Are you looking for a cool way to up your facial piercings game? A septum piercing is worth considering! It’s famous, stylish, and has an edgy aura. This piercing will always grace the faces of more and more men and women.
We’re exploring the septum piercing in this post — what it’s like, why it’s cool, and everything in between!
If that sounds like something you’ll like, keep reading.
Fast facts about septum piercings
| Placement | Pain level | Cost | Healing time | Jewelry options | Aftercare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goes through the thin wall that separates the nostrils | 4 out of 10 | $25 - $100 | Two to three months for most, six to eight months for a few | Circular barbells, septum clickers, captive bead rings | Apply saline solution twice every day and refrain from unnecessary touching. Keep soap and skincare products away from the pierced area. |
What is a septum piercing?
A septum piercing is a nose piercing that sits on the septum — the thin wall separating the nostrils. It goes through the soft flesh in that thin wall, called the “sweet spot.”
Who should pierce their septum?
Anyone can pierce their septum as long as they like the piercing and want to stand out.
However, some people do not have a “sweet spot,” so getting a septum piercing may be risky. Some piercers will not perform one on people without a sweet spot.
How is a septum piercing done?
In a word, carefully.
A professional piercer will start by cleaning the piercing site (the septum and surrounding areas) with saline solution. Then, they’ll mark and show you the piercing spot to confirm the placement.
To find your sweet spot, the piercer will insert his/her finger into your nostrils and locate the fleshy part of the septum. Once found, they’ll hold the septum with forceps and insert a cannula needle through the sweet spot. They’ll then fix the jewelry and clean up the piercing site, and you’ll be good to go!
How much does a septum piercing hurt?
This could vary from person to person, but it’s usually a 4 out of 10. Septum piercings don’t hurt as much as they seem. They appear to go through the cartilage (which would be painful), but they go through the fleshy part of the septum. Only a quack piercer would pierce the septum cartilage.
Septum piercing cost
Expect to pay between $25 and $100 for a septum piercing, depending on your location and the piercer’s expertise. It’s best to visit the most experienced piercer, even if they charge more. At least, you’ll have lower chances of complications.
How long does a septum piercing take to heal?
A septum piercing takes two to three months to heal, provided it was pierced correctly. Other factors, like the body’s natural healing rate and aftercare practices, can affect the piercing’s healing time.
A septum piercing heals through these three stages:
- Swelling stage: During this stage, your piercing tries to heal and close up like a normal wound. It notices the new barrier — your piercing jewelry — and swells up, trying to push it out. All these happen in the first few weeks. You’ll notice that the piercing site feels sore, tender, and warm.
- Recovery/healing stage: The swelling reduces as the skin around the piercing adapts and forms scar tissue. This healing stage takes one or two months.
- Final healing stage: Here, the piercing becomes fully healed. The tissue around it thickens well, and you can change the piercing jewelry without fearing it’ll close up in a few hours. Septum piercings take about three months to get to this stage
Jewelry material used for septum piercings
You can’t wear just anything on a septum piercing; you need a safe metal. Here are your best bets.
1. Surgical stainless steel
Stainless steel is great for septum piercings because it is hypoallergenic. That means it’s less likely to cause allergies and irritation. You’ll find different nose rings and septum clickers made from stainless steel.
2. Implant grade titanium
Titanium is also hypoallergenic and skin-friendly. It is also lightweight, so it won’t pull on your piercing. There are different grades of titanium, but the best one for a septum piercing is implant-grade titanium.
You should patronize only reliable body jewelry manufacturers to ensure you’re getting the quality you desire. Whether you’re buying from a company or vendor, ensure it’s a trustable plug. Remember, cheap jewelry can ruin your septum piercing and cause complications.
3. Niobium
If you have specific options for metal materials, you may also want to consider niobium. Because its cost is lower than titanium and it rarely causes adverse reactions, it is also one of the safe materials.
4. Solid 14-karat or higher gold
If you are considering getting a septum piercing made of gold, it is important to choose a piece that is made of 14-karat gold or higher. The color of the gold can be yellow, white, or rose, but it must be solid gold and not gold-plated or gold-filled. The latter types of gold contain alloys such as nickel and the plating may peel off. It is worth noting that solid gold piercings are more expensive than other metals.
