High Nostril Piercing Guide: Pain, Healing, Jewelry, and What to Expect

A high nostril piercing sits higher on your nose than a standard nostril piercing — above the natural crease where the nostril meets the cheek, on the firmer cartilage above the soft fleshy curve.

It's one of the most aesthetically striking nose piercings because it draws the eye upward toward the bridge instead of resting on the corner of the nostril like a standard piercing. Done well, it looks intentional and modern. Done badly, it sits in the wrong spot, heals slowly, and gives people the impression that you and your piercer didn't agree on where exactly it was going.

This guide walks through what a high nostril piercing actually is, how it differs from a standard nostril, what it feels like, how to heal it, what jewelry works, and what to expect long-term.

What a high nostril piercing is

The high nostril sits on the upper portion of the nostril — above the standard nostril position, closer to where the soft fleshy tissue transitions to firmer cartilage. The exact placement depends on your nose anatomy. Some people have room for a clearly distinct "high" piercing; some don't.

Compared to a standard nostril piercing (which sits at the corner crease where the nostril meets the cheek), a high nostril is:

• Higher up the nose
• Through firmer tissue (mix of skin and cartilage)
• More visible from the front (less side-of-face profile)
• Often paired with a standard nostril for a "double nostril" stacked look

For the standard nostril comparison, see our nose piercing guide. For the stacked-piercing look, our double nose piercing guide covers pairing options.

Pain — what to expect

High nostril pain rates around 5/10. Slightly more intense than a standard nostril (3/10) because the tissue is firmer and the piercing passes through more cartilage-adjacent tissue rather than soft skin.

What people commonly describe:

• A sharper, more "crunchy" sensation than a standard nostril (cartilage involvement)
• Eyes watering automatically (normal reflex from the nose being touched, not a sign of bad piercing)
• A second, lingering ache for 30-60 seconds after the needle passes
• Less initial sting than expected — most of the discomfort comes during, not after

The piercing itself is over in a couple of seconds. For broader pain context, see our piercing pain chart.

Healing time

High nostril healing: 3-6 months minimum. Many people take longer.

This is similar to standard nostril healing but often runs slightly slower because:

• The tissue is denser and slower to remodel
• The position gets bumped more often (glasses, hands, sleeping)
• The area sees more facial movement than a standard nostril

"Healed" means past the 3-6 month minimum and completely symptom-free — no tenderness, no redness, no crusties, no swelling. If you're at 6 months but still producing crusties, it's not healed yet. The clock keeps running until symptoms stop.

Placement — getting it right

High nostril placement is more variable than standard nostril because nose anatomy varies more in the upper region. A good piercer will:

1. Have you face them in good light, eyes open, head straight
2. Look at the natural lines of your nose from front and side
3. Mark a dot in the proposed location
4. Have you look in a mirror and confirm before piercing

Don't skip the mirror check. The dot is your last chance to say "a little higher" or "more centered" before it becomes permanent.

Common placement mistakes to watch for:

• Too close to the bridge (looks crowded, can pinch with glasses)
• Too low (looks like a poorly placed standard nostril, not a distinct piercing)
• Not symmetrical with the other nostril (if you have one)
• On the curve where the nostril flares — uneven healing because tissue thickness varies

The needle vs gun question

Always needle. Never gun. This is true for every piercing but especially for any cartilage-adjacent area like high nostril.

Piercing guns crush tissue rather than cleanly puncture it. On firmer cartilage tissue like the upper nostril, this causes:

• More tissue damage
• Significantly higher infection rates
• Worse scarring
• Longer healing times
• Higher rejection rates

If a piercer offers to do your high nostril with a gun, walk out. Find a professional needle piercer. Our needle vs gun guide explains the science in more detail.

