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A double nostril piercing is two nose piercings worn together. Most often that means two on the same nostril, stacked one above the other or set side by side, but the name is also used for one piercing in each nostril.
Studios use it both ways, so the useful habit is to describe what you want, or show a photo, rather than trusting that the name means the same thing to you and your piercer.
What people mean by a double nose piercing
| What you are picturing | Usual name | Covered |
|---|---|---|
| Two on one nostril, one above the other | Stacked or vertical double nostril | This page |
| Two on one nostril, side by side | Horizontal double nostril | This page |
| One in each nostril | Paired nostrils | This page, and nostril |
| A matching pair on the front of the nose | Mantis | Its own page |
| One bar through both nostrils and the septum | Nasallang | Its own page |
Two holes or one? Two. Every piercing here has its own channel, its own jewelry and its own healing. The nasallang is the exception, because it is a single bar.
Two on one nostril
There are two common versions.
A standard nostril plus a high nostril. One sits in the crease, and one sits higher, on the flatter part of the side of the nose. This is the trickiest combination, because the high nostril goes through thicker tissue, hurts more and takes far longer to heal than the one below it.
Two at standard height. One in the crease and one a little way along the curve of the nostril, set side by side.
There is no standard distance between the two. What matters is enough healthy skin between them that each can swell and heal without touching the other. Two studs that crowd each other overlap their swelling, make cleaning awkward, and tend to irritate each other. Your piercer should mark both against your nose and let you check them in a mirror, head-on and from the side.
One in each nostril
Two decisions here: whether they match, and whether they sit at the same height.
Matching at the same height reads as symmetrical and deliberate. Placing them at slightly different heights balances a face that is not symmetrical anyway. Noses are rarely even, so marks measured from one side and copied to the other often look off. Have both marked against your face. Which side should you pierce covers matching versus mirroring in more detail.
If you already have one healed and want a second to match it, the healed one becomes the reference, so it has to sit where you want the pair to sit.
Do you have the anatomy?
Most noses take a standard nostril piercing. Two on the same nostril need more: enough tissue for both, at the heights you have in mind, without crowding.
A high nostril is fussier still, and the piercer should look at it in profile as well as head-on. If a piercer looks carefully and says one of the two will not work on your nose, that is anatomy, not reluctance.
One appointment or two
Both at once means the marks are planned together, there is one recovery period and one downsize visit. It is the usual approach for one in each nostril.
Staged means the first is allowed to heal before the second is added. Many piercers suggest this for two on the same nostril, because two fresh piercings in a small area means more swelling, harder cleaning and twice as many chances to snag one of them. Spacing is also easier to judge once the first has settled.
The cost of staging is time: a standard nostril takes four to six months, and a high nostril longer. Ask your piercer which they prefer and why.
Pain
About 4 out of 10 for each standard nostril piercing, and 5 out of 10 for a high nostril, the same as they would be alone. It is two sharp moments rather than one bigger one.
Your eyes will water each time. That is a reflex triggered by any nose piercing and not a measure of pain. With two on the same side, expect that side to look noticeably puffier for the first week.
Healing
Four to six months for two standard nostril piercings, healing in parallel. If either one is a high nostril, plan on six to twelve months, and treat the slower one as the deadline for both.
- Week 1: swelling and tenderness at both, some clear discharge.
- Weeks 2-8: crusting around each stud, occasional itching.
- Months 2-6: looks healed, still maturing. With a high nostril, longer.
Downsize a standard nostril at four to eight weeks, and a high nostril at eight to twelve. Two long posts on a small area catch on tissues, towels and pillows constantly. Piercing downsizing explains it for every placement.
Do not change either piece of jewelry until both pass the four tests: no tenderness, no discharge or crusting for two weeks, no redness, and jewelry that moves freely. When can I change my nose piercing walks through them. Nose piercing healing times compares every nose placement.
Aftercare
Sterile saline twice a day on each piercing, on the outside and the inside of the nostril, patted dry with clean paper towel. The nose cleaning guide covers the technique.
Two piercings change a few things:
- Sleeping. Sleep on the side that has nothing healing on it. With one in each nostril, sleep on your back.
- Face washing and makeup. Work around two studs rather than over them, and rinse with saline afterwards.
