Types of Nose Piercings: Placement, Gauge, Healing & Jewelry Guide

There are eight main types of nose piercings: nostril, high nostril, double nostril, septum, bridge, rhino (vertical tip), Austin bar and nasallang. They differ in where the needle passes, which gauge your piercer uses, how long healing takes and what jewelry fits. This guide covers each one, then walks through nose ring sizes, jewelry styles, metals, healing time and when you can safely change your jewelry.

Written by Clifton Santiago, a body piercer with more than 20 years of experience.

A note before you start: we sell body jewelry, not piercing services. Every piercing in this guide should be done with a sterile needle by a professional piercer. Piercing guns are not made for nose tissue.

Types of nose piercings at a glance

Gauges and healing times vary by piercer and by person. Treat these as typical ranges, not promises.

The 8 types of nose piercings

1. Nostril piercing

The classic nose piercing, placed in the natural crease on the side of the nostril. It goes through cartilage, so it takes longer to heal than many people expect: plan on 4–6 months, sometimes longer. Most piercers use 20G (0.8mm) or 18G (1.0mm). Many start with a stud or nose screw, which moves less than a hoop while the piercing heals, and switch to a hoop afterward.

Once healed, a nostril piercing takes nearly every style: nose studs, L-bends, corkscrews, nose bones and nose hoops.

2. High nostril piercing

A high nostril sits further up the side of the nose, toward the bridge. Because there's little room inside the nose at that height, it needs a flat-back labret stud rather than a nose screw or hoop. High nostrils usually take 6–12 months to heal and are a little more tender than a standard nostril. Choose an experienced piercer, since placement depends heavily on your nose shape.

3. Double nostril piercing

Two piercings stacked on the same nostril, or one on each side. Each heals like a standard nostril piercing. Many piercers recommend doing a stack in stages, letting the first heal before adding the second. Matching studs, or a stud paired with a small hoop, are popular combinations.

4. Septum piercing

A septum piercing goes through the thin strip of soft tissue (the "sweet spot") just in front of the cartilage that divides your nostrils. Done in the right spot, it's often one of the quicker nose piercings to heal, commonly 2–3 months. The standard gauge is 16G (1.2mm), with 14G (1.6mm) as a common thicker option.

Septum jewelry includes horseshoe rings, clickers and seamless hinged rings. A horseshoe can be flipped up inside the nose to hide it. Browse our septum rings.

5. Bridge piercing

A bridge piercing runs horizontally across the top of the nose, between the eyes. It's a surface piercing: it passes only through skin, not cartilage, so it can heal in 2–3 months. The tradeoff is that surface piercings are more likely to migrate or reject than other nose piercings. A straight or curved barbell is standard, usually 14G or 16G.

6. Rhino (vertical tip) piercing

A rhino piercing passes vertically through the tip of the nose, so you see a bead on top and one underneath. It goes through thick tissue, takes 6–9 months to heal and is one of the more painful nose piercings. It's worn with a curved barbell.

7. Austin bar piercing

An Austin bar runs horizontally through the tip of the nose without touching the septum or nasal passages. It's uncommon, and it needs a nose with enough tip tissue to support it, so a piercer will assess your anatomy first. It's worn with a straight barbell.

8. Nasallang piercing

A nasallang is a single straight barbell through one nostril, the septum and the other nostril, in one line. It's technically demanding, takes 6–12 months to heal and should only be done by a piercer with experience in it.

Not ready to commit? A fake nose ring lets you try the look with no piercing at all.

Nose ring size: gauge, length and diameter

Nose jewelry is sized two ways: the gauge (thickness of the wire or post) and the length or diameter.

A lower gauge number means thicker jewelry. Match the gauge your piercer used. Jewelry that's too thick can stretch or irritate the piercing, and jewelry that's too thin can move around and irritate it too.

Nostril hoops are usually 5/16" (8mm) or 3/8" (10mm) in inner diameter. 5/16" sits snug to the nostril, and 3/8" hangs a little lower. Septum rings commonly run 5/16" to 3/8" as well. For a full measuring walkthrough, see our body jewelry gauge size chart.

