Nostril piercings are the second most popular piercing we do at our Manchester studio after lobes. Septum is third. Both are mild on the pain scale, heal reliably and produce some of the most flattering results across the widest range of faces. The catch is that the area is sensitive and the preperation has a few nose-specific points worth getting right.

This page walks through what to do in the week, day and hour before, what to expect on the day and the two main decisions you need to make: nostril versus septum, and stud versus hoop.

Nostril or Septum

If you have not already decided, take a moment to think it through. The two piercings have a different look, different healing time and different practical implications.

The Week Before

Watch Your Health

If you have a cold, blocked sinuses, sinusitis or any nose-related illness, postpone. A piercing through congested tissue is harder for the piercer and slower to heal. Even a mild cold is worth a phone call to the studio to consider rescheduling.

Avoid Sunburn

If your nose has been sunburnt, wait until the skin has fully recovered. Sunburnt tissue pierces poorly and heals badly. This is more relevant for the bridge area than the nostril but worth knowing.

Think About Your Glasses

If you wear glasses, mention it when booking. The bridge piercing is positioned exactly where glasses rest. Nostril and septum piercings are not affected, but it is worth telling the piercer in case you also want to consider those placements.

Stop Picking

If you have a habit of touching or picking at your nose, try to be more aware of it in the week before. The piercer will need clean, undisturbed tissue and a fresh nose piercing especially cannot be touched during healing.

The Day Before

Sleep and Hydrate

Get a proper night’s sleep and drink water through the day. Hydrated nasal tissue is more elastic and handles the needle better.

No Alcohol

Skip the drinks. Alcohol thins the blood, which means more bleeding during the piercing. Most studios will turn you away if you smell of alcohol.

Avoid Blood Thinners

Aspirin, ibuprofen and certain herbal supplements all increase bleeding. Paracetamol is fine if you need pain relief for any other reason.

The Day Itself

Eat a Proper Meal

One to two hours before. Carbs and protein. Nose piercings trigger an eye-watering reflex (more so for septum than nostril) and that combined with low blood sugar can make you feel briefly lightheaded. A meal prevents this entirely.

Skip Facial Make-up

Arrive with no foundation, concealer or powder on or near the nose. The piercer needs clean unobstructed access to the area for both marking up and the piercing itself. Make-up residue can also irritate the fresh wound. You can apply it again after a few days, well away from the piercing site.

Clean Nose

Give your nose a gentle blow shortly before leaving home. The piercer will clean the area thoroughly but starting from a clean base helps. Do not over-blow if you are congested, just clear what comes naturally.

Comfortable Clothing

No specific clothing requirements for a nose piercing. Wear what you would normally wear. Avoid hats or scarves that would touch the fresh piercing immediately after.

The Eye-Watering Reflex

The single thing first-time nose piercing clients should know about: the reflex response from the body to a needle near the nose includes watering eyes. Both nostril and septum piercings cause this, septum more strongly. The tears are involuntary and have nothing to do with how much it hurts. Most people are surprised to find they are crying without feeling upset.

Knowing this in advance helps a lot. The eyes will water for thirty seconds to a minute and then stop. The piercer will hand you a tissue. Nobody will think you are upset.

Stud or Hoop as Starter

For a fresh nostril piercing, the starter jewellery options are basically a flat-disc labret stud or a small ring. Both have advantages.

Stud (Labret)

A flat disc inside the nostril, a small decorative end on the outside. Comfortable to sleep on, easy to clean around, low profile. The standard starter at our studio.

Small Hoop

A thin titanium ring through the piercing. Can be done for fresh nostrils but slightly trickier to clean around during healing. Usually saved for once the piercing has settled, but workable from the start if you really want one.

For a fresh septum piercing, the standard starter is a small horseshoe (circular barbell) or a clicker. Both can be flipped up to hide the piercing during early healing if needed.

What Happens on the Day

The structure of a nose piercing appointment is consistent. Check-in, consultation, marking, piercing, aftercare. Roughly thirty to forty-five minutes for a first nose piercing.

Anatomy Assessment

For nostril piercings, the piercer will look at the curve of your nose, the thickness of the cartilage at different points and the natural symmetry of your face. The recommended placement varies considerably between people. Trust the recommendation.

For Septum Piercings

The piercer is looking for the sweet spot: the soft tissue notch at the front edge of the septum, not the cartilage itself. Not everyone has a pronounced sweet spot. If the piercer says your septum does not have suitable anatomy for a clean piercing, take the advice. Forcing a septum through dense cartilage produces a long, painful healing experience.

Marking Up

The piercer makes small dots where the entry and exit will be. You will look in a mirror and confirm. The marking stage is the moment to speak up if something does not look right, because once the needle goes through, the placement is fixed.

The Piercing

Quick. A single clean pass with the needle, jewellery threaded through, done. The nostril feels like a sharp pinch with watering eyes. The septum feels like a strong push with stronger watering eyes. Both are over in under a second.

Aftercare for Nose Piercings

Standard aftercare applies. Wash hands before touching. Clean with sterile saline twice a day. Hands off otherwise. The nose-specific points worth knowing:

• Be gentle with tissues and handkerchiefs around the piercing for the first few weeks. Pat rather than wipe.
• Avoid heavy nose-blowing for the first week if possible.
• Make-up can be reintroduced after a few days but kept away from the immediate piercing site for several weeks.
• If you have a cold during healing, be extra gentle with blowing your nose and clean the piercing more carefully.
• The piercing will form crusts at the entry and exit points. Soak them off with saline rather than picking them.

The trick with nose piercings is to forget about them. Clean twice a day, wash your hands, leave them alone otherwise. The nose knows how to heal itself.
Shallows piercing team

Common Questions

Does It Hurt More on the Right or Left

No, both sides feel essentially the same. The choice of side is purely aesthetic and based on which side of your face you want the piercing visible from.

Will My Eyes Definitely Water

Yes, almost always. The septum more so than the nostril. The reflex is not painful, just an involuntary response to a needle near a very sensitive area.

Can I Wear a Hoop Straight Away

Possible but not recommended for fresh nostrils. A flat-disc stud is easier to live with for the healing period. Once the piercing has fully healed (around six months), you can switch to a small hoop without any problems.

Will the Piercing Close If I Take It Out

A fully healed nose piercing can close within hours if jewellery is removed, even years after healing. The channel narrows quickly. If you are taking your jewellery out for any length of time, replace it with a fresh-skin piece kept in for that purpose.

Nose piercings are one of the most reliable first piercings to choose. The preperation is straightforward, the pain is brief, the healing is moderate and the result flatters almost every face. Pop in any day and we will walk you through which placement suits you best.