Nose piercing is the second most popular form of body piercing after earlobe piercing. If you are thinking about getting a nose piecing, it might interest you to know how long it takes for a nose piercing to heal. This article will not only look at the general healing time expected for different types of piercings on the nose but also explain why its healing time is relatively longer than that of other forms of piercing. In addition we’ll discuss some helpful ways in which you can minimize the a newly pierced nose healing time.
Nose Piercing Healing Time
Unlike navel and ear piercing which are done on flesh or fatty tissues, nose piercing is done on cartilage which doesn’t heal the same way as flesh. Consequently, piercing on the nose take relatively longer to heal and are more susceptible to complications especially if proper piercing aftercare is not observed.
Nose piercing healing time is one of the nose controversial topics online with some people holding that a piercing on the nose will heal in less than two weeks and others maintaining that healing can take up to six months.
For the sake of clarification we’ll break down the healing process into two categories namely:
- Clearing away of obvious nose symptoms that may come after your pierce your nose and
- Full healing of the pierced nose
Obvious symptoms of nose piercings such as swelling, tenderness and redness in the skin around the piercing typically clears away in 10 to 15 days especially if proper aftercare measures are strictly observed.
As for the latter, the time frame varies depending on the type of nose piercing; that is depending on where the piercing is located on the nose. There are two main types in this context, namely, nostril piercing and septum piercing.
A nostril piercing (a piercing done on the outside of the nose in the area between the cheeks and the nose tip) typically heals completely in 2 to 4 months. A septum piercing (a piercing in the cartilaginous tissue separating the right and the left nostril) on the other hand takes a bit longer to heal completely, normally between 6 and 8 months.
It is highly recommended that you leave your nose jewelry (stud, ring, or screw) intact during the healing process as changing it too soon can lead to irritation and infection, and probably extend the healing time considerably.
During the nose piercing healing time, it is normal for the pierced are to bleed, swell, and appear tender and reddened. As the healing process progresses, the piercing may appear pink in color, form crusts, have light whitish-yellow discharge (not pus though unless it is infected) and itch a bit.
All these could be observed even after it appears healed looking from the outside. Remember healing proceeds from the outside in and the inside of the nose may still be healing up.
How Long Does It Take For Nose Piercings to Heal
The question “how long does it take for nose piercings to heal?” appears very often in online forums. As we have said the time frame for a newly pierced nose to completely heal varies from 2 to 4 months for nostril piercing and 6 to 8 months for septum piercings.
Swelling and other symptoms that appear immediately after the piercing is done however normally go away in 10 to 15 days.
This is the average time it takes for a newly pierced nose to heal but it could be shorter or longer for some people. For example, if proper aftercare measures are not taken, including ensuring proper hygiene regime, preventing trauma on the piercing and avoiding tugging at the jewelry, the healing time can be much longer.
In a nutshell, how long it takes for a nose piercing to heal depends to a large extent on your initiative in as far as caring for the piercing is concerned.
Nostril Piercing Healing Time – How To Minimize It
Choose appropriate jewelry: the quality of the jewelry you use can have a significant impact on the length of the nostril piercing healing time. Stainless steel, niobium and titanium jewelry are the best in prevention of infection and ensuring a smooth healing process.
While some piercers might offer free studs and rings as part of their package, you should ideally go for higher quality ones made of the above mentioned materials even though they might cost you a bit more.
Nose rings also render themselves to faster healing than nose bones or studs and nose screws. It is also advisable to ensure that the nose ring doesn’t fit too tight as this can also delay the healing process.
Don’t change the ring too soon: You might want to change from a nose ring to a nose bone or any other type of nose piercing. You might also want to change to smaller or larger diameter stud or ring, or a different colored version of the same jewelry you are wearing.
However, changing the nose jewelry too soon can cause an infection and extend the healing time. Put off changing the jewelry to at least 4 weeks (but 2 months is the most appropriate time). Even then, listen to your piercing. If it feels painful trying to remove the stud or ring it could simply be telling you that it still need some more time to heal up.
