Are you a student who has just gotten your septum pierced, or are you thinking about getting the piercing? I’m sure you’re wondering if there are rules at your school that may prevent students from expressing themselves with facial jewelry. While some schools may enact restrictions and enforce them when students break dress code, some schools are slowly coming around to the idea of letting students have the piercing at school.
Something to note is that it’s not just septum piercings that may be restricted. When there is a no piercing rule at a school it usually refers to most facial piercings. That includes eyebrow piercings, lip and tongue piercings, cheek piercings, and even a simple nose stud piercing.
Piercing age restrictions vary by state
First thing is first. Are you old enough to have your septum pierced in the first place? Many states have restrictions on what types of piercings (if any) that underage students can get. For example, some states will pierce your ear cartilage and your septum or nose at age 13 with parental consent and signature, and your parent will likely have to be present for the piercing. For other piercings like your belly button or eyebrow, you must be 16 or older and have parental consent.
These laws vary from state to state though, so it is important to look at the laws in your state to make sure you’re not putting yourself in an illegal situation. Also, don’t present a fake ID or try to forge a parent’s signature on the paperwork, because you can find yourself in a lot of trouble, and the piercer could also lose their license for piercing a minor. For the sake of yourself and the shop you are visiting, it is best to follow all of the laws and make sure your piercing is legal. Your local shop should also be very familiar with the laws and can likely answer your questions.
Check your school’s student handbook
Once you know if you are legally allowed to have your septum pierced according to your state laws, it would be smart to go ahead and take a look at your school’s handbook. Most schools have a very detailed and extensive dress code section in their student handbook. This is not just private schools, but also public schools. While private schools may have a uniform and be more strict when it comes to dress code violations in that regard, public school still typically have many rules when it comes to dress code, usually stated to minimize distraction in the classroom.
If you can’t find any information in your handbook explicitly prohibiting facial piercings, it would be safe to assume that you are allowed to have the piercing. If you still are not sure, you can always visit the main office of your school and clarify with a faculty or staff member.
Hiding your Piercing
Once you know the laws and school regulations for facial piercings, and specifically septum piercings, then you must decide if you’re going to go ahead and get the piercing anyway, even if your school prohibits them. There are a few ways to hide your piercing so that teachers and school administrators don’t notice that you have one. We’ll go over a couple of ways below.
It is important to note that the cartilage in your nose heals incredibly quickly, which means you can’t just take out your septum ring while you’re at school. If you do take it out before the piercing has completely healed, the hole can grow over, forcing you to have the whole procedure done again. Septum piercings are typically healed in about 2-3 months, but in some cases it can take up to 8 months to heal. It’s better to try to hide it during the healing process than to take it out.
Ways to hide your septum piercing
There are a few ways to hide your septum piercing while you’re at school to avoid getting in trouble for breaking the dress code rules. One way to hide your piercing is to simply flip the jewelry up inside your nose instead of letting it dangle down. To do this, you’ll need to have the horseshoe shaped jewelry. This method is quick and easy, but it’s best to use it when the piercing is already healed. If you try to flip your jewelry inside your nose before the piercing is fully healed, you could cause yourself some pain, possible infection, and perhaps even tearing at the site.
Another option is using a septum retainer. A septum retainer is a specifically piece of jewelry made for helping people hide their septum piercing. There are many reasons that people may not want someone to know they have a septum piercing, and a septum retainer provides the freedom to choose when to show their jewelry, and when not to.
A septum retainer is smaller than typical septum jewelry, but it’s used the same way. It will fit a little more snuggly in your nose, and it is usually made of a clear material like glass. If you are going to want to hide your piercing during the healing process, a septum retainer is the best and safest way to go! If you decide that you want to use a septum retainer, let your piercer know before you get your septum pierced so that they can explain how to use it and make sure you’re set up with one before you leave the shop.
If you don’t originally feel that you’ll need to hide your septum piercing, but you decide to later while your piercing is still healing, do not attempt to put in a retainer yourself. During the
healing process, your new piercing is very sensitive and prone to infection easily. Have a professional take out your old jewelry for you and put in the retainer so you don’t have to worry about any complications.
Do your research
A septum piercing can be a really cool way to express your own unique personality and individuality. Before deciding to move forward with your piercing it is just best to make sure that a septum piercing fits with your lifestyle and your obligations. Take some time to do a little research into the laws and regulations in your state, and the code in your student handbook to determine if getting your septum pierced is right for you. Once you have all the information you need, you’ll be able to make the decision for yourself and decide if you’re going to hide it when needed, or choose jewelry for the world to see.