A high nostril sits above the natural crease where a standard nostril piercing goes, higher up the side of the nose toward the bridge. The result is a small stud on the flat of the nose rather than tucked into the fold.
It looks like a minor variation on a nostril piercing. It behaves like a considerably harder one.
Why it is not just a higher nostril
Three things change when you move up the nose.
The tissue is thicker. The crease is where the nostril wall is thinnest, which is exactly why the standard placement is there. Higher up you are passing through more tissue, which makes the piercing sharper and the healing slower.
There is no rim. A standard nostril sits on an edge, which is what lets you wear a hoop that curves around it. There is no edge on the flat of the nose, so a high nostril takes studs only, permanently. People who want a ring should not choose this placement.
Healing runs six to twelve months rather than two to four. That is cartilage-length healing in soft tissue, and it surprises people who assume any nose piercing heals like a nostril.
Your nose has to suit it
Noses vary a great deal in shape above the crease. Some have a broad, flat plane with plenty of tissue to work with. Others narrow quickly toward the bridge, leaving very little.
Your piercer should assess in profile as well as head-on, because how much the side of your nose projects at that height is what decides whether a stud can seat securely. A placement forced into thin tissue high on the nose sits under tension and migrates.
Placement height is also a real aesthetic decision: a few millimetres changes whether it reads as a deliberate high nostril or as a nostril piercing that went wrong. Mark, mirror, adjust.
Pain
About 5 out of 10, a clear step above a standard nostril. The tissue is firmer and the needle takes longer to pass, so it registers as a building pressure rather than a quick sting.
Watering eyes are guaranteed and mean nothing. Everyone’s eyes water for a nose piercing; it is a reflex, not a sign of anything.
Healing
Six to twelve months.
- Weeks 1-3: swelling, tenderness, and more crusting than a standard nostril.
- Weeks 3-16: gradual settling on the outside, which arrives long before the channel is mature.
- Months 4-12: slow internal maturing.
Downsize at eight to twelve weeks, later than a standard nostril because the swelling takes longer to go. Do not skip it: a long post high on the nose catches on glasses, tissues and towels, and every catch restarts the irritation.
Living with one
The practical difficulties are specific to the position:
- Glasses. The nose pads and the frame sit close to this placement on many faces. Take your glasses to the consultation.
- Colds. Blowing your nose repeatedly around a healing high nostril is genuinely unpleasant, and tissues catch the stud. Nothing to be done except be gentle.
- Make-up. Foundation and concealer around the nose need to stay off the piercing while it heals.
- Cleaning both sides. The inside of the nostril at that height is awkward to reach. Saline spray on both sides, twice a day.
The nose cleaning guide has the routine.
Jewelry
Flat-back labret stud, 18 or 16 gauge, implant-grade titanium, on a long post to start and downsized once the swelling drops. The flat disc sits inside the nostril where it is comfortable. Threadless or internally threaded only. See the materials guide.
Not a nose screw, not an L-bend, and not a ring. Screws and L-bends are shaped for the crease and move in a high placement. A ring has nothing to curve around.
Once healed, small gems and bezels work well. Keep them modest: a large end on the flat of the nose catches on everything.
Problems
Irritation bumps here are usually a post that needed downsizing, glasses pressure, or repeated knocking during a cold. Fix the cause first. See piercing bumps.
Infection in a nose piercing deserves prompt attention because of where it sits on the face. Heat, spreading redness, thick coloured discharge or fever means a doctor the same day, with the jewelry left in. See infected nose piercing.
Related placements
- Nostril: the standard placement in the crease, far quicker to heal and ring-compatible.
- Septum: through the soft tissue between the nostrils, and the easiest nose piercing to hide.
- Bridge: across the bridge between the eyes, a surface piercing.
Cost
$40 to $90 in a US studio, plus jewelry. Above a standard nostril because the assessment and marking take more judgement. Tip 15 to 20 percent.
Frequently asked questions
What is a high nostril piercing?
A nostril piercing placed higher up the side of the nose, above the natural crease where a standard nostril piercing sits. It passes through thicker tissue and sits closer to the bridge, so it reads as a small stud on the flat of the nose.
Does a high nostril hurt more than a normal nostril?
Yes, noticeably. About 5 out of 10 against 3 for a standard nostril, because the tissue higher up the nose is thicker and firmer. It is a slower, more pressing sensation rather than a quick sting.
Why does a high nostril take so long to heal?
Because the tissue is thicker and the position is awkward. Six to twelve months is normal, against two to four for a standard nostril. It is one of the slowest soft-tissue piercings there is.
Can you wear a ring in a high nostril?
No. There is no rim for a ring to curve around, so a hoop would have to loop over the flat of your nose, which pulls on the channel constantly. High nostrils are a stud placement, permanently.
Can everyone get a high nostril?
No. It needs enough tissue at that height for a stud to seat securely, and noses vary a lot in shape above the crease. A piercer should assess it in profile as well as head-on.
Is a high nostril hard to clean?
Harder than a standard nostril, because it sits where the sides of the nose are more difficult to reach and where glasses and tissues catch it. Saline needs to reach both the outside and the inside of the nostril.
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/
- American Academy of Dermatology - Caring for pierced earshttps://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-basics/tattoos/caring-for-pierced-ears
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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.