The nose carries several distinct piercings that look nothing alike, hurt to different degrees, and heal on wildly different clocks. A septum is a two-second pinch through soft tissue whose surface settles in a couple of months but takes 6–8 months to fully heal; a high nostril is a stubborn, thick-skinned spot that can stay tender for the better part of a year. This guide lines up every nose placement side by side, then links to the full guide for each so you know exactly what you’re signing up for before the needle comes out.
ℹ️ Good to know
Nose piercings look nothing alike and heal on wildly different clocks: a septum’s surface settles in a couple of months, while a high nostril can stay tender for the better part of a year.
Every Nose Piercing Type at a Glance
Here’s the whole picture in one table. The pain numbers are averages pulled from reported experience, not a promise. Your anatomy, your tolerance, and how fast your piercer works all move the dial. Healing times assume you actually keep up the saline.
| Placement | Location | Pain (1–10) | Healing Time | Typical Starting Jewelry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Nostril | Crease of one nostril | 4–5 | 4–6 months | 18g (1.0mm) flat-back labret or L-post |
| Double Nostril | Two holes, one nostril | 5–6 | 4–6 months | 18g (1.0mm) flat-back labrets |
| High Nostril | Higher on the nose, above the crease | 5–7 | 6–9 months | 18g (1.0mm) flat-back labret only |
| Septum | Soft tissue between the nostrils | 3–4 | 2–3 months initial, up to 6–8 months full | 16g (1.2mm) circular barbell |
| Bridge | Surface, between the eyes | 4–5 | 8–12 weeks initial, 6–12 months full | 16g–14g straight barbell |
| Nasallang | One bar through both nostrils + septum | 7–8 | 4–6 months | 14g straight barbell |
| Septril | Septum + vertical tip combined | 6–7 | Varies | Stretched septum + tip jewelry |
| Rhino / Vertical Tip | Through the tip of the nose | 6–7 | 6–9 months | 16g curved barbell |
Nostril Piercing
The standard nostril is the most-pierced spot on the face, and the reasons are plain: it suits nearly every nose, it rates a manageable 4–5 out of 10, and it heals in 4–6 months. Reputable piercers place it in the natural crease of the nostril with a hollow needle rather than a gun, the method the Association of Professional Piercers backs, and they start it at 18 gauge (1.0mm) in implant-grade titanium. The classic starter is a flat-back labret or an L-shaped post, both of which sit flush and won’t tug at the channel the way a ring does.
A nostril looks simple, but its long heal time catches people out. It feels fine at six weeks and isn’t done at twelve. Leave the jewelry alone until your piercer clears a change.
Full guide: Nostril Piercing Guide
Double Nostril Piercing
A double nostril stacks two holes on the same side, either climbing the crease in a vertical pair or sitting close together for a clustered look. Both are usually done in a single sitting, so the pain is roughly twice a single nostril, still brief, and still in the 5–6 range. Healing runs the same 4–6 months because the two settle alongside each other.
Getting the placement right is what you’re paying a skilled piercer for. The two holes have to relate to each other and to the shape of your nose, not just land near one another. Start both with 18 gauge (1.0mm) flat-back labrets so they heal flat and even.
Full guide: Double Nostril Piercing Guide
High Nostril Piercing
The high nostril sits well above the usual crease, higher up the slope of the nose where the skin is thicker and tighter. That placement pushes pain to 5–7 out of 10 and stretches healing to 6–9 months, the longest of the common nose piercings. Less airflow and denser tissue mean it sulks longer than a standard nostril.
A flat-back labret is the only sensible starter. The spot sits too high and too flat for a ring to work, and the post has to be threaded internally so nothing rough drags through the channel. This isn’t a beginner’s first piercing, so pick a piercer who has done plenty of them.
Full guide: High Nostril Piercing Guide
Septum Piercing
The septum is the surprise of the group. It rates only 3–4 out of 10 despite its dramatic look, because the needle passes through the soft “sweet spot” of skin just below the cartilage, not the cartilage itself. Done right, it’s a quick pinch, and your eyes water from reflex more than pain. It also heals fastest of the group. The surface settles in about 2–3 months, but full healing takes up to 6–8 months, so don’t change jewelry until your piercer clears it.
The standard starter is a 16 gauge (1.2mm) circular barbell, the horseshoe shape that flips up into the nostrils to hide the piercing completely. A bad septum piercing that catches cartilage hurts far more and heals crooked, so the piercer’s eye for the sweet spot matters more than almost anything else.
Full guide: Septum Piercing Guide
Bridge Piercing
The bridge is a surface piercing that sits horizontally across the top of the nose, between the eyes, with a barbell ball showing on each side. It’s a skin-deep placement, not through bone or deep cartilage, so it rates a modest 4–5 out of 10. The surface heals quickly in about 8–12 weeks, but full healing takes 6–12 months, so don’t change or downsize jewelry until your piercer confirms it’s settled. As a surface piercing it carries a lifelong risk of migration and rejection, and that risk never fully goes away.
