Bridge Piercing 101: What You Need to Know - FreshTrends Blog

Surface piercings are fantastic because they allow you to pierce basically anywhere on the body (as long as there’s enough flesh to do so). While there are endless surface piercings styles out there, one has elevated itself into recent popularity above the rest: the bridge piercing.

Aptly named, the bridge piercing is placed between the eyes at the bridge of the nose. This seemingly impossible piercing is completed when your piercer pinches the skin at the bridge of your nose and pushes a needle straight through. The piercing is then filled with a straight barbell. 

The result? A double-pierced look that seems to defy gravity.  

But, don’t rush off to the piercer’s chair just yet. Before you get this ultra-cool look, there are some things that you need to consider. Here’s what you need to know about the bridge piercing.

It might be a little uncomfortable to get (but probably not too bad)

This piercing, based on various people’s experiences, doesn’t seem to register too high on the pain tolerance scale. Many have only noted mild discomfort with the clamps (pre-pierce) and potential swelling after the piercing is complete.  

If you have a tendency to swell, then you might feel more discomfort than others for the next few days. This is one piercing that tends to swell more than others, and it can get uncomfortable. (You should also make sure that you don’t have any important events coming up in the days following your piercing since it might look a little strange.)

Pain is different for everyone, so the experience could be easier or worse for you. The good news is that the process is fast, so if this is a piercing you’re keen on, then you can probably handle the few seconds of pain.

The bridge piercing requires confidence

Of all the facial piercings, the bridge piercing stands out more than others. Besides being located right between the eyes, it’s still a new style, and those unfamiliar with the piercing world are going to be curious about it.

The bridge piercing is one piercing that requires confidence.

If you’re one to rock your style without caring what other people say or think (whether it’s good or bad), then you won’t have any problems! However, if you prefer to go more unnoticed, then you might consider a subtler style.

Will it affect your job or employability?

While many body piercing types are becoming more acceptable in professional environments, the more alternative you get, the more difficult it’s going to be to convince your boss to let you keep it.

The thing about the bridge piercing is that it’s nearly impossible to hide. During healing, you won’t be able to take out your jewelry, and piercing retainers will be visible. Additionally, as a less mainstream piercing choice, you might face resistance from even more progressive companies.

Before you get the bridge piercing, talk to your employer, or consult someone in the industry that you aspire to enter. They’ll let you know whether the bridge piercing will hinder you, and they might even be able to give you a rundown of the types of piercings that you can get instead.

How to prepare for the bridge piercing

Now that you’ve taken considerations into account and decided that this is the piercing for you, it’s time to get ready for piercing day.

Like any piercing, there needs to be some prep. Here are the things that you should do before undergoing the needle.

All piercings require research beforehand.

1. Fully research your piercer. They should have a full portfolio of work to show you (checking out social media is a great way to find this), boast fantastic reviews, and their studio should be highly hygienic. (Bonus points if they’re a member of the Association of Piercing Professionals.) If you’ve been pierced before, you probably have a piercer you trust, which is great! The thing about surface piercings, however, is that they must be precisely placed in order to avoid jewelry rejection. Therefore, you should make sure that your favorite piercer has plenty of experience with surface piercings. If not, ask them to recommend a piercer who does; they want you to be happy with your piercing, and they won’t mind.
2. Never get pierced while under the influence. Not only is it illegal for piercers to pierce you while you’re clearly intoxicated, but alcohol also serves as a blood thinner, which can cause excessive bleeding while you get pierced. Besides that, you want to make sure that your mind is sharp when you choose the placement of your bridge piercing. Overall, getting pierced while drunk or high is simply a bad idea.
3. Take the time before you arrive at your appointment to make sure that you know where you want your piercing placed. This will probably mean sitting in front of a mirror and drawing dots on your nose while you try to decide where the jewelry will look best. Have some friends take a look to help you decide. When you get to the piercing studio, let your piercer take a look, and they can tell you if it looks good. And, once they’ve marked you for piercing, triple check to ensure that it’s in the location that you want.
4. Know that the jewelry will probably be in your field of vision for a while. Don’t worry; your eyes will adjust, and you’ll eventually get used to it. But, for the first few weeks, you might get a little distracted by the shiny bits of metal in the corners of your vision.

Don’t forget to keep it clean

Bridge piercings take anywhere between 6 – 12 months to heal (and maybe even longer). The best way to achieve a shorter healing time is to maintain daily aftercare practices. Clean your bridge piercing 2 – 3 times daily per your piercer’s instructions.

If you think your bridge piercing is fully healed, talk to your piercer before stopping aftercare practices. The interior could still be healing, and you must continue aftercare for the entire healing period in order to avoid complications.

Bridge piercing jewelry

Need more convincing to get a bridge piercing? Check out our adorable barbells that will look amazing shining between your eyes.

FT Admin