Observe proper aftercare for your nose piercing: Any professional piercer will advise you on how to take care of your piercing as it heals. Observe them carefully to shorten the healing time. We have also shared numerous piercing on the nose aftercare measures here.
Do Nose Piercings Close Up After Healing?
We have all along been saying that you shouldn’t remove your piercing during the healing time to not only avoid infections but also to avoid close up especially given the fact that a piercing on the nose of less than four weeks closes up in less that 24 hours if the ring or stud is removed.
The question then is, “Do nose piercings close up after healing?” The answer is “yes”; piercings on the nose close up after some time if they are left without a stud, ring or screw.
If you have to remove the jewelry you are wearing on the piercing on the nose for whatever reason, e.g. a new job or moving in with your granny, you should consider putting on a retainer to prevent the it from closing up.
Do not use peroxide and do not use tea tree oil. Such horrible advice here. Use a mild antibacterial soap (Dial or Softsoap; the foaming Dial is nice) or plain saline soaked on a cotton ball/swab or bunched paper towel. That’s it. Hold it on both the outside and inside of the nostril. Slightly turn it as you clean to make sure you get it all clean. Avoid playing with it. It’s tempting, I know, but you can get dirt in there and get an infection, and it will take longer to heal if you keep messing with it. Just don’t touch it unless you’re cleaning it. Twice a day for a couple of weeks, I strongly recommend starting with a ring. Despite what you moght think, rings don’t snag as easily as a bone or screw. Don’t lay on your face. If you’re going swimming, clean your piercing directly after. Know your sensitivities, research your piercer. The piercing should ideally be in the crease of your nostril. If it’s too high, you’re in for some pain.
Again, do your research and go to a reputable piercer. I can’t stress this enough!
If you want it to heal fast, DO NOR TOUCH WHEN YOU’RE NOT CLEANING. Simple.
Got my nose pierced yesterday but I wanna take it out now 🙁 can I simply remove the stud and let it heal normally? Or will that cause infection? 🙁
I got mine pierced 5 days ago and it doesn’t hurt anymore. I used soap on it for a couple days like the piercer told me, but then I did some research and started using Aloe Vera and that stuff is the best. I would definitely recommend using CLEAR, PURE ALOE or aloe from a plant would be even better. Nature knows best, guys.
From the research I did, Iran is the nose-job caaptil of the world. The only thing I’d be concerned with is that if it does go bad, you aren’t a citizen of Iran and the consumer protection laws (if there are any) might not cover you and who knows how good their doctors are.If you’ve done your research and picked a surgeon that has done lots of them and you’re comfortable with then there’s no reason you shouldn’t go ahead with it.ll surgery carries some uncertainty and riskWhen rhinoplasty is performed by a qualified plastic surgeon, complications are infrequent and usually minor. Nevertheless, there is always a possibility of complications, including infection, nosebleed, or a reaction to the anesthesia. You can reduce your risks by closely following the doctor’s instructions both before and after surgery.After surgery, small burst blood vessels may appear as tiny red spots on the skin’s surface; these are usually minor but may be permanent. As for scarring, when rhinoplasty is performed from inside the nose, there is no visible scarring at all; when an open technique is used, or when the procedure calls for the narrowing of flared nostrils, the small scars on the base of the nose are usually not visible. Other scars near the bridge of the nose can come from sculpture of the nasal bones from an external approach. Occasionally a second procedure may be required-for example, to correct a minor deformity. Such cases are unpredictable and happen even to patients of the most skilled surgeons. The corrective surgery is usually minor.Planning your surgeryGood communication between you and your doctor is essential. In your initial consultation, your doctor should ask what you’d like your nose to look like, evaluate the structure of your nose and face, and discuss the possibilities with you. He will also explain the factors that can influence the procedure and the results. These factors include the structure of your nasal bones and cartilage, the shape of your face, the