Jewelry — what works for high nostril

Starter jewelry should be:

• Implant-grade titanium (ASTM F-136) — nickel-free, lightweight, well-tolerated. The standard for fresh piercings.
• Or solid 14K or 18K gold — also safe, slightly heavier, more expensive
• Flat-back labret style — the disc sits inside the nostril, the post comes through the skin, the decorative top screws on outside. Most comfortable for healing because nothing dangles or catches.
• 16G or 18G gauge — most piercers use 18G as standard for nostril piercings. Some prefer 16G for high nostril specifically because the firmer tissue handles a slightly thicker post well.

What NOT to use for a fresh high nostril:

• Surgical steel — contains 8-12% nickel. Common cause of allergic reactions and slowed healing.
• Hoops in any form for the first 3-6 months — they snag, twist, and pull the healing channel
• Plated or gold-filled jewelry — the coating wears, exposing base metals that can react with skin
• L-bends or screws — fine for fully healed, not for fresh piercings
• Sterling silver — tarnishes, oxidizes, can contain nickel in the alloy

Once fully healed, you can switch to L-bends, screws, hoops, or any style you prefer. For the full range of nose ring styles, see our types of nose rings guide. For sizing, our nose ring sizing guide walks through measurement.

For starter jewelry shopping: our threaded flat-back collection, opal nose studs, or titanium collection all have suitable options. All of our titanium is mill-certified ASTM F-136 — details on our quality testing page.

Aftercare

Standard aftercare protocol applies:

1. Spray with sterile saline 2-3 times daily. Use piercer-grade saline (0.9% sodium chloride), not contact lens solution or homemade salt water.
2. Don't touch the piercing. Hands carry bacteria. Touching introduces them to a healing wound.
3. Don't rotate or twist the jewelry. Old advice said to rotate. Modern aftercare says leave it alone. Rotation tears healing tissue inside the channel.
4. Avoid makeup, sunscreen, and skincare directly on the piercing for the first 6-8 weeks. Apply around it.
5. Sleep on the opposite side when possible. Pressure on a healing nose piercing causes irritation bumps.
6. Don't change the jewelry early. The starter piece needs to stay in for the full minimum healing window. Changing too early disrupts the channel.

Full aftercare protocol in our piercing aftercare guide.

What can go wrong

Piercing bumps

The most common complication. A small, raised, pink-to-flesh-colored bump near the piercing site, usually appearing 2-4 weeks in. Most are caused by irritation — wrong jewelry, snags, sleeping on it, makeup contact.

Treatment: identify the cause, remove it, do consistent saline soaks. Most bumps resolve in 2-6 weeks if the trigger is removed. Don't try to pop or pick at bumps.

Infection

Less common than people think — many "infections" are actually irritation or allergic reactions. True infection signs: thick yellow-green discharge (not clear lymph), warm-to-touch redness extending beyond the piercing, throbbing pain, fever.

If you see these signs, see a piercer or doctor. Don't remove the jewelry first — that can trap infection inside. See our nose piercing infection guide for full triage.

Migration or rejection

Less common for high nostril than for surface piercings, but possible if the piercing was placed too shallow. The jewelry slowly moves toward the surface, the visible bar of the piercing gets longer, and eventually the piercing rejects fully.

If you see the jewelry migrating outward, see your piercer. Sometimes a different jewelry style stops the migration.

Embedded jewelry

Happens when the back disc of a flat-back labret gets pushed into the swollen tissue and gets buried. Almost always a result of severe swelling in the first 1-2 weeks combined with downsizing the post too soon.

Prevention: don't downsize the post until swelling is fully resolved. If you see the disc disappearing into the skin, see a piercer immediately.

The downsize

Starter jewelry posts are intentionally longer than your final size to accommodate swelling. After the first 4-8 weeks, when swelling is fully resolved, you'll need a shorter post.

Why downsizing matters:

• A too-long post moves more, causing irritation
• Long posts catch on things (clothing, hair, fingers)
• A correctly-sized post sits flush against the inside of the nostril, minimizing movement

Go back to your piercer for the downsize, or measure carefully yourself if you're swapping at home. For changing technique, see our how to change your nose ring guide and how to put in a nose ring.

