Tell me about your nose piercing experience

[plantnerd]

Hi ladies (and men),

I am hoping to get my nose pierced (nostril) as my xmas gift to myself.  I've always wanted to have it done, and now that I'm at home with the boy I will have time for it to heal before having to take it out for work.  I am interested in hearing your experieicnes with piercing.  I am not at all worried about the pain.  I am more curious about the aftercare, jewelry choices (I want a stud) and healing process.

How long was it red/swollen?

What if I get a cold?

Anyone have issues with infection?

I am very metal sensitive, would you recc stainless steel or 18k gold?

If you remove it in the future, how much does the hole close up, or does it look like a big blackhead (eww)?

[Chloe'sMama]

I had mine done a few years ago.  I am also metal sensitive and it didn't heal quite right.  I had to take it out after a few months.  It healed up so that you can't even tell where it was pierced.  I love the saline spray, I think it is called H2Ocean or something cleaver like that.  I used stainless steel ( it worked for all my other piercings, several in my ears, belly button... etc).  

Good luck.  I love the way it looks!  Just didn't work on me.

[heathenmom]

That was my Yule gift to myself last year!

How long was it red/swollen?  Mine took a LONG time to heal ... nearly 6 months.  It would go for a few weeks and look fine, then I'd catch in on a washcloth or something and it'd get gross again.  My piercer told me it would take 6 months, though, so I wasn't surprised by that.  Also, I'm terribly lax with aftercare.  Shhh...

What if I get a cold?  TMI, but boogers are a pain.  I still have my original jewelry in, though, and dh (who has much more experience with body piercings than me) says that that's the problem.  I need a different style of jewelry (THIS year's Yule gift! LOL).

Anyone have issues with infection?  Not since the initial 6-month healing period.

I am very metal sensitive, would you recc stainless steel or 18k gold?  I went with s/s.

If you remove it in the future, how much does the hole close up, or does it look like a big blackhead (eww)?  Haven't taken mine out yet, but an acquaintence says that she took hers out for less than an hour and hers closed up completely.

[AtYourCervices]

I second the H2Ocean.

The first time I had my nose pierced (in 2004) I had a small stud put in. Unfortunately, I'm also metal sensitive, and it didn't heal right. It hurt horribly to change the nose ring. I ended up having to take the stud out for surgery (2007) and I was never able to get it back in again. 

Fast forward a year after the surgery, one of my good friends was a piercer at a popular tattoo/piercing parlor and he offered to re-pierce my nose, except this time they told me to use a pyrex glass screw. They put it in right when my nose got re-pierced, and I love it! I've never had any problems with infections & it doesn't hurt to remove it. I don't have a problem changing out the jewelry (but I'll only wear pyrex glass screws). 

I don't remember how long it was red/swollen. All I remember of recovery was the big bloody booger that came out a day or two later. 

The nose ring doesn't affect my ability to blow my nose (unless it somehow gets turned at a really weird  angle, in which case it's more of a "I'm going to sneeze" tickle.

I never leave my nose ring out. I have a clear nosering I used for work/clinicals, etc. 

[plantnerd]

I'm asking about the swelling/ugly part b/c I want to get it done tomorrow while dh is out of town, and surprise him on sunday with it.  I got my hair cut and colored today, and bought myslef some new panties LOL.  Venus must be in capricorn this month :)

I didn't know you could do glass.  That's awesome!  I'll have to check it out.  Do they have them at shops or should I look online?

[AtYourCervices]

I got mine right from the piercing parlor.

[PoppyMama]

Mine was only red for a day or two and no real swelling after the first day.  I had no infections and no problems and used no aftercare, just rinsed gently in the shower with a mild soap.  Dr. Bronners is good.  I think all my nose jewelry but one gold piece is titanium.  I highly recommend a reputable piercer and titanium.

[thefreckledmama]

I've had mine done twice, the first time with a ring, the second with a screw (probably what you're thinking of as a stud).  The screw was MUCH more comfortable, and honestly the swelling was gone within a day or two.  I didn't have any issues with blowing my nose or anything.  If you're sensitive, I'd recommend definitely going with gold, although I had stainless and didn't have any issues related to the metal.  

How long will you have before you have to start taking it out for work?  You'll probably want to get a retainer, at least in my experience, it will close up very fast-at least enough that you'll have to force the jewelry back through and essentially start over with letting it heal properly.  

I no longer have mine, but as far as I can tell, there's no obvious mark where either hole was-they were in slightly different spots.  My sister, on the other hand, has a very visible indention-which I don't mistake for a blackhead, but of course I know it used to be pierced.

ETA:  A reputable piercer and shop is DEFINITELY the most important thing when it comes to piercing.  You want somewhere that is meticulous about hygiene, and is willing to answer any/all questions you have.  A good shop usually doesn't mind spending the time to answer your questions and explain everything.  

