You’re longing for the look of an elegant piercing, but you just don’t know about the pain! Just how much will it hurt, and, even more importantly, how long will the pain last?
Each person has her own ability or inability to tolerate pain. Just about anybody who has had her nose pierced will tell you that there is some momentary pain from piercing.
Because so many people say that the pain passes quickly, then you should feel confident that it’s true!
Do Nose Piercings Hurt
Nose piercings can cause some discomfort and mild pain, as the area is more sensitive than other areas of the face. The piercing may be sore, tender, and red for up to 3 weeks before it heals completely in about 2 to 4 months. It is important to prepare for your nose piercing beforehand
and take care of yourself afterwards.
Gun vs. Needle
Do nose piercings hurt depends on which piercing method will you choose:
Do you want a stud to be shot quickly through your nose by a piercing gun? Or do you prefer a needle piercing? The gun might sound like a much preferable option! It’s probably much quicker, and quicker must be better, right?
But consider this: The gun propels the blunt end of a stud (or the business end of a nose ring) through your tender flesh, and that hurts! It literally rips the flesh out of the way to make way for the stud, and then it presses the stud into the flesh to affix it firmly.
If you’re thinking that you really don’t like the ripping-stud scenario, then you are right. And there is also pain involved with the placement of the stud. The gun pinches the backing just as if you were having an earring inserted, and that would be all right if that’s what you were having done. But getting an earring inserted involves much softer skin tissue than the cartilage that makes up all the parts of your nose.
Once the pain of the stud has passed, you will most likely experience continued tenderness with the pressure of the stud against your skin. As perspiration and cleansing residues are trapped between your skin and the stud, you are more likely to develop sensitivities or infections.
Do nose piercings hurt with a piercing needle: With a needle piercing, your piercing professional places a small cork inside your nostril. The needle will be very sharp and very slender, and it will go through your flesh and into the cork with so much speed, it will be over before you know it.
The core of the piercing needle is hollow, and so your skin is gently but quickly pushed aside to make way for the stud or ring.
Bring on the Needle
A professional piercer must undergo comprehensive training to qualify for his job. It is not like the mall employee with the piercing gun who learns in a matter of one to two weeks. Your qualified piercing professional learns about the vessels and nerves of the human body.
He/She knows where there are sensitive bundles of nerves to avoid on your nose. So the answer to the question “do nose piercings hurt” depends on knowing exactly where to pierce. Since most professionals can perform piercings just about anywhere on the body, they study the circulatory and nervous systems for several years. We say, bring on the needle!
Just Keep It Clean!
The actual piercing will not cause more than a moment of pain. But avoiding infection while your piercing heals is vital for keeping the pain down. Many people who complain of pain following the piercing actually develop infections.
That’s another reason why the gun cannot stand up against the needle. Any time an instrument is used to pierce or cut human flesh and then re-used on another person, it should be autoclaved with pressurized steam to achieve total sterilization.
But piercing guns cannot be placed in an autoclave unit because they are made primarily of plastic. Most often, they are spot-cleaned or wiped with alcohol, and that just doesn’t guarantee that you will be safe from the germs of whoever was pierced before you.
Professional piercers are also more extensively trained in hand-washing techniques and other ways to avoid cross-contamination. They are required to sanitize their equipment and work area completely between clients. If something cannot be sterilized, it is discarded.
Pain is a Signal
Do nose piercings hurt? That depends greatly on the occurrence and treatment of post-piercing complications, which can be painful. At the time of your piercing, be sure you ask your professional when you should be concerned about pain.
He will give you a quick rundown on symptoms to watch for that might signal a burgeoning infection. If you notice redness, a hot feel to your skin, or excessive pus (some oozing is normal), then return to your piercing professional.
That’s why piercing studios or boutiques charge a little more than the kiosks at the mall. You pay more, but you will have a better-trained professional utilizing cleaner equipment with a greater degree of skill.
He will provide attentive follow-up care and be willing to answer your questions even at a later date. And aren’t you worth those extra dollars?
Julian Carter
Tattoos & Body Piercings Expert, Contributor
Tattoos & Body Piercings Expert Julian is a freelance tattoo writer, beauty expert, traveler, and photographer. Her passion for body art over the past 7 years led to one of the internet's greatest websites about tattoos and piercing.
