Septum Piercing: Everything You Need to Know About the Piercing
Septum piercing is not a modern fad since it has been around for a long while, probably since the Iron Age. There have been various examples of statues and other carved images that indicate the historical authenticity of septum piercing. It is not a new discovery or a new fad, but one that has been around for a long time now. But of late, septum piercing has taken on a whole new level with many people piercing their septum due to trending popularity. Thus, the rise of septum piercings has gone up exponentially well. Let's take a closer look at the process and the resulting infections from septum piercings in this article.
The process of septum piercing
A septum piercing process can be quite scary for those getting their septum pierced for the first time. This is why you need to ask around for the perfect place to get it pierced and ensure that it is clean, hygienic, and healthy.
The process itself is quite simple. First, they are going to pierce a hole depending on the size of the bling you plan to sport on, and yes, you will experience some pain. However, given its location, the pain should go away in time and you should be back to normal soon enough.
Make sure that all piercing tools are clean and disinfected. There have been verifiable reports of people getting infected because of reusing the tools without proper sanitization. Hence, you have to double-check, or even triple-check to make sure that all of the tools for piercing are indeed sterilized.
Do a careful review of the place before going through the piercing. You certainly do not want to end up with a bad infection on account of a mangled job.
Avoid touching the pierced area once the process is done and the new ring inserted. You need to leave it alone until it is completely healed, which can vary from one individual to another. It is best to keep your hands away from your nose since you can end up infecting your septum and nasal passage. That is why you need to do careful research before you get your septum pierced.
Once it is completely healed, you can go in for a check-up to see if everything is all right and that there are no infections you may have gotten as a result of the piercing.
Septum piercing infection
If your septum has not been pierced the right way or if the job was mangled, then it is likely that you could develop an infection. For this reason, you may want to pay attention to some signs of infection and take adequate care and treatment for the same at the earliest. Remember that it can take for as long as 4-12 weeks before the piercing is totally healed. The healing process also depends on each individual.
The following are some of the early signs of infection due to septum piercing:
- Redness around the affected area
- Discharge and pus
- Soreness and tenderness around the affected area
- Persistent bleeding
- Inflammation
- Swollen and painful septum
- Crusting
- Allergic reaction
Remember that in most cases, the infection would only be mild. However, it has been known to become worse all of a sudden, especially if left untreated. An infected septum will only result in severe health problems, so make sure that you are able to get the medical attention you need as soon as the infection begins. Make a point of checking your septum in the mirror, and if the infection does not look like it is clearing up on its own, then you need to get it checked by a doctor right away for it could lead to something more serious.
Treatment and aftercare
There are various home remedies and over-the-counter medications that you can opt for in case your septum is infected. Here are a few methods that you may want to check out:
1) Try a sea salt soak
Just take a glass of warm water and add sea salt to it. Wait for it to cool down a bit and once it cools down, soak a clean cotton swab into the sea salt mixture and apply it to the infected area. Apply it gently in circling movements so that the infection would be cleaned up as effectively as possible.
2) Piercing solution
More often than not, you would be provided with a piercing solution after getting your septum pierced. Hence, make sure that you use the provided solution in the affected area and then clean it up later with a cotton swab.
3) Antibiotics and allergies
There are various ointments and creams that you can use on the wound for immediate relief from all the pain and discomfort. However, it is not always a good idea to self-medicate since you may be allergic to some of the medications you have purchased. Some people may develop mild to severe allergic reactions due to wrong medications. The following are some signs and symptoms of an allergic reaction due to certain medications:
- You develop a severe rash in the affected area within minutes of application.
- Your skin develops rashes and hives all over your face upon application.
- Your skin starts to swell, especially in the areas where you have applied the medication.
- Your tongue swells and then find yourself going into anaphylactic shock.
It is important that you consult a doctor right away and be totally upfront about your septum piercing and the resultant allergic reactions. The doctor can run a full panel allergy test that can help isolate the allergen. Once the full panel test is done and the allergen identified, the doctor would prescribe a suitable course of treatment for your allergic reaction.
This is why you need to take special care when getting your septum pierced. You could be doing it as a fashion statement or even as a way to fit in with the crowd. But whatever the reason may be, it is important that you seek immediate medical attention if any infection arises out from your septum piercing.
It is your responsibility to make sure that the person doing the actual piercing knows his job. Otherwise, you are going to end up with a botched job, which will only result in pain, discomfort, and infection. Thus, do some research, ask around, and even research his past customers or read his online reviews. You need to have a broader idea of all the associated risks that comes with septum piercing. Moreover, you need to be extremely careful and not choose a place just because your friend said it was fine.
It all comes down to your priorities. You need to ensure that you are getting your septum pierced for all the right reasons and nothing else. That is why it is important that you talk to others who may have undergone the same procedure to understand the risks better and know what to look out for.
The procedure is not cheap, which is all the more reason why you need to put in an extra effort. Also, make sure that you have done all the research. Once you have all the required information, you can go ahead and make a decision. Moreover, if you have already made the decision to have your septum pierced, go ahead and confidently get it done. After undergoing the piercing process, do not forget to check the pierced area for any signs of infection. Consult a doctor right away if you notice that something is not right.
