It can be quite expensive to go to a professional to get a nose piercing done. You can do this at home too, but you need to do some preparatory research. You have to be very careful about hygiene and willing to experience some pain. Remember, however, that although it is possible to pierce your nose safely, it is always safer, more hygienic and reliable to go to a professional piercer.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Planning
Step 1. Imagine the piercing
Do a search to see the various types of nose piercings and decide what you want. You can consider a simple ball, a ring or a nasal septum piercing. Try to imagine how you look with the piercing and think carefully about what you want.
Consider whether your safety is worth the cost of a professional piercing. A piercer guarantees you that the work will be in a workmanlike manner, less painful and in compliance with hygiene rules. On the other hand, it might be rewarding to get yourself a piercing
Step 2. Buy the jewel
In jewelers, tattoo and piercing studios and costume jewelry stores you can find different bars, rings and studs. Make sure it's new, sterile, never used before, and consider starting with a small piece of jewelry. Check that it is the correct length, diameter and thickness. Never use a ring or earring that has been used before.
- Be careful, some people are allergic to certain metals. The most common metal allergy is nickel allergy, which can cause a painful rash. Gold, cobalt, and chromate are other common sources of metal allergy. If the skin appears cracked or blisters have formed after the piercing, the jewelry should be removed and a doctor should be consulted as soon as possible.
- Consider titanium or stainless steel products, choose a metal that does not corrode easily.
Step 3. Wait until the skin is clean
If you try to get a piercing on or near a blemish (such as a pimple) then the risk of infection increases. However, if you suffer from acne or have multiple blackheads, wait until the acute phase of the rash has passed. Wash your face regularly and consider using a facial scrub or medical product that cleans the pores.
Step 4. Prepare the needle
You have to be 100% sure that it is a new needle; if it is not in a sealed package then you cannot be sure it has never been used. For precise work it is best to rely on a hollow piercing needle. Remove it from the package when you are ready and remember to sterilize it before inserting it into the skin.
- A safety pin, thumbtack, earring or sewing needle exposes you to a greater risk of infection because they cannot be sterilized properly. Furthermore, their tip could be dull and you risk tearing the tissues making the operations more difficult.
- Do not place the needle where it happens, otherwise it will become contaminated. If you have to put it somewhere, use a sterilized tissue or tray.
Step 5. Sterilize all material
This includes the needle, the jewel, and any tools you will need to handle during the process. Dip the needle in denatured alcohol and then boil it in water. Wash your hands with antibacterial soap and then put on latex gloves. Do not touch any object that has not been sterilized.
Every time you touch your nose, change your gloves. Put on a new pair just before you pierce the skin
Step 6. Make a mark on the nose
Use a marker to make a small dot on the skin, at the site where you want the piercing. Look in the mirror to make sure it's right where you want it. If you find that it is too high or too low, change its position. Trace the point and erase it several times until you are satisfied.
Part 2 of 3: Piercing
Step 1. Clean the area before drilling
Wet a cotton ball with rubbing alcohol and then use it to clean the area of the nose you want to pierce. Be careful with your eyes, because alcohol burns!
Try using an ice cube to numb the area. Hold it on your nostril for a maximum of three minutes, until you lose some sensation. Remember that low temperatures can harden the leather making it more resistant to puncture
Step 2. Use piercing pliers
If you have one of these tools on hand, use it to hold the area you need to drill in place. Consider buying it if you don't have it. The forceps allows you to keep the tissues apart, so you don't risk pricking the opposite side of the nose or fingers.
Step 3. Try to calm down
Take a deep breath before starting. If you find that your hand is shaking, take a minute to relax and focus. Take comfort in the fact that nose piercing is relatively simple. In fact, there isn't much fat or skin to pierce, so the procedure is pretty simple and not very painful.
Step 4. Pierce your nose
Look in the mirror and line up the needle with the point you drew. Take a deep breath and then act quickly. Push the needle so that it pierces the skin perpendicular to it and be careful not to tilt it as you go through the tissue. You will feel pain, but it will only be temporary.
- Remember: the faster you will be, the sooner the procedure will finish.
- Try not to prick the inside of the nostril. If you are puncturing the outer wall of the nostril, you do not have to go deep to the nasal septum, otherwise you will experience a lot of pain.
