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The history and symbolism behind a septum ring
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This article was co-authored by Karissa Sanford and by wikiHow staff writer, Devin McSween. Karissa Sanford is the Co-owner of Make Me Holey Body Piercing, a piercing studio based in the San Francisco Bay Area that specializes in safe and friendly body piercing. Karissa has over 10 years of piercing experience and is a member of the Association of Professional Piercers (APP).
There are 11 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources.
This article has been viewed 40,761 times.
From the ancient piercing rituals in Australia to the hippie movement of the 1960s, septum piercings have long been regarded as symbols of identity, self-expression, and spirituality. If you have a septum piercing, or you’re thinking about getting one, and you want to know what this nose ring means and says about you, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll uncover what septum piercings mean spiritually and culturally and what they might say about men, women, and your sexuality. Read on to learn more!
Things You Should Know
- A septum piercing signifies self-expression, uniqueness, and rebellion. Spiritually, it’s believed to help you communicate with the divine and your higher self.
- Humans have been piercing their septums for at least 46,000 years. To Indigenous Australians, they represent adulthood, while in India, they signify marriage.
- Septum piercings are not tied to any gender or sexuality. What a septum piercing means is up to you: it can celebrate your identity or show off your individuality.
Steps
Join the Discussion...
Hello! I’ve finally decided to take the plunge and get a septum piercing. I’m super excited! Unfortunately, I’ve only ever pierced my ears before (and that was back when I was really young). What should I be looking out for? I guess, what would you tell someone getting a septum piercing for the first time? I’m interested in anything and everything! Cost, healing process, tips on caring for it, etc.
I think the septum piercing is great because it's one of the only piercings you can truly hide. You can always flip it up into your nose if need be! The septum is one of the thinnest parts of the body you can pierce because you’re just piercing a membrane in there. You're not piercing cartilage, so people often say it's one of the least painful piercings you can get. Still, it’s on your face, so expect your eyes to water and to have the feeling that you might sneeze.
Every piercer does a septum piercing differently. Sometimes they'll use clamps, sometimes it'll be free-handed. That's something you should ask your piercer, “How do you pierce? Are you free-handing? Are you using clamps?” This will give you a better sense of the experience.
Septums actually tend to heal pretty quickly, too. They typically take around 10 weeks to heal, which is not as long as many other piercings.
Every piercer does a septum piercing differently. Sometimes they'll use clamps, sometimes it'll be free-handed. That's something you should ask your piercer, “How do you pierce? Are you free-handing? Are you using clamps?” This will give you a better sense of the experience.
Septums actually tend to heal pretty quickly, too. They typically take around 10 weeks to heal, which is not as long as many other piercings.
Septum piercings are incredible first piercings. They're actually very easy to pierce and very easy to heal. They heal in about three to five months, making them the fastest-healing cartilage piercing on the body. They can be flipped up and hidden immediately after piercing if the jewelry allows for that, so that they don't have to be seen at work or at school, or at home. And should you decide to remove or retire the piercing, they won't leave any noticeable scar on your face, so no one will have any idea that you had anything pierced. So they are a really ideal starter piercing for most people.
However, septums are also one of the piercings we see done incorrectly the most often. And I would say out of most piercings you're considering getting done, it's extremely important to check portfolio photos and really research to make sure you find a piercer who understands how to work with septum piercings correctly. They have a high likelihood of being done too low or too far back. Appropriate placement for a septum is in the septal membrane and alar cartilage, the soft connective tissue at the tip of the nose; otherwise referred to as the sweet spot when it comes to piercing. That sweet spot is typically located high and tight to the front of the nose. So, appropriate septum placement is typically anywhere from 5/16ths to 3/8ths of an inch up and tight to the front of the nostrils on most noses (not every nose, because all bodies are different).
One other factor to consider when getting a septum piercing is whether or not you have a deviated septum. If you tilt your head back and look at your nostrils in the mirror, if there is asymmetry between your nostrils, or if your septum is not straight, but rather curves or zigzags or has a funky shape, you probably have a deviated septum. Deviated septums require a very specialized piercer with experience in deviations in order to perform correctly. People should be looking at portfolios to see examples of both fresh and healed septums on a variety of nose structures and anatomies to ensure that a piercer is able to pierce their septum successfully. If someone is seeing a good and reputable piercer that knows what they're doing with septums, it should be a very easy, very chill three to five-month heal with very minimal aftercare necessary.
However, septums are also one of the piercings we see done incorrectly the most often. And I would say out of most piercings you're considering getting done, it's extremely important to check portfolio photos and really research to make sure you find a piercer who understands how to work with septum piercings correctly. They have a high likelihood of being done too low or too far back. Appropriate placement for a septum is in the septal membrane and alar cartilage, the soft connective tissue at the tip of the nose; otherwise referred to as the sweet spot when it comes to piercing. That sweet spot is typically located high and tight to the front of the nose. So, appropriate septum placement is typically anywhere from 5/16ths to 3/8ths of an inch up and tight to the front of the nostrils on most noses (not every nose, because all bodies are different).
One other factor to consider when getting a septum piercing is whether or not you have a deviated septum. If you tilt your head back and look at your nostrils in the mirror, if there is asymmetry between your nostrils, or if your septum is not straight, but rather curves or zigzags or has a funky shape, you probably have a deviated septum. Deviated septums require a very specialized piercer with experience in deviations in order to perform correctly. People should be looking at portfolios to see examples of both fresh and healed septums on a variety of nose structures and anatomies to ensure that a piercer is able to pierce their septum successfully. If someone is seeing a good and reputable piercer that knows what they're doing with septums, it should be a very easy, very chill three to five-month heal with very minimal aftercare necessary.
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Tips
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If you’re thinking about getting your septum pierced, research piercing or tattoo studios in your area. Choose a studio that has experience with septum piercings and good reviews.[9]Thanks
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After you get your septum pierced, follow the studio’s aftercare instructions.[10] Clean your piercing with salt water or saline solution daily and avoid touching it to prevent an infection.[11]Thanks
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Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about piercings, check out our in-depth interview with Karissa Sanford.
References
- ↑ https://cg.cis.upenn.edu/VTP/oseguera-text.html
- ↑ https://youtu.be/hdgx94hV71Y?t=39
- ↑ https://www.aboriginalartuk.com/post/sacred-places-marrapinti
- ↑ https://youtu.be/skLieZhJqQA?t=147
- ↑ https://youtu.be/g4ee-aNFGGI?t=141
- ↑ https://historicalmx.org/items/show/114
- ↑ https://www.nps.gov/people/assiginak.htm
- ↑ https://symbolsage.com/symbolism-of-nose-rings/
- ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-to-get-rid-of-nose-piercing-bump/
- ↑ https://uhs.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/piercingcare.pdf
- ↑ Karissa Sanford. Body Piercing Specialist. Expert Interview
About This Article
Body Piercing Specialist
This article was co-authored by Karissa Sanford and by wikiHow staff writer, Devin McSween. Karissa Sanford is the Co-owner of Make Me Holey Body Piercing, a piercing studio based in the San Francisco Bay Area that specializes in safe and friendly body piercing. Karissa has over 10 years of piercing experience and is a member of the Association of Professional Piercers (APP). This article has been viewed 40,761 times.
Co-authors: 7
Updated: October 8, 2025
Views: 40,761
Categories: Piercings
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 40,761 times.
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