Jewelry is usually a 16 or 14 gauge straight barbell, sized with a little length to ride out swelling and downsized later. Anatomy is the gatekeeper. If you don’t have enough loose skin between the eyes to pinch, a good piercer will turn you down rather than set you up for rejection.
Full guide: Bridge Piercing Guide
The Advanced Placements
Past the five most common spots sit a handful of rare, technical piercings you’ll mostly see on heavily modified people and from specialist piercers. The nasallang is the boldest: a single straight barbell driven through both nostrils and the septum in one pass, so it looks like two separate nostril studs but is really one bar. It rates 7–8 out of 10 and demands a piercer who has done it before.
The septril is a hybrid: a stretched septum combined with a vertical pass through the tip, so jewelry appears to emerge from the very front of the nose. The rhino, or vertical tip, runs vertically through the tip itself with a curved barbell, one ball under the tip and one on top. None of these are starter piercings; treat them as goals to work toward with an experienced artist, not a first booking.
How to Choose the Right Nose Piercing
Anatomy decides first. A bridge needs enough pinchable skin between the eyes, a septum needs a clear sweet spot below the cartilage, and a high nostril needs a piercer confident with the angle. A five-minute in-person look saves you months of a migrating or crooked piercing.
Lifestyle is the second filter, and people skip it. Glasses rub against a fresh bridge all day, a septum can clash with a strict dress code unless you flip it up, and a nostril ring snags on towels and scarves through the entire heal. Walk through an ordinary day in your head before you commit to a spot.
Pain, honestly, is the smallest factor. Even the nasallang’s 7–8 is over in seconds. What actually tests you is months of twice-daily saline, so if you already know you won’t keep that up, start with a septum or a standard nostril rather than a high nostril or a surface bridge.
Nose Ring vs Stud: What to Start With
For any fresh nostril, a stud is the safer choice by a wide margin. A flat-back labret or an L-shaped post sits flat, stays put, and is easy to clean around, which is exactly what a healing channel needs. A ring moves with every expression, snags on fabric, and drags at the fistula, which is the single most common reason a nostril develops an irritation bump in the first few months.
The septum is the one exception: its starter is a circular barbell, because the soft-tissue channel handles a ring well and the horseshoe shape is what lets you flip it up to hide it. Once any nose piercing is fully healed at the 4–6 month mark, the ring-versus-stud question becomes pure style. Until then, listen to your piercer.
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The full breakdown of styles, gauges, fit, and which suits your face lives here: Nose Ring vs Stud.
Nose Piercing Jewelry by Placement
Different spots ask for different shapes. Forcing the wrong one is how piercings end up crooked, irritated, or rejected. Here’s what each placement actually wants while it heals.
| Style | Best For | Gauge | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flat-back labret | Nostril, double nostril, high nostril (healing) | 18g (1.0mm) | Sits flush, won’t snag, easiest to clean. The default starter for any nostril. |
| L-shaped post (nose screw) | Healed nostril | 18g–20g | Bent end hooks inside the nostril. Lower profile than a labret but trickier to insert. |
| Circular barbell (horseshoe) | Septum (healing + hiding) | 16g (1.2mm) | Flip up into the nostrils to conceal. Two threaded balls unscrew for removal. |
| Clicker / seamless ring | Healed septum or healed nostril | 16g most common | Hinged or seamless. Big decorative range. Not for fresh piercings. |
| Straight barbell | Bridge, nasallang | 16g–14g | Ball on each end. Sized long for swelling, then downsized. |
| Retainer | Hiding nostril or septum for work | Matches existing gauge | Clear or flesh-toned. Near-invisible from conversational distance. |
Nose-Specific Aftercare
The nose breaks the usual aftercare in two ways most piercings don’t. It sits in the path of everything you breathe, and the inside of the channel is mucous membrane, which is why crusting and the occasional bit of discharge are normal early on; healthdirect lists mild swelling, redness, and clear fluid among the expected signs while a fresh piercing settles. The routine below covers all nose placements; a septum just needs attention on both internal openings too.
- Wash your hands first. Every single time, because dirty hands on a fresh piercing are how infections start.
- Spray sterile saline on both sides. Use 0.9% sodium chloride wound wash, morning and night. For a septum, get the inside of each nostril too.
- Soften and remove crusting gently. Let the saline loosen it, then wipe away with a clean paper towel. Never pick it off dry, and never use cotton balls, since the fibers catch on the jewelry.
- Let it air dry, then leave it alone. No twisting, no flipping, no checking it in the mirror twenty times a day. Motion equals irritation.
