Essentially, nose piercings are becoming increasingly popular, and though it might be tempting to get one, you’d want to make sure that you know what to expect after you have the piercing and the stud in.
So, before we look at what you need to do to carefully take out the nose stud for the first time after getting the piercing, it’s worth noting that the nose piercing, though edgy, doesn’t heal as fast as you may hope.
And even when cleaned thrice daily in saline solution, as recommended, the healing is not as fast because of constant contact and the fact that the cartilage generally takes much longer to heal than other kinds of piercings. On average, the piercing takes about 3 months to heal fully, but for most people, it will take 4-6 months.
Now, as you may already know, you are not to remove the nose stud unless the piercing is healed fully. But even then, you’d have to be extra careful about how you handle the removal of the nose stud. Even with careful cleaning with saline water-soaked cotton swabs and being careful not to pick on or scratch the piercing area, there is always a possibility that you will inflict more damage to the piercing area if you don’t remove the stud carefully. And if you must change the nose ring or nose stud before it heals, you’d have to get this done by a professional, especially if its removal will reduce the risk of keloids, allergic reaction, and infections, or scabs.
If the piercing is healed fully, however, you can remove the nose stud at home carefully, and we’ll help you get through it with ease.
Bear in mind the twist nose studs are a great option for anyone with first-time piercings, and they are ideal because they are comfortable and secure, and the stud also stays out of your way.
So, how do you take it out for the very first time?
How to take out a nose stud for the first time
1. Removal of a traditional nose stud
Essentially, the small traditional nose stud is made of a straight but short post that attaches to its post, and the post goes completely out of sight in your nostril, leaving only a tiny bead on the nostril, which is what keeps the stud from falling out.
To remove the nose ring, hold the bead stud between your fingers on the one hand, then firmly grasp the bead and pull your hands smoothly apart; you will have the nose stud out.
Be careful and gentle, though, because the small confined space that is your nostril will feel awkward, and it might not come out at first after a few attempts; it will be out completely.
2. How to remove the L-Shaped Nose Stud
First, you need to wash your hands, followed by your nose, then your nose stud. Good hygiene is important in preventing infections or introducing bacteria to the piercing. Next, wash the area around the stud the wash around the nose stud. Use saline water to clean up the site. To ensure safe removal, you first need to make sure that you remember how it went in.
For the L-shaped stud, the inside of the stud in the nostril is bent at 90 degrees. So, for you to remove the nose stud, you’d have to gently pull it from the nose, then, holding on its decorative end, angle it all the way down, getting the bent portion through the nostril’s piercing hole. And after the bent end of the stud is through the nostril, you can finally remove the stud.
Note, however, that despite these steps making it look simple, you really have to be careful when removing the nose stud, bearing in mind that the nose piercings tend to be extra sensitive to force and pressure. And just to reiterate, you must clean your hands thoroughly before you start to remove the nose stud.
3. Removal of the Corkscrew-Style Nose Stud
Again, the first thing you should do is to wash your hands, the nose area, as well as the nose stud, and the surrounding areas on the top and bottom. To take this corkscrew nose stud out, take the stud from the nose. But as you do, bear in mind that the post or the interior of the nose stud is spiral-shaped.
Start pulling it out gently, holding it down on its decorative end. To remove it safely, naturally, twist it out as the stud comes out. A loose grip on the stud’s decorative or front end will allow for the stud to come out very naturally. And you should not change or remove it forcefully because it will hurt even more.
Note that instead of the straight bar, the nostril screw stud’s end might have a hook or an l-Shaped bar. These design elements may make the removal of the nose stud a little difficult, but it won’t be too tough with a little patience.
That said, some of the corkscrew nose studs can be L-shaped too. In such cases, you have to approach the nose stud from a different, safe angle. And for the stud’s safe removal, first, make sure that the L-shaped section of the stud points outwards and away from the nostrils inside. And then gently pull on the stud, and when a large portion of the nose stud is out, you’d want to point the nose stud towards the middle of the nose before pulling it down again gently, allowing for the rest of the nose screw to come out with ease.
The trick when it comes to the corkscrew or even the fishhook nose studs is to gently pull up the stud, holding onto the ball/ gem on the outside. Doing this pulls the post’s straight part out easily. And for the twisty curve, you just need to twist it around slowly and in a circular motion until the curve slides out of the piercing hole. Make use of your pointer finger because it is not really in use, which means that you can use it to guide the stud out in the right direction.
4. Removal of a hoop nose stud
Like the other hoops, the first thing to do when taking out the nose stud is to wash your hands thoroughly. You will be happy to know that removing the hoop nose stud is easier than handling other types of nose studs.
To remove the nose ring, you only need to move it around until the hoops’ ends come out from the piercing and then slide it down then out of the nose. You need to allow the hoop stud to naturally move out a sit comes out, and don’t force it because any extra force will cause your nostril to hurt.
5. Removing the Nose Bone-Type Stud
As mentioned above, the first step for the safe removal of a nose stud is cleaning your hands then the piercing area. You have to be very careful about this to avoid introducing bacteria to the area and to prevent infection, especially because there is always a possibility of the piercing area not being properly healed.
To remove the bone-type nose stud, you need to first know that handling this piercing will be a little uncomfortable, although it is generally simple, even straightforward.
When ready, pull the stud out of the nose straight, holding on its decorative end with one hand while pulling the stud using the other hand.
Just as you would when removing any other kind of nose stud, you need to remove the nose stud gently because the nose piercing area is often very sensitive, and not just to dirt, but also to force and pressure.
When to get professional help?
If you are unable to get the nose stud out for the first time using any of the recommended steps above, or if you are unable to get a good grip on the stud and are therefore struggling to remove the piercing, you may want to go back to the piercer or any other professional piercer around to get the stud to remove and the nose piercing clean.
This might also be the most ideal and practical solution if you have a bit of scarring or keloids around the piercing and also if you feel pain. Seeking professional help will ensure safe removal (and replacement) of the nose stud while also lowering the risk of infections.
The best part about seeking help from a professional piercer is that he/she/they will teach you how to remove the stud for next time. And if you are dealing with the fishhook or the corkscrew nose studs, which tend to be quite challenging to remove, you will be glad you sought help.
Conclusion
So, if you have been struggling to take the nose stud out for the very first time, we hope that these tips and tricks will help you and save you the trip to the professional piercer.
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Stephanie is a jewelry lover when she was a teenager. Her major was fashion design when she was in college. She is a jewelry designer at SOQ Jewelry and other design companies. Now she is also a writer for our website. She writes a lot of designs&brands posts with very actionable tips.