Septum piercing, placed.

A correctly placed septum goes through the columella — the soft tissue between the nostrils, not cartilage. Most clients describe it as a brief, intense pinch with watery eyes. It passes in seconds. A badly placed septum through the cartilage itself would hurt significantly more — proper anatomy assessment prevents this.

Yes. The starter jewellery is a circular barbell or horseshoe ring that flips up inside the nostrils — invisible from the front. This is one of the reasons the septum is popular for people in professional environments. The flip-up is easy once you're comfortable with the jewellery, usually after the first few weeks.

Initial healing is fast — 6–8 weeks for most people because the columella is mucosal tissue, not skin or cartilage. Full remodelling takes 3–6 months. You can flip the jewellery up to hide it from the start, but wait until fully healed before changing to a ring or clicker.

Most people are. The assessment checks whether the columella sweet spot is accessible — the thin strip of soft tissue at the base of the septum. A deviated septum rarely prevents the piercing entirely; it may shift the placement slightly off-centre. We assess this at the consultation before committing to anything.

Starter jewellery is a circular barbell (horseshoe shape) or seamless ring in implant-grade titanium, typically 16g. The circular barbell allows you to flip the piercing up to hide it. A BVLA gold ring can go in from the start if you would rather, and once healed the options open up further to seamless rings, clickers and segment rings.

Septum piercings at Platinum Point in Parnell, Auckland cost $150, including anatomy assessment, implant-grade titanium starter jewellery, full consultation, and a complimentary downsize appointment.