Nose Piercing, The Ultimate Guide: All You Need To Know

One of the most fashionable ways to upgrade your aesthetics is through nose piercings. Whether you choose to go with a statement septum ring or a more subtle nostril stud, nose piercing can upgrade your overall look!

Nose piercing will help showcase your personality, and there are tons of ways you can play around when it comes to the placement of nose piercing or jewelry type. Also, there are numerous creative styles and options to choose from, starting from the septum to nostril sparkles and from third eyes to rhinos and more. 

However, as with anything body modification, the decision should be made after carefully considering risks, piercing type, nose anatomy, facial anatomy, and jewelry. 

This article will discuss all you need to know about nose piercing to help you make an informed decision. So, without further ado, let’s dig in! 

How Long Does It Take A Nose Piercing To Heal?

Before we come to the healing part, it’s important to know that you’ll experience some pain during and after the nose piercing. Some people may experience more pain than others, and it also depends on the experience of the professional doing the piercing and the piercing technique used. 

Initially, there would be some blood, tenderness, swelling, and the affected region may be bruised or look reddish. Typically, the area around the piercing would be sore, inflamed, red, and may even be swollen for up to 3 weeks. 

Pierced nostrils take around 3 to 4 months to heal completely. In the case of a pierced septum, the healing process may take a little longer and may take around 4 to 5 months. 

How To Clean A Nose Piercing?

To avoid any negative consequences following nose piercing, it’s important to follow a strict nose piercing aftercare routine. Improper and lazy aftercare can lead to painful infection, bleeding, scarring, and loose jewelry. 

It is crucial to take every step possible and follow the aftercare routine provided by your licensed nose piercer, especially to avoid infection. 

One of the key aspects of nose piercing aftercare includes cleaning the nose piercing. First things first, clean your hands thoroughly before touching the nose piercing or jewelry. Don’t soak your nose piercing in water, except saline solution, until the nose piercing is healed completely. You can also clean the nose jewelry using mild soap and water, followed by a saline rinse. 

Ideally, it would be best to do a saline rinse of your nose piercing twice a day using cotton balls. You can also use tea tree oil to clean the nose piercing, especially if the region is reddish, swollen, or tender.

Don’t change the nose jewelry until the piercing heals completely. In other words, wear the original jewelry until the nose piercing heals. 

When Can I Change My Nose Piercing?

The nose ring first pierced when getting the nose piercing done is not exactly the flattering, flashy, or fashionable piece of nose jewelry you will ideally choose. Usually, it is simple nose jewelry made of quality metal and is a bit oversized to avoid allergies, infection, and tissue injuries. 

You can’t replace the original jewelry installed during nose piercing until it heals completely. The final healing stage following the nose piercing may take a substantial amount of time, typically around 6 to 8 months, and sometimes even more. 

After around six months, you’ll notice that the nose piercing has completely healed with no signs of swelling, redness, bruise, scarring, pain, or inflammation. Also, there won’t be any discomfort or discharge from the nose piercing during this time, signaling it’s a good time to replace your nose piercing jewelry. 

If you’re unsure if it’s a good time to replace the original nose jewelry, visit your nose piercer. They can inspect the nose piercing and tell if it’s the right time to replace the nose piercing. Moreover, your nose piercer would also help you properly insert the new nose jewelry, avoiding any injuries or pain. 

It’s important to remember that prematurely replacing your nose piercing can lead to infection and swelling and may even close your nose piercing.

Also, when going in to replace your nose piercing jewelry, it is recommended you choose nose jewelry of the following metals –

• Platinum
• 14 Karat or 18 Karat Gold
• Implant Grade Steel
• Implant Grade Titanium
• Niobium
• Silver (Not recommended for first-time nose piercings)

Invest in high-quality nose jewelry to avoid any complications, infection, and pain, even if the cheap nose jewelry seems tempting. 

Do Nose Piercing Hurt?

The time it takes to get through the actual nose piercing is typically less than a second. When done by an experienced professional, the pain you feel will be minimal. However, do expect mild discomfort and pain during and after the nose piercing. 

Don’t worry, though, as when done right, the pain from nose piercing is so mild that it’s hardly noticeable unless you bump on it by mistake. 

Pro Tips – Don’t show up for nose piercing after consuming a lot of caffeine or on an empty stomach. Also, avoid alcohol before going for a nose piercing. 

The best way to get through the process is to remain calm and breathe deeply to relieve any stress and anxiety you may be going through. 

How To Treat An Infected Nose Piercing?

Poor hygiene, weak immune response, improper way of cleaning the piercing site/jewelry, or an allergic reaction are the common reasons why infection may occur following the nose piercing. While some of these causes are not in your hands, you must follow proper hygiene and nose piercing aftercare instructions given by your nose piercer. 

With that said, the infection may occur even after you take all the right steps to avoid it. Here are a few ways to treat an infected nose piercing –

• Thoroughly clean the nose piercing site 2-3 times a day. 
• Apply any effective topical antibiotic ointment on the site.
• Changing jewelry to low-reactive metal such as gold or platinum is suggested, especially if you’re wearing nickel jewelry that’s known to trigger constant inflammatory reactions in some people. 
• Perform a hot compress 1-2 times a day, possibly using soothing oils such as chamomile or tea tree oil. Its anti-inflammatory properties can help lower inflammation levels.
• Clean the nose piercing site gently while taking a bath with water using a mild soap. You may also want to use salt solution following clean-up for faster healing and cleaning of the site of any harmful germs or bacteria. 
• If the pain is unbearable or you catch a fever due to the infection, taking over-the-counter painkillers is recommended.
• If none of the home remedies work or if the infection and pain seem to be getting worse, seek professional medical help immediately. A medical professional can prescribe antibiotics, clean the site medically, and drain any fluid or pus build-up to provide immediate relief. 

Conclusion

As complicated as it may sound, nose piercing is a fairly simple procedure, and aftercare is quite straightforward too. Nose piercings not only look trendy but make a highly impressive style statement. If you think it goes with your personality and you can carry it well, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t go for it. 

All you need to do to get it right is find an experienced nose piercer and follow the instructions given to the dot. It’s a great way to upgrade your facial aesthetics and overall style and is sure to boost your confidence.

Follow your heart and go for it!

---