You are the only one who can smell it. ... If that is a comfort in any way… Most septum pierced people experience that smell at one time or another, Or at least enjoyed it in their healing process. Being known as “septum funk” or “septum stench” that smell is very common with other body piercings as well.
Don't worry about other people smelling your piercing. It's obvious to you because it's in your nose, but the “septum funk” doesn't waft very far. Unless your piercing is infected, the smell will go away with regular cleaning or after the piercing is fully healed.
Poor Aftercare
One of the most common causes of a smelly nose piercing is poor aftercare. Remember to clean your piercing twice a day with saline solution or warm water and soap. Avoid using harsh chemicals, alcohol, or peroxide on your piercing as this will irritate the skin around your piercing.
The septum stench is a thing, but it's easily avoided
This funk is the result of dead skin buildup within the piercing as well as secretions associated with healing. Unless you fail to clean the piercing, you're likely the only one to smell it. However, it can become unpleasant. Luckily, this stench is easily avoided.
Typically a new septum piercing should heal in 1-2 months and stay open for several days without jewelry before the risk of the nasal septum piercing closing. From choosing the right septum jewelry for your piercing to caring for it properly after it has healed, there is much to consider when getting a nose piercing.
You should clean your earring hole and jewelry regularly to get rid of the bacteria from the sebum and dead cells. You can do this by simply washing your earrings and earring hole with warm water and soap. If the smell doesn't go away, you can use an antibacterial cleanser instead.
While risks are low if you get a septum piercing from a reputable piercer, there is still a risk of developing a infection, allergic reaction to the metals in the piercing, a septal hematoma (when the blood vessels break and blood collects in the septum), and scarring.
In modern times, septum piercings have regained popularity as a symbol of spiritual growth and self-expression. Many people choose to get a septum piercing as a way to honor their own spiritual beliefs and connect with their higher selves.
The hole will close after you remove the jewelry... eventually. The longer you have had the piercing, the longer it will take to close (see Busy Philipps above).
One of the main reasons nose piercings can smell so bad is because of their location. Think of all that snot or mucus that's in your nose on a daily basis. Combine that with the dead skin cells, sebum, bacteria, sweat and grime, and you have yourself a very smelly situation.
Talk with the person that you are kissing and ask them if it hurts or if it's uncomfortable. If you can see the visible discomfort in their face, stop kissing altogether or be much more gentle. People that have had piercings for a long time may feel no pain when you tug, and may actually find it to be sensual.
Your piercing is an open wound, so you must avoid other people's bodily fluids. So, no French kissing or no oral sex.
It goes by many names—ear cheese, septum stench, piercing funk, ear stink. This pungent, rotten odor comes from the sebum that accumulates in healed piercing channels.
The septum piercing was used to signify their success and show their rite of passage into manhood. Later on, in history, the piercing of these flesh tunnels became connected to rebel subcultures such as the punk rock movement, which is seen as a sign of rebellion.
If you have a severely deviated septum, you might not be able to get your septum pierced. Your piercer will be able to take a look and let you know if it's possible. Rarely, some people don't have the thin area of skin between the cartilage and the tip of the nose (the sweet spot).
The level of pain associated with getting a septum piercing can vary from person to person, but generally falls between a level 3 and 7 on a pain scale of 1-10. The pain scale is subjective and depends on individual pain tolerance levels.
As with any piercing it is important to create a cleaning regime that you will complete every day, multiple times a day throughout the healing period. For around three months you will want to use a saline soak to clean the septum piercing. This soak should be done twice a day, once a day at the absolute minimum.
So, if you want to eradicate the smell, the simple but effective fix is simply to regularly clean around your piercing - including taking off the back of your earing and cleaning the skin.
Yes, even really old piercings. This is why you should regularly clean your piercings. You can wipe down jewelry with alcohol and clean your ears with regular soap and water. Doing this every few days should keep that stinky sebum away.
Refrain from putting body creams, makeup, moisturizers, and perfumes directly on the piercing. In the shower, try to keep soaps or shampoos away from the area and rinse thoroughly after.