A Guide To All The Different Types of Nose Piercings

Nostril piercings are one of the most popular piercings. The jewelry you can use can be as subtle as you want or bold and edgy. This piercing is placed either on the left or right nostril along the curve of where the nostrils begin to flare. Most piercers will typically use an 18- or 20-gauge needle, but they may use a bigger needle (16g) to allow the piercing to heal. Before you leave the piercing shop, ask your piercer what gauge they used. This will help ensure you buy the right jewelry for your piercing.

Healing time: Around four to six months

Nostril piercing jewelry: Nose rings and hoops, nose stud, nose screw and L-bends and nose bone. Keep in mind that if you’re using a nose ring as your piercing jewelry, make sure it’s big enough to accommodate swelling and proper healing. Your piercer will recommend the best jewelry for you.

Septum piercings are located, as the name suggests, on the septum or the thin wall that divides both nostrils. Ideally, the needle will be inserted through the “sweet spot” or columella. Piercings are typically done with an 16- or 14-gauge hollow piercing needle.  Everyone’s anatomy is different and not everyone has a columella, so make sure you go to an experienced piercer who can perform the piercing correctly.

Healing time: Around one to three months

The Austin bar piercing, also known as the nose tip piercing, goes horizontally through the tip of the nose without piercing the septum or the nasal cavity. It’s not common yet, but the piercing is quite eye-catching and can look dainty or imposing, depending on the jewelry you choose.

Healing time: Around two to three months

Austin bar piercing jewelry: straight barbell.

A bridge piercing or Earl piercing is a horizontal piercing located across the bridge of the nose, between your eyes. The piercing goes through the flesh and not the cartilage, making it a surface piercing. While most people have enough flesh to get their bridge pierced, not everyone does. Surface piercings have a heightened chance of migration and rejection, so going to an experienced piercer is helpful.  They can both ensure your piercing is straight and well-positioned and provide assistance for healthy aftercare.

Healing time: two to three months.

Bridge piercing jewelry: straight barbells and curved barbells.

If you want to add a little spin to a regular nostril piercing, consider getting a high nostril piercing. A high nostril piercing is similar to a nose piercing, but it sits higher along the nasal bridge. The piercing is made at the highest point of the nostril, but below the bridge. The piercing is usually done with a hollow 18- or 20-gauge needle.

Healing time: Around six to nine months. This type of piercing takes longer to heal than regular nose piercings. 

High nostril piercing jewelry: Nose studs and nose screws. Due to the higher location of the piercing, the popular nose rings you can use with a regular nose piercing cannot be used with this type of piercing. It can also be tricky to switch out your jewelry, so reach out to your piercer if you need help.

If you can’t get enough of the classic nostril piercing, why not get another one? Having multiple nostril piercings on one side in a sequence gives you a layered look, while having mirrored piercings on both sides of your nose emphasizes facial symmetry.  A piercer will usually still opt for an 18-to-20-gauge needle during the piercing.

Healing time: Around six to nine months

Multiple nostril piercing jewelry: Nose rings or nose hoop, nose stud, nose screw and nose bone.

The nasallang piercing may look like the Austin piercing, but it’s actually a three-in-one piercing. A nasallang piercing is connected by a straight barbell that goes through both nostrils and the septum. The piercer will pierce the outside of one nostril, go through the septum “sweet spot” and out through the other nostril.

Healing time: Around three to nine months

A rhino piercing, also known as a vertical tip piercing, goes through the tip of your nose and through the front-underside of the nose or just underneath the septum. This piercing will show both ends of the barbell.

Healing time: Around three to nine months

The septril piercing is a combination of a septum piercing and a vertical/rhino piercing. To do this piercing, you must have a healed and stretched septum piercing. A septril piercing is located through the fistula (tunnel of flesh) of a stretched septum piercing and comes out on the outside of the nose, just below the tip.

Healing time: varies depending on the state of the fistula. Talk to your piercer for information about your healing time.

A Third eye piercing looks like a vertical bridge piercing. The piercing is located vertically between the eyes. Like the bridge piercing, the third eye piercing is a surface piercing which means there’s a risk of rejection and scarring.

Healing time: Around two to three months.

Third eye piercing jewelry: dermal or microdermal. Reach out to your piercer for jewelry options.