High nostril paired with other piercings

High nostril looks particularly clean when paired with:

• A standard nostril on the same side — the classic "double nostril" stack. Small studs in both, or small stud at high + tiny hoop at standard.
• A septum piercing — high nostril on one side balances a centered septum visually. See our septum piercing guide.
• Mirrored high nostrils on both sides — bold, symmetrical, requires patient healing of both at once

For most people, one high nostril alone or paired with a standard nostril on the same side is the cleanest look. Adding more requires the face to support the visual weight.

Long-term care

Once healed (3-6 months minimum, symptom-free), high nostril maintenance is minimal:

• Keep wearing implant-grade titanium or solid gold for daily wear
• Clean as part of your normal face-washing routine — saline isn't required forever
• Watch for irritation bumps if you change jewelry frequently (each insertion is mild trauma)
• Don't go more than 4-6 hours without jewelry in for the first year
• For longer-healed piercings (1+ year), the channel is more stable and can stay open for a day without jewelry

FAQ

Can anyone get a high nostril piercing?

Most people can, but not all. Some noses don't have enough room between the standard nostril position and the bridge area to fit a distinct high nostril piercing. A good piercer will tell you if your anatomy isn't suited — listen to them. A piercing that's placed wrong because it was the only spot available will look off and may reject.

How long after a standard nostril can I get a high nostril?

Wait until the standard nostril is fully healed (3-6 months minimum). Piercing two adjacent areas at once doubles the inflammation load and slows both. Heal one fully, then start the second.

Will glasses interfere with a high nostril piercing?

Possibly. If you wear glasses, the nose pads can sometimes rest right where a high nostril sits. Bring your glasses to the piercing consultation — your piercer can mark placement that clears the glasses. Worth doing this check before the needle goes in.

Can I get this piercing with a needle if I'm scared of needles?

Yes, and it's actually less scary than people expect. You can't see the needle approach (it comes from the side of your face), it's over in seconds, and the actual sensation is sharp but brief. Most people say "that's it?" afterward. The buildup is worse than the piercing.

What gauge is best for high nostril?

16G or 18G. Some piercers prefer 16G for high nostril because the firmer tissue tolerates a slightly thicker post well and provides more stability. 18G is fine if your piercer uses it consistently. Don't try to swap gauges mid-healing.

Why does it hurt more than a standard nostril?

The tissue is firmer and contains more cartilage than the soft fleshy area of a standard nostril. Cartilage-adjacent tissue is denser and produces a sharper sensation when pierced. Still very tolerable — 5/10 on the pain scale — just slightly more intense than standard nostril's 3/10.

Can I swim with a healing high nostril piercing?

No. Avoid pools, oceans, lakes, and hot tubs until fully healed. Showers and clean baths only during the 3-6 month healing window.

What if my high nostril keeps getting bumps?

Most recurring bumps come from one of these: wrong jewelry (surgical steel with nickel, plated metal), snagging (long posts, hoops too early), pressure (sleeping on it), or makeup/skincare contact. Identify the cause first. Removing the trigger usually resolves the bump within 2-6 weeks.

The bottom line

High nostril piercings sit higher on the nose than standard nostrils, hurt slightly more (5/10 vs 3/10), heal in 3-6 months minimum, and look striking when placed well and worn with quality jewelry.

Use implant-grade titanium or solid 14K-18K gold. Avoid surgical steel and plated metals. Never use a piercing gun. Be patient with the healing window — rushing the downsize or the jewelry change is the most common cause of complications.

Pair with a standard nostril on the same side for a clean stacked look, or wear alone for a modern minimalist statement.

This guide is for educational purposes and isn't a substitute for advice from your professional piercer. If you develop signs of infection, severe swelling, or persistent bumps, see a piercer or doctor.