More and more people are embracing body art and modification in the form of piercings and tattoos these days. One piercing that has quickly gained popularity and acceptance is the nose ring. This is the piercing of any part of the nose, whether skin or cartilage, using a hollow needle, to allow for the wearing of jewelry in the form of rings, bars, or studs. This practice is primarily associated with the Asian continent and India in particular. Initially, these piercings were a mark of social standing, but these days, people get them mainly for aesthetic purposes. Someone who has been thinking of getting this piercing needs to be willing to invest in the right jewelry and proper aftercare routines.

The Healing Process and Duration

How fast you can change your initial stud will depend upon the healing process. According to professionals, the wound should heal in about two months, depending on its location and how well you take care of it. Rushing the process will only cause infections and complicate your life.

It is essential to keep in mind that your body and immune system will determine how fast the wound heals. However, if you experience pain or bleeding during this time, you should seek professional help. Here is the complete list of estimated healing times:

• Nasalang piercings- 4-6 months
• Septum piercing- 6-8 weeks
• Nostril piercing- 4-6 months
• Rhino piercing- 6-9 weeks
• Bridge piercing- 8-12 weeks

How to Go about Changing the Jewelry

Removing the Initial Ring

Once the healing is complete, you still have to be quite cautious about how you change your initial jewelry. Any wrong move could cause irritation or even injure the soft tissue around this area. The steps below should help you remove the old jewelry successfully.

Wash or Glove Your Hands

We trust our hands, but they are often not as clean as we think. Your hands can accumulate a vast amount of bacteria doorknob touching a door knob. To prevent transferring these bacteria onto your newly healed nose, ensure that you wash your hands thoroughly or wear sterile gloves for the procedure.

Remove the Fastener Or Bead

All nose rings are designed with various fastening mechanisms to help them stay in place. The varieties include captive bead hoops, seamless hoops, nose screws and L-shaped studs among others. Your first task will be to remove this fastener. The removal mechanism is often self-explanatory, nonetheless, ensure that you understand it beforehand.

Cautiously Slide the Ring Out

With the fastener out of the way, removing the ring is typically a cinch. At a slow and steady pace, pull the piercing out of the hole. If your jewelry has curves, you will have to change the pulling angles to accommodate them. You can also insert a finger into your nose to guide the inner parts of the jewelry out.

Sanitize Your Nose and the Piercings

Use a Q-tip or cotton swab dipped in a moderate antibacterial solution to clean the piercing and surrounding tissue. This will lessen the risk of infection. Bactine, saline solution or rubbing alcohol should do the trick.

You also have to clean both the old ring that you have just removed and the new one that you intend to wear next. You can still use the saline solution, rubbing alcohol or bactine for this task. After cleaning the piercings, consider applying a coat of an antibiotic ointment to this jewelry if you have some in the house.

Inserting the New Nose Ring

Wearing your new piece of jewelry should be straightforward since you are simply reversing the above steps. However, if the new ring is of a different design from the previous, which is most likely the case, ensure that you understand its mechanism before attempting to insert it into the hole.

After you have sterilized this piercing, remove its fastener and gently direct the pointed end through the nose piercing. Once again, use your finger to feel and direct the jewelry into your nose. Once it is in place, place the fastener on, and clean your nose again.

Buying the Right Hoop

It is okay to want to wear a fancy ring or bar that matches your sense of style or personality. However, consider its compatibility with your nose size and skin, too. Ensure that you buy jewelry that is of the right size and made from a biocompatible metal like titanium or stainless steel.

The Things That Could Go Wrong

Having a nose ring has several benefits, including personal satisfaction and also improved sex appeal (as some would say). However, if not properly cared for, this piercing could cause you more complications than ever thought possible. For instance, without ample aftercare, you may suffer from necrosis, perichondritis or septal hematoma.

How to Prevent Infection

Having an infected piercing is painful and can be pretty ugly and thus a cause for lowered self-confidence. Worse still, for the wound to heal fully, the ring may need to be taken out leading to the closure of the piercing. It is easy to keep your piercing infection free, but it will require some dedication. The process will involve:

• Ensure you use stainless steel metals
  Avoid plastic materials and if you must, regulate the duration of use.
  
  
• Proper hand washing
  Before touching the piercing or the jewelry always ensure that your hands are clean. This prevents the transfer of germs.
  
  
• Don't play with the jewelry and piercing
  
  
• Cleaning the area
  Cleaning the area with a saline solution at least two times a day. The solution can be store-bought or made at home with water and sea salt.
  
  
• Changing your beauty routines
  Any products that dry out the skin will irritate the wound and could cause an infection. Also, avoid using makeup on the area around the piercing.
  
  
• Staying out of the sun
  Staying out of the sun to avoid getting sunburned skin, which will be itchy and painful.
  
  
• Being more careful when out and about
  Nasal jewelry tends to get caught in everything from clothes to towels. Therefore, to prevent pain every time it gets caught on something, mindfulness of your surroundings is vital.

Conclusion

Having a piercing can improve your appeal and confidence significantly. However, if not properly cared for, things could go South very fast. The healing time is the most sensitive. Therefore, even if you don't adhere to all the guidelines provided; ensure that your hands, the piercing area and nose ring are clean at all times.