thickness of your skin, your age, and your expectations.Your doctor should also explain the techniques and anesthesia he will use, the type of facility where the surgery will be performed, the risks and costs involved, and any options you may have. Most insurance policies don’t cover purely cosmetic surgery; however, if the procedure is performed for reconstructive purposes, to correct a breathing problem or a marked deformity, the procedure may be covered. Check with your insurer, and obtain pre-authorization for your surgery.List of possible complications:Abnormal shape of nose (pinched tip, polly beak, pug nose, scooped out nose; corrected by secondary surgery, often with an implant)Airway obstructionAnesthesia reactionAsymmetryBleeding (may require nasal packing to control it)Burst blood vesselsDepressionDiscolorationExtrusion (implants)Infection (risk is less than 1%)Signs of infection: pain, swelling, warmth, rednessInternal scar/adhesionsKeloid (heavy scar)Loss of smellLoss of structural supportNerve DamageNumbnessPainPerforation of septumPermanent numbness (risk is less than 1%)Reactions to medicationsSeptal hematomaSinusitis (treated with antibiotics and medications that shrink the nasal lining)Skin irregularitiesSkin necrosis or skin death (1500% more likely with smokers)Slow healingSwellingToxic Shock SyndromeWound InfectionVisible scarWhen rhinoplasty is performed by a qualified plastic surgeon, complications are rare and are usually minor. However, all surgery has the risk of complications and undesirable outcomes. You can reduce your risks by closely following your surgeon’s instructions both before and after surgery.Burst Blood VesselsAfter surgery, small burst blood vessels may appear as tiny red spots on the surface of the skin. These are usually small, but may be permanent. This rarely happens, but it is a possibility you should be aware of.BleedingBleeding may occur for up to four weeks after operation. The patient must resist any urge to blow or pick the nose to minimize bleeding.Abnormal ShapeAn abnormal shape of the nose may be due to an error during surgery or the patient not keeping their head elevated enough or sleeping on one side without a proper side. The nose can pull to one side if the cast does not support it properly. There are other factors that go beyond human control, as well.Wound InfectionThe rate of wound infection following rhinoplasty is less than 2%. Abscesses, cellulitis or granuloma may be treated with antibiotics and drainage. Use of an implant increases the chance of infection.Risk of smokingSmoking significantly reduces your body’s circulation and vascularity. This means difficulty in bringing much needed oxygen to your tissues and greatly increases your risk for slow healing and other complications. It is important to stop smoking for at least 4 weeks before and after surgery.Toxic Shock SyndromeThis is very rare, occurring in only 0.016% of rhinoplasty surgeries. However, if it does occur, the mortality rate is about 11%. Symptoms include fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and a sunburnlike rash. According to an article authored by S. Valentine Fernandes on emedicine.com the complication rate for nasal surgery varies from 4-18.8%. In individual hands, this rate generally falls as surgical experience accumulates. Skin and associated soft tissue complications occur in up to 10% of cases. According to estimates, severe systemic or life-threatening complications occur in 1.7-5% of rhinoplasty cases. Intracranial complications are rare.
I got my piercing done January 02,2016 and it felt fine but now is like getting a Lil bump in the outside of my nose who can tell me why is dis happening????
It’s called a Keloid. It’s a build up of tissue. You can use tea tree oil on it. Most likely it’ll come and go over the lifetime of the piercing.
my nose was pierced 6 days ago, it does not hurt but it seems like it has started to sink into the hole a little. my question to you is should i take it out or leave it in?
I did my own piercing using a piercing stud and it’s has only been 3 days and everything is going swell. Very little pain and swelling.
I justbgot it done the day before yesterday and ive been cleaning it and it doesnt hurt anymore. But how do i make sure the stud wont get stuck in my nose.??
Need advise on this please.??
Put Vaseline on the inside of your nose then remove the screw,
I got the right side of my nose pierced yesterday and I feel like it is in the wrong place. If I take it out now will it be okay to have it re pierced tomorrow?