How To Pierce Your Septum (with Pictures) - WikiHow

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Terms of Use wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Learn why people trust wikiHow How to Pierce Your Septum

Download Article Explore this Article parts 1 Prepping Your Nose and Supplies 2 Completing the Piercing 3 Keeping the Piercing Clean Other Sections Questions & Answers VideoWATCH NOW Tips and Warnings Things You'll Need Related Articles References Article Summary Co-authored by Karissa Sanford and Jennifer Mueller, JD

Last Updated: October 15, 2025 Fact Checked

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This article was co-authored by Karissa Sanford and by wikiHow staff writer, Jennifer Mueller, JD. 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 9 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 733,791 times.

Septum piercings are popular, and maybe you've decided you'd like one. Ideally, you should go to an experienced professional to get your septum pierced. This is the best way to ensure that your septum is pierced correctly and doesn't get infected. However, if you insist on doing it yourself, it's possible to do it with minimal complications or risk of infection provided you keep the piercing environment as sterile as possible.[1]

Things You Should Know

Choose 14K gold or titanium jewelry to avoid infections. Sterilize your piercing station and tools, then swab both nostrils with an antiseptic.
Position clamps on either side of the columella—the “sweet spot” between the tissue at the bottom of your nose and the hard cartilage further up.
Push a needle straight through the clamps, then hook your jewelry to the needle and thread it through. Soak with sea salt twice a day.

Steps

Part 1 Part 1 of 3:

Prepping Your Nose and Supplies

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1 Choose your jewelry for your initial piercing. Your first jewelry will be different from the jewelry you may decide to wear after the piercing has healed. Typically, a curved barbell or horseshoe barbell shape works best for a septum piercing, so you can flip it up into your nose if you need to hide it while the piercing is healing.
- Look for rings that are 14K gold or titanium to avoid skin irritation. If these are not available to you, surgical steel also works. After the piercing has healed, you can use jewelry made of other materials.
- Make sure the jewelry is sterilized and individually packaged. Do not take the jewelry out of its packaging or touch it with your bare hands. Always wear disposable gloves when handling your jewelry. Making sure that your jewelry is sterile and free of bacteria is extremely important to prevent infections later.
- Wondering what you need to know before getting a septum piercing? Check out wikiHow’s “What do I need to know before getting a septum piercing?” forum!
2 Clean the space where you're going to do the piercing. You want to make sure you're doing your piercing in a clean room with a mirror so you can see what you're doing — a bathroom is ideal. Thoroughly clean the sink and counter and lay down paper towels to put your supplies on so they remain in a sterile environment.[2] X Research source
- If you are using your bathroom, don't use the bathroom until you've completed the piercing. If you do, you'll introduce bacteria into the room and have to clean everything all over again. If you have opened sterilized equipment, it will have to be thrown out since you likely don't have the means to sterilize it again.
- In bathrooms, close the lid of the toilet and empty the trash. If there's a cat litter box in the bathroom, move it to another area before you start.
Tip: If you have pets, make sure they do not have access to the piercing environment after you've cleaned it. They could introduce bacteria.
3 Wear single-use gloves when touching your nose or supplies. Glove up before you start to ensure that you don't introduce any bacteria into the piercing environment. It's a good idea to initially put two sets of gloves on, so if you contaminate the top layer accidentally, you can remove it.
- Wash your hands and arms down to the elbows before putting on your gloves. Do not wear loose-fitting clothing that could brush up against your arms or hands.
4 Lay out your supplies ahead of time. You can order disposable, sterilized piercing supplies online at major online retailers or on piercing specialty sites. Make sure the supplies have been sterilized in an autoclave and are individually packaged. Don't take anything out of the packaging until you're ready to use it.[3] X Research source
- Organize your supplies on the counter in the order you're going to use them to avoid having to touch anything more than once.
- You might also want to have a small bag or dish on hand to dispose of used supplies when you're done.
Warning: Do not touch anything that has been sterilized with your bare hands. If you do, it will no longer be sterilized and could introduce bacteria into the piercing, which could lead to infection.
5 Trim any long nasal hairs with a surgical razor blade. To do this without cutting yourself, go slowly. Breathe deeply and trim on an exhale so you don't breathe in the hairs, which could cause you to sneeze. If you sneeze on the blade, it's been contaminated and you'll have to get a new one.
- Your trim doesn't need to be perfect, but you do want to make sure there aren't any nasal hairs that might impede or contaminate the piercing.
6 Clean each nostril with an antiseptic. Dip a cotton swab into rubbing alcohol and swipe around the inside of one nostril. Then get another cotton swab and do the other nostril. Swab while you're exhaling to keep from breathing the fumes from the alcohol.
- Once you've cleaned each nostril, get another clean cotton swab and clean the outside of your nose and anywhere your fingers might be touching as you pierce your septum.
Tip: Swab any part of your face or nose with alcohol that your hands might touch while doing the piercing. If your hands touch any part of your face that hasn't been cleaned, your gloves are no longer sterile.
7 Locate the columella in your nose. With your gloved fingers, gently pinch your septum until you find the "sweet spot." At the bottom of your nose, you'll feel a fleshy part. Further up in your nose, you'll feel the hard cartilage. Between these two is the columella. This is where you want to pierce. This will require sticking your fingers in your nose and feeling around, which might feel weird to you.
- It's easier to find the columella if you pull the fleshy part down a bit. However, not everyone has a columella. If you have a deviated septum or asymmetrical nose, you may not have an appropriate place for a septum piercing.
- If you don't find your columella, you run the risk of trying to pierce through cartilage or through the fatty tissue at the end of your nose. Either of these will hurt a lot. Feel for a spot where you feel almost nothing between your two fingers in either nostril. You shouldn't feel any pain, only perhaps a slight pressure, when you press your fingers together.
Warning: If you've gone to a professional piercer and they told you that your nose wasn't suitable for a septum piercing, do not try to pierce your own septum at home.
8 Mark the spot to be pierced with a surgical marker. Once you've located your columella, take out your surgical pen or marker and make a dot on the spot. You only need a dot on the side where you're going to insert the needle, but you may want to make dots on both sides to make sure they line up.
- Draw a line across the bottom of your septum with your surgical marker, in line with the spot to be pierced. This will help you keep the piercing straight.[4]
Tip: If you can't get close enough to the bathroom mirror to see exactly what you're doing, you may have more luck with an adjustable mirror or magnifying makeup mirror.