Types of septum piercing jewelry
Now, let’s talk about jewelry options for septum piercings. Septum piercings are pretty versatile, allowing you to wear any of these jewelry types.
1. Circular barbells
Specifically, circular barbells or horseshoes. Circular barbells slide perfectly into septum piercings because of their curved shape. They’re like an open ring, with a ball on each end. You can choose rings featuring beautiful decorations, including prong-set genuine diamonds or intricate beaded details.
Circular barbells are the perfect jewelry to hide your septum piercing. If you flip up the jewelry (that is, turn the barbell ends inwards into your nostrils), you can temporarily conceal your septum piercing.
2. Captive bead rings
Captive bead rings are great if you want a bold piercing. They feature a bead (sometimes, pearl) that stands out on your piercing. One nice thing about captive bead rings is their versatility. There are different styles and designs to choose from.
3. Septum clickers
Septum clickers have a hinged closure that allows you to “lock” them after wearing them. They are easy to wear and don’t fall out easily. They also come in different designs, from simple clickers to flashy styles with gems and chains.
4. Seamless rings
Gold seamless rings are popular for a more delicate appearance. If you like a subtle style, pick a hoop without any seams that will rest smoothly against your septum, giving you a cute and edgy look.
5. Crescent Pinchers
This design is for people with bigger septum piercings or those who want to stretch their septum. The crescent shape is held in place on each side by an O-ring.
6. Septum Retainers
Septum retainers are an excellent choice when you want to stay low-key. This jewelry keeps your piercing open while reducing attention.
7. Fake Septum Piercing
Here’s a little secret: you can wear a septum piercing without getting a septum piercing. The key is to wear a faux septum hoop, ring, or clip. It doesn’t go through any hole in your septum; you simply clip it on the spot.
These innovative faux pieces allow you to rock a septum piercing without going through the pain or healing process. On the flip side, fake septum jewelry may become uncomfortable over time.
The special aspect of a septum piercing is to stretch it. If you want to stretch your piercing, a skilled piercer can help you.
What gauge is a septum piercing?
Septum piercing jewelry is usually 16-gauge. However, some people may opt for 14-gauge or 18-gauge, depending on if they want a small or big septum ring (as long as their anatomy can take it).
Septum piercing aftercare
Your piercing journey doesn’t end when you slot in a septum nose ring. You must care for the piercing while it heals. That includes practicing these crucial tips:
- Keep your hands away from the piercing; don’t fiddle it.
- Wash your hands thoroughly whenever you need to touch your nose.
- Keep products like makeup and body spray away from the piercing.
- Don’t apply hydrogen peroxide, strong soaps, or alcohol-based products on the piercing site.
- Don’t remove the initial jewelry before the piercing heals. The American Academy of Dermatology advises leaving the jewelry in for at least six weeks.
- Eat good food and get enough rest so your body stays healthy and heals faster.
- Gently clean your nose using a gauze pad soaked in saline solution daily, then pat the area dry with a fresh paper towel.
- Avoid exposing your healing nose to potentially dirty water. This includes staying away from swimming pools, lakes, rivers, and hot tubs.
How to clean a septum piercing?
Like any piercing, it’s crucial to establish a daily cleaning routine that you’ll follow several times a day during the healing period.
How you clean your septum piercing depends on whether it’s new or fully healed. Here’s what we mean.
1. Before healed
You should clean a septum piercing twice or thrice daily for the first few weeks (while it’s still healing). Now, you can’t remove your piercing jewelry to clean it because it hasn’t healed. So here’s what you do instead:
- Soak a cotton ball in saline solution and place it on the piercing site for about 30 seconds.
- Dispose of the cotton ball and use another soaked in saline solution.
- Do this for about four minutes.
- If you find crusts around the piercing (common for healing piercings), use a cotton ball soaked in warm water to soften and remove the crusts.
- Dry the piercing site with a paper napkin.
2. After healed
You need to clean your septum piercing even after it has healed, only this time, less frequently. Follow these steps:
- Wash your hands thoroughly
- Remove the septum jewelry and wash it using soap and lukewarm water.
- Leave it to dry completely.
- Clean the piercing site with muslin and warm water.
