Whether you are getting your nose pierced for aesthetic or spiritual reasons, the procedure may seem daunting to you. Once you are in the piercing room, a professional piercer will explain breathing techniques to help you deal with the pain and discomfort during a nose piercing. Her explanation of each step of the procedure helps to eliminate unnecessary anxiety and fear.
Cleaning
The piercer cleans your nostril and septum for piercing in the same manner. The piercer, wearing latex or nitrile gloves, cleans the skin with an anti-microbial soap and sterile gauze. For a nostril piercing, she scrubs the inside and outside of your nostril, along with the bridge of the nose and the space between the upper lip and bottom of the nose. She also scrubs the outside and inside of the septum, along with the tip of the nose and the space above the upper lip. If you touch any of the clean skin with your hands, the piercer must clean the area again. Refrain from touching your face during the piercing process.
Marking
Each person's anatomy is different; therefore, so is the placement of each nostril and septum piercing. Sterile marking pens or markers mark the placements for piercings. During the marking process of a nostril piercing, the piercer will ask you to make several facial movements. Smiling, frowning and flaring of the nostrils determine the placement for the nostril piercing. The optimal placement for a nostril piercing is in the crease that forms when you flare your nostrils. Piercing in the crease provides a quicker healing time, less risk of ripping and is more aesthetically pleasing than the round, fleshy part of the nostrils.
The piercer will put you in a reclining position in the chair for marking a septum piercing. With gloved hands, the piercer feels inside the tip of your nose for a "sweet spot" while instructing you to stretch your nose by pulling your lip over your teeth. The sweet spot is soft tissue in the tip of the nose that is not cartilage or bone.
Nostril Piercing
The piercer uses sterilized forceps, or a receiving tube, and a sterile needle to pierce the nostril. The forceps hold the nostril away from the middle of the nose; you will feel slight pressure and pulling. The side of the forceps that is on the inside of the nose may cause your eyes to water before the piercing. Your eyes may also water when the piercer inserts the receiving tube into the nostril. The piercer inserts the needle into the nostril at a slight angle, removes the forceps or receiving tube and inserts the jewelry.
Septum Piercing
When piercing a septum, the piercer uses a sterile receiving tube or septum clamps. Septum clamps have loops on the ends for fingers, but unlike forceps, the septum clamps have horizontal tubes on the top. Similar to the nostril piercing, your eyes may water when the piercer inserts the receiving tube or applies the forceps to the septum. The piercer inserts the needle into the septum clamp tube and pierces the septum. When using a receiving tube, the needle passes through the septum first, then into the tube. Jewelry follows the needle. If you wish to hide the septum piercing, a piercer pushes the jewelry, such as circular barbells, up into the nostrils.
Healing
Septum piercings take six to eight weeks to heal, while nostril piercings have a longer healing period of six months to one year when taken care of properly. Discomfort and swelling are normal for septum and nostril piercings during the healing period. Your piercer will provide aftercare instructions in a written form after explaining the guidelines verbally.
