Look for rings that are 14K gold or titanium to avoid skin irritation. If these are not available to you, surgical steel also works. After the piercing has healed, you can use jewelry made of other materials. Make sure the jewelry is sterilized and individually packaged. Do not take the jewelry out of its packaging or touch it with your bare hands. Always wear disposable gloves when handling your jewelry. Making sure that your jewelry is sterile and free of bacteria is extremely important to prevent infections later.
If you are using your bathroom, don’t use the bathroom until you’ve completed the piercing. If you do, you’ll introduce bacteria into the room and have to clean everything all over again. If you have opened sterilized equipment, it will have to be thrown out since you likely don’t have the means to sterilize it again. In bathrooms, close the lid of the toilet and empty the trash. If there’s a cat litter box in the bathroom, move it to another area before you start.
Wash your hands and arms down to the elbows before putting on your gloves. Do not wear loose-fitting clothing that could brush up against your arms or hands.
Organize your supplies on the counter in the order you’re going to use them to avoid having to touch anything more than once. You might also want to have a small bag or dish on hand to dispose of used supplies when you’re done.
Your trim doesn’t need to be perfect, but you do want to make sure there aren’t any nasal hairs that might impede or contaminate the piercing.
Once you’ve cleaned each nostril, get another clean cotton swab and clean the outside of your nose and anywhere your fingers might be touching as you pierce your septum.
It’s easier to find the columella if you pull the fleshy part down a bit. However, not everyone has a columella. If you have a deviated septum or asymmetrical nose, you may not have an appropriate place for a septum piercing. If you don’t find your columella, you run the risk of trying to pierce through cartilage or through the fatty tissue at the end of your nose. Either of these will hurt a lot. Feel for a spot where you feel almost nothing between your two fingers in either nostril. You shouldn’t feel any pain, only perhaps a slight pressure, when you press your fingers together.
Draw a line across the bottom of your septum with your surgical marker, in line with the spot to be pierced. This will help you keep the piercing straight. [4] X Research source
Look in the mirror closely to line up your clamps. Keep in mind this will require you to get perhaps uncomfortably familiar with the inside of your nose.
If the clamps feel too tight, you can always opt to hold them in place while you do your piercing. Just make sure you don’t let go of them.
Pull down to avoid poking the nostril on the other side. If you’ve aimed correctly, you likely won’t feel much pain. You might feel a pinch. However, your eyes will probably water. Try to keep the fluid from your eyes from dropping onto your gloved fingers.
Once you’ve pulled the needle out, secure your jewelry. If it has balls on the end, you’ll need to screw those on. At this point, you’ve successfully pierced your septum!
Make sure you cover the area so it goes into the piercing. Apply the mixture to your piercing on an exhale to avoid inhaling saltwater. Do not mix a stronger solution. It won’t be any more effective and may dry out your skin. You can also flush out your piercing in the shower by cupping some hot water in your hands and blowing bubbles with it in your nose. Do that for about 15 seconds to flush your nose out really thoroughly.
Use an aftercare spray in addition to the sea salt and water treatment.
With some piercings, you’re advised to rotate them daily. However, this is not advised with septum piercings. Don’t rotate your jewelry. Leave it alone and don’t touch it at all with unwashed hands. Try not to touch your piercing too much if you can help it. Make sure that your fingers are staying away from it, there’s no makeup getting on it, and that your glasses aren’t bumping into it. Your piercing needs to be left alone![12] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source
After 2 weeks, it’s okay to take baths or sit in a hot tub. However, you should still avoid submerging your head. If you do, cover your piercing with a waterproof wound-sealant bandage. You can find these online or at drug stores.
Use the time to shop for jewelry you might like for different moods. Once your piercing has healed, you can change your jewelry whenever you want.
Swelling and inflammation for a few days after the piercing is totally normal. However, if your symptoms don’t improve or get worse, your piercing may be infected. If you start running a fever, seek medical attention immediately. You may need an antibiotic to clear the infection. Do not remove your jewelry if you suspect your piercing site is infected. The hole may close up and leave no way for the infection to drain.
