What to Expect After Your Nose Piercing

So you went ahead and got your nose pierced after all, very cool. (If you're still considering getting your nose pierced, first check out my article on What to Expect From Your Nose Piercing.) In the following article, you'll find ways to help your nose piercing heal and little tricks such as how to yawn without it hurting and dealing with those pesky boogers.

Nose Piercing: Washing Your Face

The first few times you wash your face after getting your nose pierced, it's going to be weird, if not a little painful. Where you would usually be able to splash soap and water on your face and wipe it easily away, you'll have to avoid the nose area where your piercing is, and that can be tricky. One important thing to remember when washing your face is to avoid using a towel, especially if you have a stud. This is because towels tend to have stray strands that your nose stud will easily get caught in. Trust me, it is no fun to get the towel stuck on your nose piercing, especially while it's still healing. When you wash your face, be sure to use mild soap, as highly perfumed soaps can lead to irritation of the nose piercing.

Nose Piercing: Makeup

After you get your nose pierced, it will be tempting to slather cover-up and foundation around the piercing site. For the love of your nose, please avoid this. Makeup will get down into the piercing and will likely cause irritation, if not infection. Fortunately, if you keep up with cleaning, your nose piercing site will not be red for long.

Nose Piercing: Yawning

You will find out quickly that yawning or flaring your nostrils will not feel so great. And what is more annoying than trying to yawn, but having it interrupted by a shock of discomfort? After your nose piercing, when you need to yawn, try placing your fingertips at the bridge of your nose (right next to your eyes), and pressing in, like you're praying. You will still have some discomfort, but it should help you ease the pain a little bit.

Nose Piercing: Itching

You'll know when your nose piercing begins to heal when it starts to itch. And boy, will it itch! If you have to scratch, make sure your hands are clean.

Nose Piercing: Boogers

There's no way around dealing with boogers after you have your nose pierced. One way to dig those suckers out is using a Q-Tip. Usually a dry Q-Tip will work the best, but sometimes a Q-Tip soaked in warm water will help extract those pesky nose treasures from your piercing. As far as blowing your nose, it is more than a little uncomfortable while your nose piercing is still healing. Pressing down the nostril on the opposite side of your nose piercing can help you blow your nose more effectively.

Nose Piercing: Changing Your Jewelry

You will know when your piercing has healed enough to change the jewelry when you can tug on it and it doesn't hurt. Just to be safe, wait as long as possible before you change your nose piercing jewelry because you don't want to mess with it healing over or getting infected. If you had a captive bead hoop as your nose piercing jewelry I will tell you from experience that it is best to simply schedule an appointment with the facility that did your nose piercing to have it removed before you try changing your jewelry. The captive bead hoops are incredibly difficult to remove and place by yourself.

When you are ready to remove your jewelry, first clean the area (and your hands, of course). Slip the original stud or hoop out of your nose. Clean and disinfect the new piece of jewelry that will go into your nose. (Note: Do not use an earring stud for your nose piercing!) Apply a small amount of ointment (you can even use lubricating jelly) to the new piece of jewelry, and maneuver it into your piercing. Be patient, especially if you are using an L-shaped or Corkscrew-shaped stud.

Nose Piercing: Types of Nose Jewelry

There are many types of jewelry to choose from when you decide to change out your nose ring.

Captive Bead Hoop- If you had your nose pierced with a hoop, this is likely the type of jewelry your nose piercing specialist used. This type of nose jewelry is an incomplete hoop that is sealed off with a tiny bead. To remove this nose jewelry from your nose, pull the hoop in opposite directions to dislodge the bead. After the bead is removed, twist the hoop in opposite directions (north and south) until it can be twisted out of the nose piercing. Captive Bead Hoops look very cool, but are a pain to insert and remove.

Seamless Hoop- Unlike the Captive Bead Hoop, the seamless hoop is easily removed. This is a ring that separates in the middle and can easily be opened and closed. To insert a seamless hoop, open it up. Poke one end into your nose piercing and feel for the metal on the inside of your nostril. Push the hoop in a little ways, close the hoop and spin it to ensure that it is securely closed.

Nose Pin- This is a nose stud with a straight bar and a slightly thicker ball on the end to keep it in place once you have inserted it into your nose. To insert a nose pin, simply line it up with the piercing and pop it in. You may experience a small amount of discomfort as the larger end goes in, but it will not last long.

L-Shaped- This type of nose stud has an L-Shaped bar that makes it more difficult for it to fall out of your nose. To insert an L-Shaped stud into your nose piercing, poke the jewelry into your nose, with one finger on the inside of your nostril. Once you feel the metal of the jewelry, maneuver the rest of the stud into your nose. (You may have to play around a little bit with the position of your L-Shaped stud as certain positions may make irritate your nose and make you feel like you have to sneeze!)

Nose Screw- This type of nose stud is more difficult to insert into the nose piercing, but more secure than most nose stud options. To insert a nose screw, poke the jewelry into your nose, with one finger on the inside of the nostril. Again, once you feel the metal bar, maneuver and twist the rest until it is in place. Be sure that you feel the metal on the inside of your nostril before you begin twisting the jewelry, as it is very easy to accidentally poke into the middle of your nose piercing and cause lots of discomfort.

I hope that these tips have been informative and helpful for you. Feel free to add your own tidbits of wisdom in a comment below!

Disclaimer: I am by no means a medical or piercing professional. This article is provided for informational purposes only.