NOSE PIERCING GUIDE
what is a nose piercing?
If ear piercings aren’t your thing or you are just on the lookout for the newest addition to your look, a nose piercing is a great choice! There are many locations for a nose piercing however the most popular is the nostril. They are typically located anywhere on the soft cartilage that surrounds the outside of the nose.
Nostril piercings are very simple and don't cause that much pain, however, the healing time can be the most difficult part of the whole process because of all the germs and bacteria that are ever-present in your nose. Things like allergies and colds can aggravate it, as well as tasks in everyday life like blowing your nose.
In this guide we are going to talk about what a nose piercing is, the types of nose piercings, the cost, the process, aftercare and styling tips.
nostril
A nostril piercing is where the soft cartilage around the outside of your nose is pierced with a stud of your personal preference. However, it's important to know that the anatomy of your nose can affect the placement, so our expert piercers will advise you on the perfect location!
septum
A septum piercing is a nose piercing that is located through the septum of the nose. Your septum is a thin wall of cartilage that runs down the centre of your nose, separating your right and left nostrils. A septum piercing, however, should not penetrate the cartilage.
cost of a nose piercing
Our Nostril and Septum piercing fee is $80, and includes 1 piercing. The fee includes aftercare product.
We charge per piercing with the price of your jewellery of choice added on top.
nose piercing procedure
First, your piercer will start with sterilising the location of the piercing with a medical-grade alcohol swab. Next, we will mark up the site of the piercing to make sure that you are happy with the placement.
Following from this your piercer will then clamp the area using Pennington forceps and insert the piercing needle through. This process is typically done by one of our qualified piercers with an 18 gauge piercing needle and not a piercing gun, as a piercing gun can cause trauma and spread bacteria. A piercing needle allows for increased precision and less trauma as well as the risk of infection to the nose regardless of the piercing location.
Following this the earring of your choice will be fitted to your nose. We have specifically engineered our piercing jewellery to be safe and stylish so that you can use them whilst your piercing is healing and after.
And just like that, your new piercing is all done!
Pain and healing time
Pain Guide: 8/10
A nose piercing is not very painful during the procedure, however can cause some discomfort afterwards due to its location.
The healing time for a lobe piercing is between 3 to 6 months. For the first 72 hours localised swelling, redness, a warm pulsing sensation and a small amount of bleeding are all completely normal.
During the 2 to 4 week mark you may still feel some faint pulsing and you can also still expect a fluid-like substance to expel from the ear and form a crust - especially at night as this is when most healing happens. It is extremely important to treat your piercing with care and do not touch it unless you are cleaning the area.
Between the 5 to 12 week mark although you may not be feeling any discomfort it is important to remember that the piercing channel will not be fully healed so we strongly advise that you avoid friction and irritation. Do not twist, push or pull the earring if possible. This is also the stage where it can be considered to downsize your post to promote faster healing.
The three month mark and beyond is where you must be patient and where most piercings are known to cause trouble. Although you may think that the piercing is fully healed and go ahead and change your jewellery early, it can cause infection and keloid style scarring if changed too early. That is why our number 1 recommendation is to choose a piece of jewellery that you love for your initial piercing, downsize your post at the right time and wait the full recommended period before changing your stack. For a nose piercing it is recommended that you wait 9 months before you change your piercing jewellery over.
If you remove your jewellery from your piercing with out replacing it your piercings can close over in just a few hours so it is essential that you keep jewellery in the piercing at all times.
Aftercare
The aftercare for a nose piercing is fairly simple and easy. Our simple-to-follow tips have been developed in line with professional piercing and healthcare standards, ensuring your piercings heal as easily and quickly as possible. We offer unlimited, complimentary Aftercare Appointments to help you achieve optimum healing time by providing expert advice on demand. There are 4 essential steps to cleaning your new piercing.
The first and most important piece of care advice is DO NOT TOUCH. If you must touch the piercing, wash your hands. Never, ever, touch your new piercing with unwashed hands.
Second, we use the NeilMed™ piercing aftercare spray which does all the work for you! By aiming the pressurised can at a distance of 3cm - 6cm from the affected area, it is able to clean away any dirt or unwanted objects from the area without irritation. Spray both the front and the back of the piercing and then using a cotton tip, remove any discharge or dried blood.
The third step is to gently pat dry the entire area. For this, we suggest avoiding the use of toilet paper, cotton buds, Q-Tips and cotton wool on and around the newly pierced area(s) as the material from the fibres can irritate the skin and cause infection. Make sure the area is completely dry. Moisture can encourage bacteria to grow, and negatively affect your healing process.
Lastly, we recommend cleaning your piercings twice a day for at least 6-8 weeks, then this can be reduced to once daily.
Pro-tip; when washing your hair, if you have access to a removable shower head, hold it near your piercing and allow the water to wash over the piercing lightly to remove any build-up of product. Any built-up shampoo or conditioner will increase the risk of infection and irritation so ensuring its removal is essential before spraying the piercing with the aftercare spray!
is your piercing infected?
Here's what to do - The serious stuff
The success rate of piercing healing is very dependent on you, and how committed you are to your aftercare. If you neglect aftercare and interfere with your fresh piercing (playing with it and touching it) then the likelihood of complications is going to be much higher and your piercing is going to take much longer to heal.
If you experience sudden swelling that you feel is outside of ‘normal’ post-piercing healing, you must contact us immediately for professional advice. Piercing infections can become serious, very quickly. Do not delay seeking assistance. We are contactable 7 days a week for piercing aftercare advice - however we are not medical professionals, and as such, our recommendation will always be to see a doctor if there is any chance you have a bacterial infection.
Things to watch out for are the sudden onset of excessive swelling, excessive bleeding, discharge of bright yellow, green, or dark fluids. and/or red stripes coming from the piercing site. These symptoms are indicative of serious problems. Fever, upset stomach, dizziness, or vomiting may also be signs of infection.
TIME TO STYLE!
The versatility of a nose piercing makes it an exciting avenue for showcasing your personal style with a multitude of choices. You can go for something playful like our 14K Solid Gold Diamond Heart or go super subtle with our 14K Solid Gold 2mm Classic Sphere. Explore some of our top picks below!
Not completely sure what jewellery to add into your nose piercing? Check out our Nose Piercing Collection to see some of our favourites!
nose Collection
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Diamond Petit Solitaire Earring
14 Karat Yellow Gold / Lab-Grown Diamond / Single or PairRegular price $140.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Diamond Petit Solitaire Earring
14 Karat White Gold / Lab-Grown Diamond / Single or PairRegular price $145.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Piccolo Diamond Earring
14 Karat Yellow Gold / Lab-Grown Diamond / Single or PairRegular price $125.00Regular priceUnit price per -
Piccolo Diamond Earring
14 Karat White Gold / Lab-Grown Diamond / Single or PairRegular price $130.00Regular priceUnit price per -
2mm Classic Sphere Earring
14 Karat Yellow Gold / Single or PairRegular price $60.00Regular priceUnit price per
piercing and styling appointments
Ready to commit to your next piercing? Book in at one of our locations and one of our expert piercers will help you to achieve your new look! If you're not totally confident in the pieces you're after, that's ok! You can book in for either our deluxe piercing experience or ear curation experience where our experts will work with you to create a bespoke design with the highest level of artistry.