- Colds. Blowing your nose around two healing piercings is genuinely unpleasant. Be gentle.
- Glasses. They rest close to a high nostril.
- Hands off. No turning, no swapping, no checking the back.
Jewelry
Start with a flat-back labret stud in each piercing: 18 gauge, sometimes 16 for a high nostril, implant-grade titanium, on long posts that are downsized once the swelling drops. Threadless or internally threaded only. See the materials guide.
Keep the ends small and matched while healing. Large ends on two neighbouring piercings knock into each other and catch on everything.
Once a standard nostril has fully healed, a hoop becomes possible. A high nostril takes studs only, because there is no rim at that height for a hoop to follow. A common healed combination on a stacked pair is a stud in the higher piercing and a snug hoop in the lower one.
A chain between a piercing on each side is a popular look. Wait until both have fully healed: a chain ties the two piercings together, so a tug on one pulls on the other.
Nose piercing jewelry compares the styles, and nose ring sizes covers gauge, post length and hoop diameter.
Problems
Irritation bumps can appear next to either piercing, and they are nearly always mechanical: an early jewelry change, a post that needed downsizing, sleeping on it, or a knock. Find the cause first. See nose piercing bumps.
Uneven healing, where one settles and the other stays irritated, usually points to a placement or tissue difference rather than an aftercare mistake. Ask your piercer to look rather than treating it harder.
Crowding. If two studs press against each other, or the skin between them looks squeezed and red, see your piercer.
Infection. Heat, spreading redness, thick coloured discharge or fever means a doctor the same day, with the jewelry left in. See infected nose piercing.
A lump that spreads beyond the piercing and keeps growing over months is a different problem: see the keloid guide.
Related placements
- Nostril: the single standard piercing, and the one to start with.
- High nostril: above the crease, studs only, very slow to heal.
- Mantis: a matching pair on the front of the nose.
- Septum: between the nostrils, quick to heal and easy to hide.
- Nasallang: one bar through both nostrils and the septum.
- Rhino: a single vertical piercing through the tip of the nose.
Cost
$60 to $140 for two standard nostril piercings in a US studio. A standard plus a high nostril runs $70 to $160. Jewelry is extra for each piercing, and many studios discount the second piercing when it is done in the same session. How much is a nose piercing adds up the full first-year cost. Tip 15 to 20 percent.
Frequently asked questions
What is a double nose piercing?
Two nose piercings worn together. Most often it means two on the same nostril, stacked one above the other or set side by side, but studios and customers also use the name for one piercing in each nostril. Describe the placement or show a photo rather than relying on the name.
Is a double nostril piercing one hole or two?
Two. Each piercing has its own channel, its own jewelry and its own healing. The exception is a nasallang, which is one bar through both nostrils and the septum, and a mantis, which is a pair on the front of the nose.
How long does a double nostril piercing take to heal?
Four to six months for two standard nostril piercings, healing side by side rather than one after another. If either one is a high nostril, expect six to twelve months, because the slower piercing sets the pace.
Should I get both done at once?
For one in each nostril, usually yes, because both are marked against your face together and come out even. For two on the same nostril, many piercers prefer to let the first settle before adding the second, since two fresh piercings in a small area swell more and are harder to clean.
Does a double nostril piercing hurt more than a single one?
Each piercing is the same as it would be alone: about 4 out of 10 for a standard nostril and 5 for a high nostril. You feel two sharp moments rather than one bigger one. Your eyes will water each time, which is a reflex and not a measure of pain.
What does it mean to have both sides of your nose pierced?
Nothing in particular. Some traditions attach meaning to a specific nostril, notably the left nostril in parts of South Asia, but outside those contexts a piercing on either side or both carries no general meaning. It is a style choice.
Sources
- Association of Professional Piercers - Suggested aftercare for body piercingshttps://safepiercing.org/aftercare/
- Association of Professional Piercers - Jewelry for initial piercingshttps://safepiercing.org/jewelry-for-initial-piercings/
- Association of Professional Piercers - Troubleshootinghttps://safepiercing.org/troubleshooting/
This article is for education only and is not medical advice. If a piercing is hot, swollen, spreading redness, oozing yellow or green discharge, or you have a fever, see a doctor today.