Step 5. Immediately insert the ring or jewel
It is essential to do this immediately and quickly. The wound begins to heal the moment you remove the needle, meaning the hole will tend to close soon after. The hole must heal around the jewel. If you wait too long, you will have punctured the skin unnecessarily!
Part 3 of 3: Cure
Step 1. Clean the piercing twice a day
Use hydrogen peroxide, a 50% solution of soap and water, or better yet, sterile saline. Wet the tip of a cotton swab or cotton swab with the cleanser of your choice and then rest it on the piercing for a few minutes. Remember to clean both the outside and the inside of the nostril. If you have a ring on, rotate it gently each time you clean it.
- If you are very worried about a possible infection, you can also clean the piercing every few hours. However, avoid doing this too often, especially if you have decided to use harsh cleaners.
- Repeat the process every day until the wound is completely healed. Your nose will be swollen and sore for a few days, but it should return to normal within a week or so. Remember, however, that a piercing takes three to four months to "heal" completely.
- Be aware that hydrogen peroxide can disrupt the healing of a scar-free wound. Many professionals advocate the use of this chemical as a cleaning agent, but you should at least be aware of the risks.
Step 2. Avoid infections
Always wash your hands before touching the piercing and clean it regularly. If you are meticulous in cleaning and have properly sterilized all the material you used to make the hole, you have nothing to fear. However, if the piercing is red and sore even a week after the procedure, there are some chances that it has become infected. Go to your doctor before the situation gets worse.
Antibiotics are expensive and not always healthy; consider the costs of possible antibiotic therapy and the price of a professional piercing performed in a sterile practice
Step 3. Don't take the jewelry off for too long
If you remove it for more than a few hours, the hole may begin to heal. The skin of the nostrils heals very quickly and you will have to pierce it again if the jewel does not fit. Leave the bar in place for at least three months before exchanging it for another piece of jewelry.
Step 4. Get advice
If in doubt, don't hesitate to contact a professional piercer. Even though you haven't made the hole in his office, he will probably be courteous and give you some suggestions. If your concerns are medical, go to your doctor's office.
Advice
- If you are concerned about having an infection, do not remove the jewelry, as bacteria could spread under the skin! If the situation gets worse or doesn't go away, see a doctor.
- It is normal for tearing to increase; he blinks several times, but stays focused on work.
- In the first few days after the piercing, the nose will be sore and red, but this is completely normal. However, if you feel pain and your skin is still red after a week or two, you should see your doctor as there may be an infection.
- To clean the piercing, do not use tea tree oil, denatured alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, or other harsh antiseptics. Use only saline solution or a fragrance-free, high-quality antibacterial soap.
- Avoid alcohol when cleaning your piercing as it can dry out the hole and encourage crusting.
- Before you pierce your nose, numb the area with an ice cube. This will harden the skin tissues a little, so remember that you will need to put in a little more force to pierce them.
- If you don't have piercing pliers, use a pen with a hollow tip so you don't have to puncture the inside of your nose with your fingers. The pen makes the job easier, but the pliers remain the best tool.
- In piercing and tattoo studios, you can sometimes buy spray disinfectants, but be aware of the active ingredients they contain, as they may be too aggressive on the nasal mucous membranes.
- Don't tease the piercing. Contrary to popular belief, rotating the jewel does not accelerate the healing process, on the contrary, if you tear an open wound you prolong the recovery time.
- Suck on a candy or something sweet while piercing, so your mind will be more focused on the sugar than on the pain.
Warnings
- If you have any doubts or questions, go to a piercing studio. Your safety is well worth the cost of a professional piercing.
- Do not share needles with other people. Infections such as AIDS are also spread through the exchange of needles, even after they have been sterilized. Never share a needle, even with your best friend!
- Before proceeding you must be absolutely sure that you want a nose piercing, otherwise you will regret it in the future!
- Be very careful! Don't use anything other than an autoclaved hollow needle to pierce your nose. Safety pins, tacks, earrings or a sewing needle put you at a greater risk of infection, as they cannot be sterilized completely. Furthermore, their tip may be too blunt, thus tearing the tissues and making the operation difficult.
