Bridge Piercing Healing Tips and Healing Time
It is rare the bridge of your nose is the first piercing you'll get, but it is one which is growing in popularity. Facial piercings are usually reserved for those who have experimented with other piercings first, but not necessarily. Since piercings are becoming more accepted in general, more people might be willing to just go for whatever it is they think will suit their image.
Regardless of where you get your piercing, you need to ensure you care for it properly. However, not all piercings require the same level of care. Since it is more prone to being rejected by the body than other piercings, a bridge piercing has some specific care requirements. See what they are with oneHOWTO and our bridge piercing healing tips. We also let you know what you can expect in terms of healing time.
- What is a bridge piercing?
- Bridge piercing healing time
- Maintain constant hygiene
- Don't try to move or change it too soon
- Try to keep your hair up and your forehead dry
- Do not use makeup or creams with alcohol
- Care when sleeping
- How to know if the bridge piercing is infected
- Can I get a bridge piercing if I wear glasses?
What is a bridge piercing?
A bridge piercing is a type of industrial piercing. These are piercings which used two holes of skin perforation which are joined together, usually with a metal bar. In the case of a bridge piercing, the two holes are either side of the bridge of the nose with the bar going underneath the skin between them. The metal bar does not fall out because of the balls at the end of the bar which resembles a miniature barbell.
With bridge piercings, the bar is usually slightly bent into a D shape to better ensure the skin does not reject it. This type of piercing can have two variations:
- Horizontal bridge piercing
- Vertical bridge piercing
So that it can heal correctly, you must follow a series of care that we are going to detail below.
Bridge piercing healing time
When the piercing is introduced to the skin of the bridge of the nose, it can be quite sensitive. It may also take some time to get used to. However, the actual piercing itself is often thought to be less painful than some other types of piercings since it does not need to perforate cartilage. There are still nerve endings in the skin, but they are not as concentrated as they other in other more sensitive areas.
Since the piercing is in the soft tissue, it will heal differently than a cartilage piercing. The soft tissue's healing process will often try to reject a piercing rather than close over. This is only one of the reasons it must be performed by a professional who will best ensure it works.
If the bridge piercing does heal properly, it should take around 10 to 12 weeks. After this time, the majority of the healing will be finished, but we will still need to be careful with it.
Maintain constant hygiene
The professional who performs the piercing should make the care guidelines for a bridge piercing clear to you. One of the fundamental bases for proper healing of any piercing is to have a high level of hygiene. Although it may take up to three months for your bridge piercing to heal, the first month will require you to clean it every day with saline solution and/or neutral pH soap.
Ensure your face is clean. Then apply the saline to the bridge piercing perforations, covering your eye with gauze as you do each side. Ideally, this process should be done twice a day for the first few weeks.
Don't try to move or change it too soon
You may have some ideas for your bridge piercing or fancy getting a different bar in it, but you need to let the healing process do its work. It's very important that you don't handle it until it's completely healed. You may simply want to touch it because you are excited to have your new piercing or you may subconsciously reach for it when you forget its there. Both need to be avoided.
Being a wound, the body must know how to adapt to this new object. If we move it, we will be reopening the wound. If you do want it changed, it is best to go to the piercing studio after 10 to 12 weeks when the majority of the healing has occurred.
Check our post how long does it take for a nose piercing to close to learn more.
Try to keep your hair up and your forehead dry
If you have long hair or tend to have oily skin, you may have a higher risk of infection in this type of piercing. Since it is on the forehead, dirt and oil can collect and the hair can also get tangled. Always try to have your face clean and as dry as possible. Additionally, keep your hair tied up to avoid possible pulling while it is healing.
Do not use makeup or creams with alcohol
The same thing happens for all face piercings. Even if you are a person who usually uses facial treatment or makeup frequently, try to leave that area of the piercing natural. This will best avoid possible infections from products such as makeup, creams or cleansing tonics, which can irritate the wound.
Care when sleeping
One of the things that can annoy people with fresh facial piercings the most is their sleeping position. For bridge piercings, it is important to try to sleep on your back or on your side. Never sleep on your stomach as it can hinder healing or even cause an injury.
How to know if the bridge piercing is infected
Hopefully it doesn't happen, but infections can occur. This is often due to improper care when healing the bridge piercing. To find out if your bridge piercing is infected, you will need to check its condition. If you notice swelling between the eyebrows and the area is red and hot, it is most likely starting a small infection.
If the perforation begins to ooze pus and it does not improve with treatment, it is best that you go to the clinic where you had it done. They can assess the situation and decide whether the piece has to be removed. For more details, see our article how to care for new piercings to prevent infections.
Can I get a bridge piercing if I wear glasses?
Yes, bridge piercings and glases can be fully compatible. You may need to make certain adjustments. The easiest and most effective would be to have a vertical bridge piercing. In this way, the bar will never touch the glasses. If you want to have the horizontal version of the bridge piercing, you should go with your glasses on the day you get it done. This way, the professional can have the best angle that best suits you and avoids your classes touching the piercing.
If you have found this article on healing a bridge piercing helpful, you may want to learn about different types of nose piercings.
If you want to read similar articles to Bridge Piercing Healing Tips and Healing Time, we recommend you visit our Beauty & Personal Care category.