Part 2 Part 2 of 3:

Completing the Piercing

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1 Place your clamps on either side of the spot to be pierced. Open your clamps and position them so that the spot you marked for the piercing is in the center of the clamps. Make sure you can see the spot clearly. Try to keep the handles in line with the line you drew on your nose so you have a good reference for your needle.[5] X Research source
- Look in the mirror closely to line up your clamps. Keep in mind this will require you to get perhaps uncomfortably familiar with the inside of your nose.
2 Tighten the clamps so they'll stay in place. Once you have your clamps in place, you can tighten them and lock them in place so you don't have to continue to hold them. However, you don't want to let go of them until you're sure they won't move. If they slip, they could mess up your piercing.[6] X Research source
- If the clamps feel too tight, you can always opt to hold them in place while you do your piercing. Just make sure you don't let go of them.
3 Line up the needle and push it straight through. Take your needle out of the packaging and line the point up with the spot you drew on the "sweet spot" where you want to pierce. Look in the mirror to aim the needle straight through the spot rather than at an angle. Take a few deep breaths, and on an exhale, push the needle straight through.[7] X Research source
- Pull down to avoid poking the nostril on the other side.
- If you've aimed correctly, you likely won't feel much pain. You might feel a pinch. However, your eyes will probably water. Try to keep the fluid from your eyes from dropping onto your gloved fingers.
Tip: Septum piercings aren't typically very painful, but try not to think about the pain. If you think about the pain, you might hesitate. Breathe deeply and relax, thinking of a calming, happy place. Then push the needle through.
4 Hook your sterilized jewelry to the end of the needle and pull it through. Your needle should form a bar evenly across the bottom of your nose. Put your jewelry into the end of your needle and thread it through the hole you just created.[8] X Research source
- Once you've pulled the needle out, secure your jewelry. If it has balls on the end, you'll need to screw those on. At this point, you've successfully pierced your septum!

