The nasal septum is the thin wall of cartilage and bone that divides the inside of the nose, separating the two nostrils. A septum piercing involves puncturing a specific area of tissue in this central structure for jewelry placement. Based on current medical understanding and piercing practices, a correctly performed septum piercing does not cause a deviated septum.
Anatomical Placement of a Septum Piercing
A professional piercer targets a very specific, thin area of tissue, often referred to as the “sweet spot,” when performing a septum piercing. This ideal location is the columella, a pliable strip of skin and membranous tissue situated just below the rigid nasal septal cartilage. The correct placement is positioned high up and toward the front of the nose, where the tissue is thinnest and most flexible.
This target area is distinct from the main structural component of the septum, which is composed of thick cartilage and bone. The goal is to bypass the dense cartilage entirely to minimize pain and promote faster healing. Because the needle passes through this softer, membranous area, the piercing creates a small, localized puncture without impacting the structural integrity of the main septal wall.
If a piercer attempts to go through the dense cartilage, the procedure becomes much more painful and the healing time is significantly extended, indicating improper placement.
Defining and Identifying a Deviated Septum
A deviated septum is a common physical disorder where the nasal septum is significantly off-center or crooked. This misalignment involves the cartilage and bone that separates the nasal passages. When the septum deviates, it reduces the size of one nasal passage, impeding airflow and causing symptoms.
Symptoms often include difficulty breathing, chronic nasal congestion, nosebleeds, or noisy breathing during sleep. The most frequent causes are either congenital (developed during fetal growth or childbirth) or acquired through physical trauma. Acquired causes involve blunt force injuries to the nose, such as those sustained in contact sports, falls, or motor vehicle accidents.
Since the deviation involves the hard, structural components of the nose, a significant external force is usually required to cause this lasting shift.
Evaluating the Causal Link to Septum Piercing
The established consensus is that a properly executed septum piercing cannot induce a deviated septum. This is because the piercing needle avoids the dense septal cartilage and bone that must be displaced to cause a deviation. The small puncture made in the thin, membranous tissue cannot force the large, rigid septal structure out of alignment.
Confusion sometimes arises during the initial healing period due to localized swelling and inflammation. This temporary swelling can mimic the feeling of nasal obstruction, a common symptom of a deviated septum, but resolves as the piercing heals. In the rare instance where a piercing is performed severely off-target through the thick cartilage, it may cause a small, localized injury.
The primary concern with incorrect placement is prolonged pain, difficulty healing, and a crooked appearance, not a large-scale structural deviation.
Structural Complications Distinct from Deviation
While the risk of a deviated septum is negligible, an improperly performed or poorly cared-for septum piercing can lead to other localized structural complications. One of the most serious, though rare, is the formation of a septal hematoma. This occurs when blood collects between the cartilage and the perichondrium, the layer of tissue that supplies the cartilage with nutrients.
A hematoma can create serious secondary damage if not treated promptly. The collection of blood can cut off the blood supply to the septal cartilage, leading to localized cartilage necrosis, where the tissue dies. If significant cartilage is destroyed, the affected area may collapse, resulting in a cosmetic deformity known as a saddle nose.
This outcome is a form of structural damage but is distinct from a deviated septum, which involves misalignment rather than tissue loss.