Nose jewelry styles

• L-bend stud: a post with a right-angle bend that rests inside the nostril. Easy to put in and take out. Example: our titanium L-bend nose stud.
• Corkscrew (nose screw): a curled post that twists in and stays put well. Example: our titanium corkscrew nose stud.
• Nose bone: a straight post with a small bulb on the end that pushes through. Very secure, but harder to remove, so it's best for healed piercings. See nose bones.
• Flat-back labret stud: a straight post with a flat disc inside the nose. Common as starter jewelry and the standard choice for high nostrils.
• Seamless hinged hoop: a ring with a hinged segment that clicks shut. Our guide covers how to open a hinged nose ring.
• Open hoop: a bendable half-hoop that slides in from the end. See open hoop nose rings.
• Septum horseshoe and clicker: curved rings made for the septum. See septum rings.

Choosing a metal

• Titanium is the usual choice for new or sensitive piercings. Our titanium nose rings are G23 titanium, which contains no nickel.
• Surgical steel is durable and affordable, but it contains a small amount of nickel. It's best worn in a fully healed piercing, and people with a nickel sensitivity should choose titanium. See surgical steel nose rings.
• 14K gold works well in healed piercings. Choose solid gold rather than plated.
• Sterling silver can tarnish and irritate tissue, so wear it only in a fully healed piercing, and not for long stretches.

How long does a nose piercing take to heal?

A standard nostril piercing typically takes 4–6 months to heal fully, and it can take longer. A septum is often healed in 2–3 months, while high nostril, rhino and nasallang piercings can take 6–12 months. A piercing can look fine on the outside well before the tissue inside has finished healing.

Clean it with sterile saline, avoid twisting the jewelry and don't sleep on it. Our posts on saline solution for nose piercings and healing a nose piercing go into aftercare in detail. If you see spreading redness, heat, thick yellow or green discharge, or you develop a fever, see a doctor.

When can I change my nose piercing?

Wait until the piercing is fully healed before you change the jewelry yourself: around 4–6 months for a standard nostril, and about 2–3 months for a septum. Changing it too early can irritate the piercing, and a nostril piercing can start to close within hours of the jewelry coming out.

The one exception is downsizing. Starter studs are often longer to allow for swelling, and your piercer may swap in a shorter post a few weeks in. Let your piercer do that first change.

When you're ready to switch, wash your hands, have the new jewelry ready and cleaned, and match the gauge of what you're wearing now. If you're going from a stud to a hoop, start with a hoop that isn't too tight, so it doesn't press on the piercing.

Does a nose piercing hurt?

Most people describe a nostril piercing as a quick, sharp pinch that's over in seconds, often with watery eyes. Pain is personal, but as a general guide:

• Lower: nostril, septum (when placed in the sweet spot)
• Moderate: high nostril, bridge, double nostril
• Higher: rhino, Austin bar, nasallang

Expect some tenderness and swelling for the first few days.

Frequently asked questions

What are the different names for nose piercings?

Nostril, high nostril, double nostril, septum, bridge, rhino (also called vertical tip), Austin bar and nasallang. You may also see "septril," an advanced piercing that exits the underside of the nose tip and usually requires a stretched septum.

Which side should I get my nose pierced on?

There's no right side. Most people choose the side they think shows off their face best, or the side they don't sleep on, which makes healing easier.

Can I wear a hoop in a new nose piercing?

Many piercers prefer a stud for a new nostril piercing, because a hoop moves more and can irritate it while it heals. Ask your piercer, and plan to switch to a hoop once you're healed.

What size nose ring do I need?

Most nostril piercings are 20G or 18G, and most septum piercings are 16G. For hoops, 5/16" (8mm) is a snug fit and 3/8" (10mm) is slightly looser. Check with your piercer if you're not sure what gauge you were pierced at.

Planning a lip or tongue piercing too? See our guides to the types of lip piercings and tongue piercings.

Find your next nose ring

Whether you're picking jewelry for a healed nostril or shopping for a septum ring, we've sold body jewelry since 2018. Free shipping on orders over $35. Shop all nose rings.