Do Septum Piercings Get Infected Easily?

Do Septum Piercings Get Infected Easily?

Septum piercings are a unique and attractive type of piercing that also has pretty captivating jewelry designs to go with them. They have been seen on celebrities often and this makes imitating it more enticing to other people.

But asides from being an attractive nasal piercing, one would worry about the risk of getting an infection while getting a septum piercing.

Caring for your piercings as advised by a professional piercer is important, but to satisfy your curiosity and have your mind at rest when it comes to septum piercings and infections, we’ve provided answers about and preventive measures against septum piercings.

What are septum piercings?

Septum piercings are a type of piercing that is done by penetrating the soft tissue called a columella or sweet spot that is located below the septum.

The septum being referred to is cartilage located underneath the nose but a septum piercing is not expected to pierce the cartilage.

Jessica Biel Septum Piercing
Image: Jessica Biel. The Telegraph

Do Septum Piercings Get Infected Easily?

All piercings are at risk of getting infected, with some being more than others. A septum piercing is, fortunately, less prone to infections than several others. Septum piercings when done right does not rest on the nasal cartilage but on a soft tissue that makes it easier for the piercing to heal.

There are a lot of mucous membranes located in the septum that help fight off infections in the nose. Mucous membranes are an inner lining located in some organs of the body such as the nose, the tissues in the mucous membranes form a barrier that prevents bacteria from entering the nose.

Mucous membranes have a lot of mucous glands that secrete mucous which has a gel-like consistency for the purpose of protecting that part of the body – in this case, the nose- from pathogens that are likely to result in infections.

Nathalie Emmanuel Septum Piercing
Image: Nathalie Emmanuel / Pinterest.

Taking Care Of Septum Piercings

One of the things that put your septum piercing at a high risk of developing an infection would be the use of low-quality jewelry. When you get a new piercing, you need to be well informed on the types of jewelry that are appropriate for it.

Trying to save money by buying lower grade jewelry would only cause you to spend more than would’ve initially been spent in a bid to treat infections, and in extreme cases, your body could reject the piercing and you would have to wait for the scar to heal before getting a new one done.

Despite the low risks of getting infected when you have a septum piercing, you must make sure that you do not neglect the aftercare procedures to be followed while your piercing heals.

Make sure that your hands are washed thoroughly and dried clean before you touch your septum piercing, you must make it a daily routine to rinse your piercing twice with saline solution and some warm water and carefully dry it and wash your face and the piercing with unscented soaps to avoid irritations.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some of your possible questions about septum piercings answered.

Rihanna Septum Piercing

Can you flip a septum piercing while it’s healing?

You can flip a septum piercing while it’s healing but it should not become a recurring habit, if you’re flipping it up for work reasons then it is best you do not flip it back down until the workweek is over. You should also make sure you flip it very carefully to avoid rough handling of the healing piercing. It is also important that your hands are properly washed and dried clean before you flip the jewelry, this way you can avoid introducing bacteria to your piercing and risking an infection.

How do you hide a septum piercing when it’s healing?

If you need to hide your septum piercing while it’s healing you should inform your piercer beforehand so that he/she can use a horseshoe barbell or a circular barbell as your first jewelry. You should also ask your piercer for a retainer as those are a much safer option to hold your jewelry up such that are almost invisible until they heal. Some people just flip it up and leave it facing up until they no longer need to hide it.

How long is the healing process for a septum piercing?

The pain or whatever sore feeling is felt from the moment your septum piercing is done just only lasts between 1 – 3 weeks. Most of the healing needed for a septum piercing to return to normalcy occurs during the first two to three months after it is pierced. However, depending on different circumstances and body types, it could take as long as six to eight months for a septum piercing to be fully healed. It is good to know that a septum piercing stops hurting faster than others and you start to feel considerably better in less than a month’s time.

Is my septum piercing infected or healing?

Your piercing might be healing and because it’s your first you might assume it is getting infected based on the discomfort you are feeling as your body tries to adapt to it. And sometimes you may be assuming that some symptoms of a growing infection are merely a result of your piercing healing and you would only realize that it is really an infection after it worsens. If you notice any of the following symptoms your piercing is infected and you should visit your piercer or doctor immediately for proper treatment and diagnosis; when the area around your piercing is swollen, a feeling of prolonged pain, when blood or pus keeps coming out of it when it is extremely red and you’re feeling unwell.

Summary

Common knowledge is that piercings are prone to infections especially in the first few months after they have been pierced. Septum piercings are no different, but they face a lesser risk of getting infected in comparison to several other types of piercings.

The positioning of a septum piercing on the sweet spot instead of the cartilage and the presence of the mucous membranes in the nose make healing faster and protect the piercing from infections.

Nevertheless, you must take your aftercare procedures seriously and make sure your piercing and whatever it comes in contact with are kept clean.

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