[accountclosed3]

I have my nostril and septum done. I wear a screw in my nostril ("stud") and a crescent/tusk in my septum (open ended ring basically).

How long was it red/swollen?

Couple of days, if that. it didn't really hurt all that much.

What if I get a cold?

it's no big deal.

Anyone have issues with infection?

no, but know your piercer and his/her procedures. also don't over clean. in fact, some piercers recommend not cleaning at all. i didn't have any special cleaning to do with either nose piercing, and they healed up quickly. if you are a normally groomed, clean person, it should be the same. :D  i assume you are.

I am very metal sensitive, would you recc stainless steel or 18k gold?

i recommend titanium. titanium is the most bio-compatible metal. if you are going with steel, it would be surgical grade steel, which should be fine for most people. I do not recommend gold, as most of the jewelry made for body-jewelry/piercing use is made by specialists who focus on titanium, niobium, and surgical steel. Some companies will have gold lines, but it's pretty uncommon, and the gold jewelry that is not made by these companies tends to be low quality in some way. this is just my experience, though.

you want to look at companies like anatometal who also have gold lines, but titanium works well for people with metal sensitivities. and it works much better than gold. it can be difficult to find titanium nostril screws, but they do exist. they are also more expensive. but, since you wear it all the time, it's really worth it.

i own three screws and three crescents; i tend to wear one for months and months before switching it out.  

If you remove it in the future, how much does the hole close up, or does it look like a big blackhead (eww)?

most retired piercings just look like a small dot, if that.

[liliaceae]

I've had my nostril pierced twice.  The first time was 9 years ago; I had it for 10 months and finally took it out because I couldn't get rid of the bump that had formed on it.  I pierced it again a month ago, and I have the bump again, but I'm going to tough it out this time.  It's extremely common to get a bump on the piercing--if you don't care for it properly, or are sensitive to the metal, or you snag the jewelry, or if you kids smack you in the nose, you'll probably get a bump.  Theoretically it goes away eventually, but it's a huge PITA.

My piercing oozed blood for 2 or 3 days after I got it, so I wouldn't count on looking sexy for DH 2 days after you do it. :)  Also, are you sure he's 100% okay with you getting a nose piercing?  Because a facial piercing is not something I'd surprise my partner with.

Piercers usually use surgical stainless steel or titanium; if you're sensitive to metal I'd go with the titanium.  Do not use gold.  I think the problem with it is it's porous, or easily scratched maybe, and can thus be a breeding ground for bacteria.  I've never heard of a piercer using gold.

When are you going back to work?  It will be years before you can take it out for any length of time, and I'm not sure if you'll ever be able to take it out for an entire work day (maybe after a very long time, I'm not sure).  You can put clear jewelry in it (I think it's plastic, I haven't researched it though) to keep it open.

The current aftercare guidelines are to do sea salt soaks and do NOT use soap, or get anything else in the piercing.  It will take months, at least, to heal completely.  You can't touch it with your hands unless you've washed them thoroughly.

I took my original piercing out after 10 months; after it healed it was barely noticeable, just a small dot of skin that was a little paler than the surrounding skin.  You'd have to be looking closely for it to see it.

[georgia]

Did you end up getting it done??? You'll have to post a pic! 

How long was it red/swollen? A few weeks for me, but it took about 9 months for mine to really heal heal in that I didn't worry about it closing up when I took it out.

What if I get a cold? I recommend cloth hankies  Really, they sort of become one with your nose if you have a good fit. 

Anyone have issues with infection? Mine often seemed on the verge on infections, but I was serious twiddler with mine. Ugh. I'm pretty good at handwashing so who knows. My advice to others would be *leave it alone*--something I couldn't do. 

I am very metal sensitive, would you recc stainless steel or 18k gold? I'd say surgical steel--I think that's what I had? I'm allergic to nickel and that's what my piercer recommended. 

If you remove it in the future, how much does the hole close up, or does it look like a big blackhead (eww)? I removed mine maybe three years ago? The hole, to me, looks like a teeny scar dot. Not at all blackheadish. It took mine maybe a year to totally close back up, but the skin does seem to close up shop pretty fast, just not completely in my case. 

Edited by georgia - 12/11/10 at 10:46pm

[bluebackpacks]

Originally Posted by plantnerd 

How long was it red/swollen?  Less than a week.  It would become red again for a few days if I accidentally yanked it out when changing shirts.  

What if I get a cold?  I used the studs with the ball on the inside (not the screw!), so this never really was an issue for me.

Anyone have issues with infection?  Nope.  Never had an infection.

I am very metal sensitive, would you recc stainless steel or 18k gold?  I have very sensitive skin.  My studs were always surgical steel.