These reliably slow healing or trigger problems, so avoid all of them:
- Alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, Bactine, or antibiotic ointments, which damage healing tissue
- Swimming pools, hot tubs, lakes, and the ocean until fully healed
- Touching, twisting, or rotating the jewelry
- Changing jewelry or switching to a ring before your piercer clears it
- Sleeping face-down or pressing the piercing into a pillow
- Makeup, foundation, and harsh cleansers directly over the site
The Nose Bump Issue
Almost everyone with a nose piercing meets the bump at some point, and the panic it causes is usually out of proportion to what it is. The great majority are irritation bumps, not infections and not keloids, and they trace back to a specific cause: a ring worn too early, sleeping on the side, a knock from a towel, low-quality jewelry, or over-cleaning the spot to death.
The fix is usually to take things away, not add them. Remove the cause, drop back to plain saline, and skip the tea tree oil, ointments, and aspirin pastes that internet threads swear by. A true keloid is rare and looks and behaves differently from a common irritation bump. If a bump grows, weeps, or won’t settle, see your piercer before you start experimenting.
The full diagnosis-and-fix walkthrough, covering how to tell a bump apart, what each type means, and exactly what to do, is here: Nose Piercing Bump Guide. For the complete cleaning routine across every piercing, see the Piercing Aftercare Guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the different types of nose piercings?
The main nose piercing types are the standard nostril, double nostril, high nostril, septum, and bridge. Beyond those, advanced placements include the nasallang (a single bar through both nostrils and the septum), the septril (a septum piercing combined with a vertical-tip pass), and the rhino or vertical tip through the tip of the nose. The nostril and septum are by far the most common; the rest are far rarer and depend heavily on your anatomy and your piercer’s experience.
Which nose piercing hurts the least?
The septum hurts the least when it is done correctly, usually rating 3 to 4 out of 10. The needle passes through the soft ‘sweet spot’ of skin between the cartilage and the tip of the nose, not through cartilage itself. The standard nostril is next at 4 to 5 out of 10. The bridge and high nostril rate higher because the tissue is tighter and the angle is less forgiving.
How long does a nose piercing take to heal?
A standard nostril takes 4 to 6 months to fully heal, and a high nostril can run 6 to 9 months because the tissue is thicker and gets less airflow. A septum settles faster, in 2 to 3 months, but full healing can take 6 to 8 months. A surface bridge looks settled in 8 to 12 weeks but takes 6 to 12 months to fully heal and stays at lifelong risk of migration or rejection. Do not change jewelry before the minimum window, even if it looks settled.
Should I get a nose ring or a stud?
For a fresh nostril, a flat-back labret stud or an L-shaped post is the safest starter because it stays put and is easy to clean around. Rings and hoops move more, snag more, and tend to drag at a healing channel, so most piercers steer you away from a ring until the piercing is fully healed at 4 to 6 months. Once healed, it is purely a style choice between the two.
What causes a nose piercing bump?
Most nose piercing bumps are irritation bumps, not infections. They are usually caused by trauma to the piercing, whether that’s knocking it, sleeping on it, changing jewelry too soon, or wearing a ring before it healed. Low-quality jewelry and over-cleaning also trigger them. A true keloid is rare. The fix is almost always removing the cause and sticking to plain saline, not adding more products.
What gauge is a nose piercing?
Most nostril piercings are done at 18 gauge (1.0mm) or 20 gauge (0.8mm), with 18g being the sturdier and more common choice at reputable studios. Septum piercings are usually 16 gauge (1.2mm) or 14 gauge (1.6mm). A bridge is typically 16 gauge or 14 gauge straight barbell. Always start with implant-grade titanium (ASTM F136) regardless of placement.
Can I hide a nose piercing for work?
A septum is the easiest to hide — flip a horseshoe barbell up into your nostrils and it disappears, or wear a clear retainer. A nostril is harder to conceal, but a clear or flesh-toned retainer makes it nearly invisible from a normal conversational distance. A bridge sits directly between the eyes and cannot be hidden at all, so factor that in if your workplace is strict.
Is a double nostril piercing done in one sitting?
Yes, both holes are usually pierced in the same appointment, placed in a deliberate stack or spread on one nostril. The pain is roughly double a single nostril for a few seconds, and healing runs the same 4 to 6 months because they heal alongside each other. Some people prefer to space the two out so they can judge the placement of the second against the healed first.
Final Thoughts
A nose piercing can be a quick-settling septum or a nine-month high nostril, and everything between. The spot you pick sets the pain, the heal time, the jewelry, and whether your anatomy will even allow it. Whatever you land on, the basics don’t change: an in-person consultation, a real anatomy check, a needle rather than a gun, implant-grade titanium, and aftercare you actually follow.
Use the full guides linked above to go deep on any placement before you book. Each one breaks down the pain, the healing, the jewelry, and the problems that crop up, which this overview only had room to summarise.