What Should You Expect When Getting a Nose Piercing? A Guide

Have you been looking in the mirror lately, wondering whether you want to get a nose piercing? Maybe you have many piercings already in other areas such as your ears and lips and you want to add another one. Or maybe there’s a look you want to go for that includes a nose piercing.

Whatever your reason for wanting to get a nose piercing, you might not be sure where to get started.

This can be stressful if you’re anxious about the piercing process or frustrating if you don’t know how to choose the right nose piercing type for you.

Fortunately, in this guide, we’ll cover everything you should expect when getting a nose piercing.

How Much Pain Will You Experience When You Get a Nose Piercing?

When you get a nose piercing, the pain is often a little more intense. This is because the piercer punching the needle through is doing it through cartilage instead of softer skin, such as your earlobe or another soft area where you might have gotten a piercing before.

However, many people who have gotten a nose piercing have reported that the experience wasn’t as painful as they expected it to be.

However much pain you feel, it will be a quick pinch that’s over quickly.

Many have reported that it isn’t the pain that’s the most unpleasant part of the process, but instead seeing the needle right in your face while the piercer is piercing your nose.

For this reason, it might be smart to close your eyes during the procedure. This is an especially good idea if you’re scared of needles.

Once you have the nose piercing stud or another type of piercing in your nose, you might keep seeing it in the corner of your eye or feeling an itch there (this is your brain registering the new object present there).

However much you notice it, don’t pull out your piercing. This can be very painful, especially if you’ve just had your nose pierced.

What Is the Healing Process Like?

When you get a nose piercing, it takes around between 4 and 6 months for your nose to fully heal. You should speak with the piercer before you change your jewelry or stop your aftercare practices, as the healing process can vary depending on the person.

Sometimes, it might look like your nose has healed on the outside—but this doesn’t mean that it has healed on the inside.

Considering this and the fact that healing time can vary depending on the person, you should check in with your piercer before making any changes to the area.

It’s also important to note that if you don’t follow aftercare practices properly with cartilage piercings, you could end up with piercing bumps.

For this reason, it’s paramount that you follow all the right practices and treat your piercing with a lot of care during the 6 months that follow the piercing.

Rules for Aftercare

While you should speak with the piercer about aftercare rules, here are some additional rules you can follow. First of all, soak your nose in a sea salt soak between 2 and 3 times a day, for 3 to 5 minutes each time. You can do this by putting the sea salt solution inside a Dixie cup.

Another rule is that, if the jewelry falls out of your nose, you should replace it ASAP. This is because your nasal cavity’s walls can heal fast, closing up in just minutes.

Note that if you’re too late and the piercing closes up, you shouldn’t force the jewelry back in. Instead, go to your piercer and have them re-pierce your nose.

You also shouldn’t touch your jewelry. Moving, scratching, or spinning the jewelry can cause piercing bumps, scarring, and other types of unsightly issues.

So be careful when you’re changing and blowing your nose—and if you can, don’t sleep on the side your nose piercing is on.

It’s also smart to stick to a stud. Other types of piercings, such as a hoop nose piercing, could make your piercing heal in a slightly curved way. Stick to a stud and switch later if you want to.

Additional Aftercare Rules

Note that an infected nose piercing is a possibility because of the bacteria present in your nose. Infection can lead to disastrous results, including having to remove the nose, so if you notice any infection signs, go to your doctor ASAP.

Finally, don’t wear any makeup while your nose piercing is healing. This includes ordinary makeup as well as suntan lotion and acne cream.

If you absolutely have to wear a facial cream or foundation, keep a lot of distance between it and your nose piercing.

Nose Jewelry Types

One of the most popular nose jewelry types is the stud. There are three types of these. One is the L-shape prong, which is the shape of an L. The longer part of the L sits inside your nose, which keeps it in place but which might be uncomfortable at first.

Another type of stud is the twist prong. The piercer will insert it into your nose with a twisting movement. This one is more comfortable than the L-shape but catches boogers more easily, so if you have allergies it isn’t the best choice.

Finally, there’s the bone prong stud. This is a stud that has an end that’s wider that sits on the inside of your nose. This is a shorter type of prong so it won’t be as visible in your nostril, but it tears out more easily.

Non-stud Types

One of the most popular hoop nose piercing jewelry types is the seamless ring. This jewelry will stand out but is likely to be accepted in a professional environment like the office. But what if you want a look that’s a bit bolder?

In this case, you should choose a captive bead ring. This is a piece of hoop jewelry that has a bead where you can show off a diamond, gemstone, or another unique option.

A faux hoop wraps around the nostril, and there’s the C-shape type that does so but not all the way.

How Much Will the Nose Piercing Cost?

The cost of a nose piercing isn’t too expensive when it comes to piercings, falling somewhere between $30 and $60. However, don’t go cheap if it means going with a piercer who doesn’t know what they’re doing. You want an experienced piercer.

This is because they’ll know exactly which location on your nose is best for the piercing.

You should also go with a piercer who pierces your nose with a needle. A piercer who uses a needle gun isn’t the right choice. This is because needle guns use blunt force and harbor bacteria.

By choosing a piercer who uses a needle, you’ll avoid causing damage that’s permanent to the pierced area.

In addition to the piercing itself, you often have to pay for the jewelry you’ll be inserting into it. There are cheaper options, such as nickel, but these aren’t usually the best choice.

It’s better to go with a jewelry option that’s more expensive, such as surgical steel or 14k gold. This is because you’ll be less likely to have a sensitivity-related reaction once the piercer has inserted the jewelry there.

Note that you can also buy your nose piercing jewelry beforehand online, making your options almost endless.

Other Nose Piercing Types

Another nose piercing type that's gaining popularity slowly is the double nostril piercing. Here, you have two nostril piercings that are next to each other. Usually, when you get this you’ll buy two little nose studs with gemstones or sparkling diamonds.

There’s also the septum nose piercing. This type of piercing is in the soft tissue that is right underneath the septum, the cartilage wall that separates left and right nostrils. This is a bold look where you get your columella pierced.

Additional nose piercing types include the bridge piercing, the rhino or vertical tip piercing, the septril piercing, and the nasallang piercing.

Looking for Nose Piercing Jewelry?

Now that you’ve learned what to expect when getting a nose piercing, you might be looking for the right nose piercing jewelry to buy before you go in for your piercing. If this is the case, you should look no further than Body Pierce Jewelry.

We have many different types of piercing jewelry, including nose rings, studs, and pins.

To learn more about the many nose piercing jewelry options we offer, check them out now.