Part 3 Part 3 of 3:

Keeping the Piercing Clean

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1 Soak your piercing with sea salt and water twice a day. Mix 1⁄4 tsp (1.2 mL) with 8 fluid ounces (240 mL) of water. Dip a cotton swab in the mixture and rub it over the piercing site in both nostrils. If you have leftover mixture, cover it and save it for later use.[9] X Research source
- Make sure you cover the area so it goes into the piercing. Apply the mixture to your piercing on an exhale to avoid inhaling saltwater.
- Do not mix a stronger solution. It won't be any more effective and may dry out your skin.
- You can also flush out your piercing in the shower by cupping some hot water in your hands and blowing bubbles with it in your nose. Do that for about 15 seconds to flush your nose out really thoroughly.[10]
2 Use an aftercare spray to eliminate bacteria. Aftercare sprays are available online from major online retailers as well as from piercing specialty websites. Spraying the piercing location 2 to 3 times a day keeps bacteria from entering the piercing site while it's healing.[11] X Research source
- Use an aftercare spray in addition to the sea salt and water treatment.
3 Wash your hands before you touch your piercing. Naturally, if you have a new piercing, you're probably going to want to play with it. However, because your hands are dirty, you risk introducing bacteria that could result in infection.[12] X Research source
- With some piercings, you're advised to rotate them daily. However, this is not advised with septum piercings. Don't rotate your jewelry. Leave it alone and don't touch it at all with unwashed hands.
- Try not to touch your piercing too much if you can help it. Make sure that your fingers are staying away from it, there's no makeup getting on it, and that your glasses aren't bumping into it. Your piercing needs to be left alone![13] [14]
4 Stay out of swimming pools and hot tubs for at least 2 weeks. While your septum piercing is healing, exposure to water from swimming pools and hot tubs can slow the healing process. The chlorine in the water dries out your skin, which can cause bleeds. The water can also introduce bacteria.[15] X Research source
- After 2 weeks, it's okay to take baths or sit in a hot tub. However, you should still avoid submerging your head. If you do, cover your piercing with a waterproof wound-sealant bandage. You can find these online or at drug stores.
5 Wait at least 2 months before changing your jewelry. As your piercing starts to heal, you may decide that you want different jewelry than what you originally used. However, it typically takes at least 6 weeks for the piercing to heal properly. Even if you've had no pain or irritation, you're better off waiting at least 2 months to change your jewelry.[16] X Research source
- Use the time to shop for jewelry you might like for different moods. Once your piercing has healed, you can change your jewelry whenever you want.
6 Seek professional help if you notice signs of infection. As long as you maintained sterile conditions while you pierced your septum and kept the piercing area clean afterward, your piercing should heal with no problems. However, if you notice a yellow or green discharge and particularly foul odor, you should probably go see a doctor.[17] X Research source
- Swelling and inflammation for a few days after the piercing is totally normal. However, if your symptoms don't improve or get worse, your piercing may be infected.
- If you start running a fever, seek medical attention immediately. You may need an antibiotic to clear the infection.
- Do not remove your jewelry if you suspect your piercing site is infected. The hole may close up and leave no way for the infection to drain.
Tip: If you're in doubt or hesitant to speak to a medical professional, an experienced licensed piercer will be able to tell you if your piercing is infected.

Join the Discussion...

What do I need to know before getting a septum piercing?

WikiGorillaTamer724 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. Read More

Natalie Rose Pokes Professional Piercer 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. Read More

Lynn Loheide Body Piercing Expert 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. Read More

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Question Please tell me how bad the pain of getting my septum pierced is? Community Answer Honestly it's not painful at all. It just feels like a sharp pinch, then it's over. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 30 Helpful 181
Question How do I hide my septum piercing if I need to? Community Answer You can buy open ended rings which you can just flip up and tuck inside your nostrils. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 22 Helpful 111
Question Can I use a sewing needle to pierce my septum? Sincere Reading Community Answer A sewing needle wouldn't be as safe since it won't be sterilized correctly. Also, the hole could be to small for jewelry. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 11 Helpful 86

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Tips

You can still get your septum pierced even if the piercing isn't allowed at work or school, but you'll have to learn how to hide it. Thanks Helpful 47 Not Helpful 11

Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

If you want to pierce the skin flap under the cartilage, avoid stretching your skin down. This will cause the jewelry to move upward and touch the cartilage which will hurt.
A pre-sterilized hollow needle is great because you can slip the jewelry at the end of the needle when you pull it out.
If you don't feel confident piercing yourself, turn to a professional piercer for assistance.

Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published Name Please provide your name and last initial Submit Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

Warnings

Avoid getting a septum piercing during allergy season if you have allergies. Thanks Helpful 32 Not Helpful 2
While you're wearing gloves, do not touch your clothing, any part of your body, or any item that has not been sterilized. Otherwise, your gloves are contaminated and should be removed. Thanks Helpful 27 Not Helpful 3
Piercing your septum requires you to get intimately familiar with the inside of your nose. If you're not comfortable with this, you're probably better off going to a professional. Thanks Helpful 15 Not Helpful 11
Don't soak your piercing for too long—you don't necessarily want to keep a wound warm and wet for extended periods of time.[18] Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 1
Piercing yourself at home is dangerous and not recommended. Getting your piercing done by an experienced professional is always the best choice. Although it may be more expensive, you'll have far less risk of infection or other complications.[19] Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

Things You'll Need

Box of rubber gloves
Cotton swabs
Rubbing alcohol
Sterilized jewelry
Sterilized 14- or 16-gauge needle
Sterilized surgical marker or pen
Sterilized surgical razor blade
Aftercare spray

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References

↑ https://authoritytattoo.com/septum-piercing/
↑ https://youtu.be/K6YUOXodz8I?t=45
↑ https://youtu.be/K6YUOXodz8I?t=45
↑ https://youtu.be/K6YUOXodz8I?t=337
↑ https://youtu.be/K6YUOXodz8I?t=416
↑ https://youtu.be/K6YUOXodz8I?t=416
↑ https://youtu.be/K6YUOXodz8I?t=471
↑ https://youtu.be/K6YUOXodz8I?t=500
↑ https://safepiercing.org/aftercare/

More References (10)

↑ Karissa Sanford. Body Piercing Specialist. Expert Interview
↑ https://authoritytattoo.com/septum-piercing/
↑ https://authoritytattoo.com/septum-piercing/
↑ Karissa Sanford. Body Piercing Specialist. Expert Interview
↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/piercings/art-20047317
↑ https://safepiercing.org/aftercare/
↑ https://authoritytattoo.com/septum-piercing/
↑ https://authoritytattoo.com/septum-piercing/
↑ Karissa Sanford. Body Piercing Specialist. Expert Interview
↑ Karissa Sanford. Body Piercing Specialist. Expert Interview

About This Article

Co-authored by: Karissa Sanford Body Piercing Specialist This article was co-authored by Karissa Sanford and by wikiHow staff writer, Jennifer Mueller, JD. 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 733,791 times. 70 votes - 90% Co-authors: 34 Updated: October 15, 2025 Views: 733,791 Categories: Nose Piercing Article SummaryX

It’s always safest to have a professional pierce your septum, but if you want to do it yourself, here’s how. Purchase sterile piercing jewelry made of a hypoallergenic material, such as 14k gold, titanium, or surgical steel. Clean your work surface carefully, wash your hands with soap and water, and put on sterile gloves. Use a sterile surgical razor blade to trim any long nose hair, then clean the inside of each nostril with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol. Gently pinch the inside of your nose between your nostrils to find the columella, which is the area of soft tissue just below the cartilage. This is where you will pierce. Make a dot with a surgical marker where you plan to insert the needle. Clamp the area with a sterilized piercing clamp so that the dot is visible through the holes in the clamp. Line a sterile, hollow piercing needle up with the hole in the clamp, take a deep breath, and push the needle through in one smooth movement. Put the open end of your septum ring into the back of the hollow needle, then slowly pull the needle out so that it threads the jewelry through the piercing. Secure your jewelry in place with its fastener. For information on how to keep your piercing clean by soaking it with sea salt and water, scroll down! Did this summary help you?YesNo

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May 8, 2022
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Co-authored by: Karissa Sanford Body Piercing Specialist Co-authors: 34 Updated: October 15, 2025 Views: 733,791 90% of readers found this article helpful. 70 votes - 90% Click a star to add your vote

Nyx

May 8, 2022

"I was planning to pierce my septum for a while (ring is on its way) and this is very helpful.Shall def be buying..." more Rated this article: