Unlike most people from the stories I have read on BME, I have wanted my septum pierced for a while now, and I have always liked the look of it. Until today I had only ever seen a septum piercing "for real" once, when a guy I was friends with got his pierced. As soon as I saw it, I fell in love.....with the piercing, not him :-P So, I had been toying with the idea for a while, probably for about a year, but I only decided to get it done for sure a couple of weeks ago.
At A Glance Author mini_punk Contact mini_punk@bme.anon When It just happened Artist Carl Studio Bodz Location Liverpool It took me a long time to find a piercer that I could trust to do the piercing properly, and I was comfortable being pierced by. I have had a few dodgy piercings done in the past by a few different piercers, which meant that each time I had to find someone new. Usually I would chose a piercer through my friends who would recommend theirs to me. However this time it was different. None of my friends, or my boyfriend knew of a piercer that they knew I would trust so I turned my attentions to the internet. I started off with a basic search on google to find some basic information on septum piercings, which brought me to the BME website. I had come across it a couple of times when I was researching my previous piercings.
While on the BME site, and reading through the experiences of others and their septum piercings, and more generally, I noticed a name of a piercer that kept popping up, Carl of Bodz in Liverpool. I was very pleased at this as it is close to where I live, and also where I have just started studying at university. It was perfect. However, instead of just going to the shop and getting the piercing done, I decided to go onto their website. I read the whole of their website, from the basic history of the studio, to the piercing procedures, aftercare. By the time I had decided that I was definitely going for my new piercing, I had all the information I could find, and new everything I could possibly hope to know.
Now to the actual story......
Yesterday (Monday 25th September) after I had finished with my lectures for the day, and on my way home, I decided to pop into the studio to book my appointment, for whenever I could. However, after searching Lewis', where the shop is located, and finding out it was right by the door and I had walked straight past it on my way in, I discovered that the studio was in fact not open on Mondays....
So today, I had a 4 hour break between my lectures, and so I decided to pop back up to Bodz and book my appointment (it is only a 5 minute walk from my university so it didn't really kill that much time). When I got there everyone was so polite and welcoming. I booked my appointment for 2.30 today. I wasn't expecting to get an appointment for today, thinking I would make my appointment for this Saturday when I was seeing my boyfriend and he could come with me for moral support. However, when I was offered the appointment for today I took it straight away. I thought what was the point of waiting 4 days for something I wanted so badly when I could have it in a matter of hours. So I agreed to the time, while I was there I also asked whether I could get my septum pierced with a retainer, and was told that this was ok, and that it was actually better, as it would be easier to heal.
The fact I could have it pierced with a retainer was a big deal for me, as my current boss is a bit strict when it comes to piercings. She makes me take out my nose stud while I am working. She freaked a little when I got my tragus pierced, and then when I got my conch done she totally freaked and said one more piercing and I was out. So when I decided to get my septum pierced I was a little worried that she would find out and I would get fired.
.....anyway back to the story.....
So after I booked my appointment, I headed back to university. As I was walking back I remembered that I actually had a lecture at 3 this afternoon. I was kinda worried about this as I wasn't sure how long the actual procedure would take in case I was late for my lecture. I was contemplating at this point to just not turn up to my appointment, but after a lot of thinking I decided against this idea and that I would go ahead with the piercing today.
So after what seemed like the longest 2 hours ever, I was sat in the piercing studio, filling out the necessary form, and waiting to be called in for my turn. I wasn't waiting too long before I was called in. I went into the piercing room at 2.35, I was told to lie on the bed and make myself comfortable. As I was doing this, Carl was washing his hands, and getting himself prepared. I noticed at this point that the room we were in was extremely clean and minimal. After all the cleaning was done, I was told to lie my head back against the bed while he felt for the soft part of my septum. As I have a small nose, this was very simple. The clamps were then put onto my nose which I was told may pinch a little, but I didn't feel a thing. Next I was told to close my eyes, as this would be better for me. I realised this was true, as I don't think I would want to see someone shoving a big needle through my nose.
Carl then told me to wiggle my toes as he was putting through the needle. I am assuming this was a diversion for me as I hardly felt a thing as the needle went in as I was concentrating so much on wiggling the toes on the foot I was being told to. It was much harder than I thought, but definitely worked in distracting me. After the needle was put through the feeding tube was then put in. Carl, and the other guy that was in the room with us, who I didn't catch the name of, checked that the piercing was straight. Which it was thankfully, I don't think I would have been up to having a needle put back in if it had turned out to be crooked.
Then came the most difficult part of the whole piercing, feeding through the jewellery. I was told to take a deep breath in and then breathe out very quickly. The first time I tried this I was slow so he couldn't do it. I tried again, and this time I did it right, he pushed though the jewellery, which made my eyes water like hell. This is by far the most painful part of the procedure, as the jewellery going through stings a little. The jewellery was then flicked up my nose so it was hidden. The cleaning and aftercare procedure was gone through with me, which seems very simple. I then looked in the mirror to take a look at my new piercing, however this was kinda difficult as it was up my nose. I got a little glimpse of the retainer when I lifted my head as I looked in the mirror.
I was finished. I thanked Carl and left the room to pay my £35. In return for this exchange of money I was given a sticker, aftercare booklet and a lollipop :-)
As I was leaving the studio I thanked everyone again and left the building. I had 15 minutes to get to my lecture, which I did get to, with 3 minutes to spare :-)....but that's not important......
Well that's the end of my story.....
In all, I would definitely bodz and Carl if you are ever going to get a new piercing and are in the Liverpool area. Everyone is very polite and helpful at bodz, the hygiene there is excellent and everyone seems to know what they're talking about.
I love my new septum piercing; it is my favourite so far (my 14th piercing, 1 retired)....and the free lollipop wasn't that bad either:-P