You might have seen it before: a piercing in the bridge of the nose with two bead ends in a position that’s seemingly impossible.
It’s easy to assume that this piercing requires painful and intense body modification in order to achieve it. After all, most mainstream piercings go perpendicularly through the skin and have clear entry and exit points at the front and back of the part that they’ve pierced.
You might be surprised to find out that the bridge piercing is actually quite similar to a navel or eyebrow piercing. Sure, it has unique considerations, but so does every other piercing.
If you’ve ever wondered about what it takes to get a bridge piercing and the aftercare involved, then you’re in the right place. Here’s a brief guide to bridge piercings.
What is a bridge piercing?
A bridge piercing is a surface piercing that appears in the bridge of the nose between the eyes. You’ll see two ball ends decorating either side of the nose, but in reality, it’s one long piercing that’s filled with a straight barbell hidden beneath the skin.
If you pinch the bridge of your nose, you might feel a small fleshy area. (No worries if you don’t; not all people have anatomy suited to the bridge piercing.) This is the area that would be pierced. If you hold that fleshy area between your fingers, you can imagine the placement of the jewelry.
Bridge piercing process
The process to get the bridge piercing will be very similar to any other piercing experience. You’ll first research a reputable piercer if you don’t already have a piercer that you trust. When you arrive at your appointment, the piercer will clean the area and mark where you’ll be pierced. You’ll confirm placement—keeping in mind that placement largely depends upon your anatomy so you might not have much of a choice in location or even whether you can get this piercing at all—and you’ll be ready for the procedure.
The piercer will either use clamps to pinch the piercing area or pinch it with their fingers, depending on their preference. Then, they’ll use a sterile, single-use hollow needle to smoothly complete the piercing while subsequently threading the jewelry through. They’ll attach the ball end, and you’ll be done!
Your piercer should guide you through your breathing to help minimize pain. If you’re nervous, let your piercer know, and they’ll do what they can to make the experience as easy as possible.
If you wear glasses, be sure to bring them along to confirm that the bridge piercing won’t get in the way. You can usually wear glasses with the bridge piercing, but it’s a good idea to double check and make sure that your frames are suited for your new look.
Bridge piercing aftercare
As with any other piercing, you should spray your new bridge piercing with a piercing aftercare saline solution, like NeilMed Piercing Aftercare, 2 – 3 times daily. During the healing process, you need to take care of your body, keep your piercing safe from dirt and other debris, and make sure that your piercing remains dry and clean. Your piercer will likely provide you with instructions for aftercare which you must adhere to.
To avoid introducing bacteria to the piercing, try to touch it as little as possible as it heals.
Everyone heals differently, so there are certain things that you should watch for as your bridge piercing heals.
- Jewelry size. Your piercer will fit you with an initial piece of jewelry that has a longer bar to accommodate swelling. If your bridge piercing swells too much and presses against the ball ends, then you should talk to your piercer about getting fitted with a larger piece to avoid issues like embedding. (If your bridge piercing swells substantially, then you should seek medical attention. It should only swell a bit.) After a week or so, when the swelling has gone down, it might be a good idea to get fit with a smaller piece. The larger piece will pose a bit of a snagging risk, and many people find a snugger fit more comfortable during healing.
- Don’t touch the jewelry as it heals. At first, you might be able to see the bridge jewelry in the corners of your eyes. Don’t worry, your brain will get used to it eventually and adjust (just like how you can’t see your nose in the edges of your vision), but it might be a bit annoying. It could also make it tempting to touch the jewelry, even unconsciously. Make sure that you keep your hands away. Not only can your hands introduce bacteria to the piercing, moving the jewelry too much could cause issues like jewelry rejection and scarring, so your jewelry is best left alone.
- Watch for signs of jewelry rejection. If pierced incorrectly, bridge piercings see more rejection than other piercing types. Because of this, it’s a good idea to keep an eye out for signs of rejection as your piercing heals. If the piercing holes get larger, the skin above the barbell gets thinner, or the skin around the piercings starts to get red and flaky, see your piercer for consultation. It could be a sign that your jewelry is getting rejected, and they’ll guide you on next steps. (Jewelry rejection risk is a big reason why you should find a piercer with a long, successful track record when it comes to bridge piercings.)
How long does the bridge piercing take to heal?
Surface piercings, in general, take 6 – 9 months to heal at a minimum.
We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: these healing times are minimums only. Before you stop aftercare practices, have a piercer confirm that you’re fully healed. Even if you do everything right, you might take longer to heal, so it’s best to have a professional take a look and confirm that your piercing has healed.
The key to healing is patience. Your body will heal at its own pace. Take care of it for the entire healing period, and you shouldn’t see any issues.
If you’re looking for a facial piercing look that’s a little rarer than something like the eyebrow piercing, then the bridge piercing might be just the thing that you’re looking for. Its location is sure to capture attention, yet it’s still pretty easy to get, even if the healing period is substantial.
