How to Pierce Your Nose (Nostril) With Aftercare

My first advice on a nose piercing would be to see a professional, but if you cant afford to or are just a stubborn ass here is a pretty ok guide on how to do it yourself with aftercare. To start I want to add you should be at least 14 (or close), to be doing this. A piercing requires lost of care even years after getting one and there cant be any "Oops I forgot" when dealing with a piercing (especially a facial one.) We might say the word "Piercing" but all it means is metal shoved in your fucking body, so be sure this is something you'll be ready to take care of and something you really want. (Think about it for at least a month)

Also a nose piercing is a big thing and if you have parents or guardians who don't want you to pierce your nose, you need to be ready to face all consequences for doing so, because despite what other people say you cant hide a fresh nose piercing and its really fucking stupid to even try.

Know your body well to. You don't want to pierce yourself with a metal your allergic to or pierce yourself if you have a history of rejecting piercing's.

Now it should be a given that to many different cultures a nose piercing and its location have different meanings. Your decision on where you piercing is may not be based on its meaning to different cultures but it still something you should know. This is all just based on my own research and knowledge and some parts could be wrong so if you know different or have been given different information please share with the class in the comments. On that note here is a pretty basic list on spots and meanings

-Left Stud ~ Femininity

- Right Stud ~ Masculinity

- Ring on right side ~ One is gay or lesbian

- Ring on left side ~ Could symbolize marriage

With all this in mind also consider that people can and will treat you differently even if you have just a small nose stud. Jobs may not hire you, People may not talk to you and others might think bad of you. Its dumb I know but its the truth and if your piercing your body you need to consider it.

!!!DO - NOT - USE - A - PEIRCING - GUN - ON - YOUR - NOSE!!!

- A sharp Needle (18g or 20g)

-High quality jewelry (Gold, silver, steel or stainless steel)

-A disinfectant (Alcohol wipes, sanitizer etc.)

-Marker (Optional but recommended)

-Clamps (Optional may help some)

-Gloves ( Optional may help some)

I recommend having all your tools in one place on a clean and disinfected plate, I did this and it made everything go easier. As said before never use a piercing gun on your nose use a needle.

Your needle needs to match in size with the jewelry you will be using or it wont go in right (Use 18g or 20g). I recommend piercing with a cork screw stud because it will be very secure for sleep, sport and daily activity's but it could be hard to get in and might be seen in the nostril. An L shape stud could be used but the chances of it falling out will be there and this can lead to irritation, infection, or the piercing closing and it could be hard to put in with the only plus being it could be more comfortable while wearing and not as visible. I do not recommend using just a stud or a nose bone because they fall out very easily and this can lead to irritation, infection, or the piercing closing. You could use a ring however most do not because when you do the piercing it will swell a bit and your jewelry needs to be big enough it can do that. No matter what you use make sure it is big enough for the piercing to have room to swell.

Don't fall victim to low quality jewelry and make sure your not allergic to the metal before using it.

Your could wear gloves however I found even with right fitting gloves they felt like they kept getting in the way. So if your doing it with out gloves make sure your hands are very clean (Especially under your nails) and if your doing someone else, just wear gloves.

On your plate make sure you have your alcohol pads or disinfectants, your jewelry ready and clean, clamps if you want to use them and your nose might bleed a little so be ready.

For this part I recommend you use a marker to put a dot at the spot that the piercing will be in. Take account your face shape, nose shape, face symmetry and what piercings you may want in the future. To use clamps you just put them on the spot your piercing will be and this will help it be a straight hole. I did not use clamps as I found it hard to hold them while pushing the needle in and for me they caused more problems then they solved. You may feel compelled to put something in your nose like an apple slice to "catch" the needle on the inside but do not do this. If your worried about the needle going to far in put a clean metal straw on the inside where you want the piercing to come out.

Clean the inside of your nose and outside with your disinfectant. You can clean the needle with alcohol and by holding it over a lighter still the end is red. Once it is red do not put it down and wait for it to cool some before piercing yourself.

Your gonna want to put the needle through from the outside to the inside. When your break the skin it may bleed a bit so be prepared but don't stop. I found the longer you wait the longer it will hurt. If your fast and precise it will be over before you know it happened. For me it took around 5-10 minutes to put the needle through all the way. (The pain was just like a pinch and didn't hurt much) This part may seem scary but I can assure it really doesn't hurt as much as you think it will. Your nose is apart of your sinus system so even if it doesn't hurt your eyes will water. Don't run the needle all the way through instead leave it about halfway in and get your jewelry.

If your have a piercing needle it may have a hole at the end. Put the end of your jewelry in the needle and pull the needle with your less dominate hand and manipulate the jewelry with your dominate hand in to the hole. This may hurt some. Make sure at all the times the needle and jewelry are always touching or else you may get the jewelry stuck. I did this on my first try and I had to double pierce myself.

If your needle had no hole like mine did (Why my jewelry and needle lost contact) it will be harder. Your gonna have to pull the needle through till its jus at the hole and then line the jewelry up. Use the same skills as before by pulling the needle with your less dominate hand and manipulating the jewelry with your dominate hand in to the hole. If your using a cork screw or L stud (like you should) this part will be hard and might hurt but its worth it.

After the jewelry is in and the needle is out your done. Make sure to properly discard the needle and never use it again and NEVER share needles with someone else (Nothing more nasty than a bitch who shares needles). You can clean up the blood with an alcohol wipe but don't use a cotton ball or Q tip.

Be sure not to use harsh disinfectants from now on ( Alcohol wipes, Rubbing alcohol, Hydrogen Peroxide etc.) All your really going to need is salt water. To ensure quality don't use bottle water, instead boiled water, mix in salt and wait for it to cool to dip your nose in it for 10-15 minutes. You should try to do this 2 times a day for the first 4 weeks and 1 time a day for the next 8 weeks. When dipping your nose make sure you get the front and back side in the water. Using clean salt water wont irritate the piercing and help prevent keloids (Deformed scar tissue on piercing surface.) Your not gonna want to use cotton balls or Q tips because the small fibers can pull and irritate your piercing or get stuck and cause infection.

DO NOT push, pull, twist, itch, scratch, tap or touch your piercing. This can lead to infection, irritation and keloids. If you have to touch it, use clean hands and be gentle. The inside of your piercing is like a scab and you don't want to break or hurt it while it heals. Wait at least 9 weeks before changing your jewelry but 12 weeks is more recommended.

Watch for yellow - green pus, a throbbing feeling or warmth coming from your piercing as these are signs of infection. A burning feeling, throbbing pain or the look like your skin is shrinking away from the metal are signs that your allergic to the metal and take out the piercing and wait for it to heal before re-piercing. Your piercing should not always hurt. If after your piercing is constantly hurting then something's wrongs. The jewelry may be to small so make sure you use a size or so bigger than you think you need (This gives room for swelling.) Don't wait till you have 50 infections huge keloids and your skin is rotting to take out your piercing or see a doctor.

Don't put heavy make-up on or near the piercing and don't sleep on it. If you use face wash, wash around it. Also be careful when putting on shirts, scarfs, necklace's or anything that goes over your head. Don't go in pools, hot tubs or put your head under any water till at least 8 weeks. Don't take out your jewelry for long periods of time because the hole may close in that time.

The pictures you see is how mine turned out following these instructions.