If you remove it in the future, how much does the hole close up, or does it look like a big blackhead (eww)?  I only put my stud in once or twice a year now.  The hole sort of comes together until it is in use again.  The hole isn't visible in photographs.  One has to get 'up close and personal' to notice that it is there.  My nose was pierced 11 years ago in Italy.  I can go a year or more without a stud, and it doesn't close up all of the way.  

My advice:  be sure you use a hollow needle.  Piercing guns are a big no-no.  You probably already know this.  I have met some unfortunate souls who did not. 

[Erin77]

I've had mine pierced for 15 years now- I would say it took about 4 years to be fully healed, at which point I could leave it out overnight and not have it close up and painful to put back in. It used to get infected every time I changed the earring, especially to change to a hoop from a stud. I've had better luck with a stud and regular back, rather than a screw, but your mileage may vary. The screw squeezed my nose a bit, and made the area inflamed. I found Hibiclens to be a good cleaner initially. I had mine pierced with a gun at a hair salon, but nowadays I would definitely go to a reputable body piercing place and have them use a hollow needle, it's a much nicer process.

[pupsnelda]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE my pierced nose, this is why I had it done twice.

The first time I had to take the piercing out for work and did not put it back fast enough, so eventually it closed. A few years later I had it done again.

How long was it red/swollen? Not too long, up to one week I think.

What if I get a cold? No problem if you do what I do, and I have very often a cold! I do not wear "normal" studs. I buy studs for the ears, take the lid of, bend the thing which goes through your ear normally in a 90 ° angle and put it through the hole. So inside of the nose you have the thing which does not stub as it normally does but is next to the inside of the nostrils. And studs for ears are usually cheaper than nose studs.

Anyone have issues with infection? Never.

I am very metal sensitive, would you recc stainless steel or 18k gold? I use only silver.

If you remove it in the future, how much does the hole close up, or does it look like a big blackhead (eww)? It looks like a hole or like a giant pore. I do not leave it out longer that 24 hours. It becomes smaller quickly, so getting the stud in becomes unconfortable. After so many years with the piercing I am not quite sure that it would close up completely, but I do not want to try it out.

Originally Posted by plantnerd 

Hi ladies (and men),

I am hoping to get my nose pierced (nostril) as my xmas gift to myself.  I've always wanted to have it done, and now that I'm at home with the boy I will have time for it to heal before having to take it out for work.  I am interested in hearing your experieicnes with piercing.  I am not at all worried about the pain.  I am more curious about the aftercare, jewelry choices (I want a stud) and healing process.

How long was it red/swollen?

What if I get a cold?

Anyone have issues with infection?

I am very metal sensitive, would you recc stainless steel or 18k gold?

If you remove it in the future, how much does the hole close up, or does it look like a big blackhead (eww)?

[HeckedyPeg]

How long was it red/swollen? Don't remember, not long though. 

What if I get a cold? I had a screw, so it acted kind of like a booger anchor, haha! But it wasn't bad, it wasn't enough for me to want to remove it.

Anyone have issues with infection? No

I am very metal sensitive, would you recc stainless steel or 18k gold? I am metal sensitive, didn't know it at the time and mine never fully healed (had it over a year) - I would think gold, but as some PP said titanium. I guess it just depends on your body.

If you remove it in the future, how much does the hole close up, or does it look like a big blackhead (eww)? Mine closed up quickly; I removed it for a shower and seriously half an hour later I was having trouble putting it back in, and just left it out because I was getting married and didn't want it in my pics. It closed completely, no scar or hole or anything.

I loved mine! I'm actually considering getting it re-pierced. 

[bsaros84]

Mine was red and swollen for only a few days.

Someone else said boogars are a pain--they ARE. Blowing your nose can be really annoying too. It's the price we pay for vanity, I guess. Lol.

I did have some infection issues but not until a few months later. My piercing started to ooze pus but eventually cleared up and went away.

I'm not metal sensitive but I think I got stainless steel. I got one of the medium quality nose rings from the tattoo parlor I had it done at. I couldn't afford anything too spendy.

I've never removed mine, so I couldn't say!
 

Originally Posted by plantnerd 

Hi ladies (and men),

I am hoping to get my nose pierced (nostril) as my xmas gift to myself.  I've always wanted to have it done, and now that I'm at home with the boy I will have time for it to heal before having to take it out for work.  I am interested in hearing your experieicnes with piercing.  I am not at all worried about the pain.  I am more curious about the aftercare, jewelry choices (I want a stud) and healing process.

How long was it red/swollen?

What if I get a cold?

Anyone have issues with infection?

I am very metal sensitive, would you recc stainless steel or 18k gold?

If you remove it in the future, how much does the hole close up, or does it look like a big blackhead (eww)?