- Dry it with a clean napkin and wear the jewelry back.
3. When can I stop cleaning my septum piercing?
You have to continue cleaning your septum piercing for as long as you have it. However, you can stop cleaning it daily with saline solution after two to three months (when it has healed). After healing, clean your piercing about once a week with ordinary water.
Septum piercing risks
Like all piercings, septum piercings have risks. Here are some of them.
1. Infection
A septum piercing can become infected when you touch it with dirty hands or refuse to clean it. Infections make the piercing painful, sore, red, smelly, and pus-filled.
You may also feel sick. If you experience these symptoms, there’s a problem — you probably have an infected septum piercing.
2. Migration, Rejection, and Embedding
Migration occurs when the piercing shifts from its original placement. Rejection is when the skin pushes out the jewelry completely. Sometimes, the skin grows over the piercing; this is called embedding.
All three are possible complications with septum piercings. They can be annoying, painful, or leave an undesirable scar. If your septum piercing rejects, remove the jewelry and visit your piercer (or doctor) as soon as possible.
3. Allergies
This happens when you use low-quality jewelry. It can irritate your piercing and cause reactions like itchiness, redness, and bumps. That’s another reason to buy high-quality jewelry from a trusted manufacturer.
4. Septal Hematoma
Septal hematoma is a rare condition in which blood accumulates in the septum, causing pain, swelling, nasal congestion, and if prolonged, deformity (a hole in the septum). It can happen if a piercer punctures a vessel around the nose cartilage instead of the “sweet spot.”
Damaging a vessel in your septum can affect your sinuses and also cause septal hematoma, but it rarely happens.
How to change your septum piercing jewelry
You can always revisit your piercer to change your septum piercing after it has healed. But if, for some reason, you decide to do it yourself, here’s what to do:
- Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.
- Turn the ball(s) on the present jewelry clockwise to loosen it.
- Gently remove the jewelry from your septum.
- Remove the ball from the new jewelry and gently slot it in your piercing hole.
- Twist on the ball(s) to lock it in. If it’s a nose clicker, use the hinged segment to secure it.
- Spray or apply saline solution to clean the piercing.
What to avoid with your septum piercing?
Avoid harsh soaps, hydrogen peroxide, and alcohol-containing products to ensure a smooth healing process. Also, keep foundation, powder, body spray, and hair spray away from your septum piercing.
The only cleaning solution needed is a non-iodized sea salt solution.
My septum piercing experience
The septum was my second nose piercing; I had a left nostril piercing earlier. It hurt less than my nostril piercing, and I liked that. My piercer said it would have hurt more if he hadn’t found my “sweet spot,” so I’m grateful he did.
Healing wasn’t much of a big deal apart from the annoying crusts I found on my nose almost daily. I had to take more time to clean my piercing daily, which I honestly didn’t enjoy.
Because I adhered strictly to aftercare do’s and don’ts, I didn’t experience complications with my septum piercing. It healed within three months, and I changed it to a septum clicker.
I recently went back to wearing a circular barbell, and I’d say it’s my best jewelry for septum piercings! It’s easy to hide and doesn’t fall off easily. I get many compliments on my septum piercing, and I still love it!
Best place to buy septum jewelry
Getting a reliable jewelry manufacturer might feel like a maze, but fortunately, you’re in the right spot today.
At Body Jewelry Supermarkets, we specialize in curating bespoke and private-label jewelry designs. We equip wholesalers, retailers, or branding startups for piercing jewelry with all they need to get started.
Whether you’re going small-scale or big with bulk orders, we’re ready to work with you. Send us your jewelry design, and let’s get started!
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Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some common questions about septum piercings.
A septum piercing may smell due to a buildup of oils and dead cells — this is normal. But if it smells really bad and you experience other symptoms like soreness and fever, the piercing could be infected.
You can avoid this by practicing proper aftercare and using good-quality jewelry.
No, septum piercings cannot affect your sense of smell. The septum contains only a few nerve endings, too few to affect this sense.
A septum piercing goes through the thin wall between the nostrils, while the nostril piercing goes through the “roof” of the nostrils.
Yes, you can stretch your septum piercing. But it’s best to visit a piercer for this process.
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