Nose Piercing Update

Christmas, 2017 (almost 3 months).

It's been a long time since I posted anything aside from food, but this blog originated with both health & beauty.  I find it fitting to put my update/review of my adventures in nose piercing.

First. I pierced my nose all by myself, no Hennessy or drugs used to numb pain.  I have and always had a generally high tolerance for pain. 

Second, I did not use a needle.  In recent years there has been this huge wave of promoting sanitary environments in terms of piercing and I will not venture to say that I disagree.  However, I have never experienced any issues with gun piercings, so why would I expect any environment that I manage to be unclean?

Third, my nose piercing was not my first 'self-piercing'.  I re-opened my third holes on my earlobes.  That pretty much was my litmus test that I could do this.  And fourth, I made sure my hands and nose were clean at all times when I touched my nose.

Q/A.

Where did I find the piercing materials and were they affordable?

I ordered multiple piercing kits online from eBay.  I believe they came from the orient.  A single shot costs about $1.  They were a one and done.  That means one piercing, then you dispose of the remnants.  No need to worry about sterile equipment, as the equipment came in sterile packs and with cleaning pads.  I am a homeopathic, so all of my cleaning and healing medicines are natural. I will share with you the products I used later in this post.

How long did it take to heal?

I pierced my nose on or about Oct. 1.  Since I have never had a nose piercing, certainly not in this location (and it does matter) I have no trajectory to compare it.  I would say it takes on average 3-6 months.  My piercing no longer drains nor is tender.  This healing required 3.5 months.

What earrings do you wear or recommend?

I am not a professional at this.  The original piercing earring was only in for a few days due to the back cap being too tight.  I removed it and used an earring with a longer stem.  I spent about $20 on two pair of surgical steel earrings and I have yet to report them any better than the silver, though not recommended for use.  However, I did try nose screws and this is not something I intend to wear because it is too much work to insert and remove.

Again, it is recommended that you use titanium or surgical steel, not silver.  I have used all three, and I prefer silver.  I purchased a multi-pack of earrings.  I wear one for about a month and then toss it.  All of my earrings are studs with color crystal stones.  They are both 2 mm and 3 mm in diameter (stone).  I only wear the earring and store/discard the back cap.

What do you know now that you wish you knew before?

Nose piercings are not for everyone.  They require far more maintenance and care than your traditional ear piercing.  Many people, even me, thought many times to let it close and forget about it.  I struggled getting the screw in many times, before I gave up that ring.  I am not a quitter.  I remained in it for the long haul.  It will take time to heal and you need to know this.  It will appear to be healed and then you will discover that it is not healed. You may think "this is taking too long" but keep the ring jewelry in your nose, else it will close rather quickly, and you have to start all over again.  You might get a little frustrated.  Be patient.  Keep it clean.  Turn your ring between cleanings.  Keep back ups in the event one falls out and you misplace or damage it, because it closes easily.  And worse, you do not want to use a damaged or abrasive ring in a piercing.  Leave it alone when you are not cleaning or changing the ring.

What do I recommend to care for your piercing?

Echinacea tea added to your recommended sea salt solution.  Add a few drops of lavender oil.  I boiled the tea in a tiny pot, then added the salt, and lavender oil.  Use when it is warm to touch.  Do not put boiled water on your skin.  You do not need to submerge your nose into the solution.  That is ridiculous and sounds like some hazing-water-boarding torture.

You do need to care for this at least twice a day for the first 30 days and then once a day thereafter.  Just soak a fresh sterile cotton ball or cosmetic pad into your 'solution' and rest it on the front and underside of your piercing for a minute, rotating locations, and repeat for a total of ten minutes.

Additionally, I used a q-tip to apply avocado oil to both the front and underside after each cleaning.  Turn your ring only after you have moistened it with cleaning solution/oil.

I continue to use the same solution weekly to clean my nose piercing.  I now add additional tea tree oil to the cleaning process.

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If you have any additional questions not answered here, feel free to leave them in the comment section!