safe even for people with a nickel allergy.

That said, SSS could cause a reaction in someone with a very severe nickel allergy, in which case titanium would be the way to go.

Septum Piercings Are Back

Piercers often recommend it, especially for initial piercings, because it’s completely hypoallergenic and safe for everyone. It’s the best choice for people with a severe nickel allergy.

The key differences are that it doesn’t have the implant-grade designation, meaning it’s not been approved for surgical implantation, which isn’t a huge deal in this case. It’s also heavier than titanium.

It can be yellow, white, or rose gold — just be sure that it’s solid as opposed to gold-plated or gold-filled. Not only do these contain alloys, including nickel, but the plating can also peel off over time.

Celestial Aura Septum Piercing — Inchoo Bijoux

Once you’re fully healed, you can take your pick of all the cool jewelry out there. Before that, though, you’ll have to keep the initial piercing, which is usually a 14- or 16-gauge ring or circular barbell or horseshoe.

Talk to your piercer about the options available and any concerns you have, since some styles may be better suited to your situation than others. For instance, if you want to be able to hide your piercing while you’re at work, the horseshoe shape works best.

Your piercer will provide you with specific aftercare instructions to follow, but here are a few major do’s and don’ts to keep in mind:

Jewelry That Adds Face Value

A septum piercing does most of its healing in 2 or 3 months, though it can take as long as 6 to 8 months to heal completely for some people.

Unless you have a problem with the jewelry, leave it in for the entire healing period. If you need to change it for some reason during the healing period, a piercer should perform the jewelry change.

Unless you have signs of an infection, the stink is most likely due to an accumulation of oils and dead skin cells around the jewelry. The fact that it’s right under your nose only makes it more noticeable.

Septum Piercings: The Ultimate Guide

Waiting until it heals and changing the style of the jewelry is preferable. If you’re absolutely positive you don’t want it anymore, you can just remove it or have your piercer do it for you.

Keep in mind that if you remove it during the healing period, you’ll still need to continue keep up with your aftercare routine until it’s totally closed

Adrienne Santos-Longhurst is a Canada-based freelance writer and author who has written extensively on all things health and lifestyle for more than a decade. When she’s not holed-up in her writing shed researching an article or off interviewing health professionals, she can be found frolicking around her beach town with husband and dogs in tow or splashing about the lake trying to master the stand-up paddle board.

The Complete Guide To Septum Piercings: Techniques, Aftercare, And Stylish Jewelry

Has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.If you could see my Instagram saved collection rn, you’d probably think I have a weird obsession with noses. And it’s not

True, considering I’ve wanted a septum piercing (aka that sliver of skin between your left and right nostrils) since, like, the seventh grade. And I’m not the only one into them either—celebs like Zoë Kravitz and Zendaya continue to prove just how cool and wearable septum rings really are. That’s why I went ahead and found everything there is to know about septum piercings (yes, including how painful they are), ahead. Good luck getting through this without booking an appointment with a piercer.

It’s the question everyone asks before they get a new piercing: How bad is this going to hurt? It’s important to remember that pain is totally personal and no two people (or noses) are going to experience the same level of discomfort. Generally speaking, though, septum piercings are definitely a step up from your earlobes but are by no means excruciating (think: your eyes will water and you’ll

Septum Piercings 101: Cost, Pain Level, Healing, & More

Want to squeeze a friend’s hand). That’s because your piercer doesn’t actually slide the needle through your nose cartilage (which would seriously hurt) but instead aims for your “sweet spot, ” aka the soft and flexible area of skin that sits toward the tip of your nostril.

Other than the first initial days—during which your septum piercing will probably feel a little tender—you shouldn’t expect any major pain or discomfort during the healing process (which, BTW, can take anywhere from six weeks to three months). As long as you keep it nice and clean (more on that later) and away from your hands, you’ll honestly forget it’s there.

As with any piercing, it’s super important to make sure you’re getting pierced at a clean studio with a licensed professional (i.e., you want to go to someone who really knows what they’re doing). Taking care of your septum piercing during the healing process is a nonnegotiable too—you’ll want to clean it with a saline spray twice a day to ward off an infection or prolonged healing time. So before you book that appointment, make sure you stock up on your care supplies:

Nose Piercing 101: What You Need To Know For A Stylish And Safe Experi

It’s no secret that one of the reasons people love septum rings so much is that they’re super easy to conceal (ever wonder why/how so many celebs pull them off?). Even though you can definitely flip up your septum ring after it’s healed, it’s best to leave it completely alone throughout the entirety of the healing process (which, again, can last for many months). The more you touch and mess with your piercing, the longer it’s going to take to heal (and the higher chance you’ll end up introducing some bacteria in there). Golden rule: Leave your new piercing TF alone.

Even though you’re obsessed with that sweet and delicate septum chain you saw on Instagram, know that you’ll probably have to wait until your piercing is healed before you can try it, since most piercers will use a simple 16-gauge ring or barbell for the initial installation. As soon as your piercing is healed, prepare to load up on these crazy-pretty jewelry options:

Why TF not?! As long as you’re prepared to go to a legit piercing studio and take great care of it throughout the healing process, you should definitely consider getting your septum pierced. It

Silver Septum Ring Septum Jewelry Septum Piercing Statement

Ruby was the beauty editor at , where she covered beauty across print and digital. Her work has appeared on The Zoe Report, Fashionista, and StyleCaster. Follow her on Instagram.

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