Septum piercings have erupted in popularity among millennials over the last few years (via The New York Times). You might have seen Amanda Bynes with one last year, among many other celebrities, and maybe you’re thinking of getting one yourself. Perhaps you’ve already found a piercer, been looking at different rings, and arranged an appointment to get the needle through your septum, but do you know all there is to know about looking after your piercing once you get it?
A septum piercing is a little different from other piercings, as the hole is inside your body, and this can make caring for it slightly more fiddly than looking after ear piercings, for example. It doesn’t need to be difficult, however, when you know what you’re doing — and what you definitely should not be doing. If you want to know what mistakes you’re making when taking care of a septum piercing, this is your crash course.
Don't touch your septum piercing
As tempting as it might be to touch your septum piercing, it’s a big no-no. The more you touch it, the longer it’ll take to heal — if you need to touch it for whatever reason, don’t do it without washing your hands (via Bustle). You might want to keep a bottle of sanitizer with you in case you need to touch your piercing in a pinch. Along the same lines, it’s best not to flip your septum piercing up while it’s healing, as Cosmopolitan notes. So if you need to hide it while you’re at work — or at your grandma’s — it might not be the best piercing for you.
If you can’t avoid doing so, it makes sense to gently wash the area with warm water first, to prevent the piercing crusting over or causing any issues. However, it’s best to leave the piercing alone as much as you can. Of course, pretty much everyone with a septum piercing will knock it at some point, perhaps while getting dressed or brushing their teeth, but the more careful you can be, the better. Your nose will thank you!
Keep it clean but don't overdo it
It’s not a good idea to change the jewelry too soon after getting your septum pierced, either. Wait until the healing period is over — normally, that would be a couple of months (via Bustle). Once the piercing stops feeling sore and tender, you’re good to go! According to Grazia, you can change your piercing from about six to eight weeks after you have it done, but it’s best to wait longer if you can.
As important as it is to keep the piercing sanitary, there is such a thing as over cleaning. According to body jewelry company, freshtrends, you should be cleaning your septum piercing two or three times each day, perhaps once in the morning and once before bed. Refinery29 recommends using warm soapy water or a saline solution for best results. If, however, you’re cleaning three times a day and it’s getting particularly red, dry or irritable, don’t be afraid to cut back to twice a day instead. Don’t use rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide, as they can interfere with the healing process — water does the trick (via UC Berkeley Health Services)!
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