Bridge Piercing Aftercare, Healing, Jewelry, Pictures

Bridge piercing is a kind of facial piercing, done horizontally in the bridge region of the nose, between the eyes. This form of piercing is also known as “Earl” or “Erl” piercing after Earl Van Aken, who was the first to have it done on him.

How to pierce your bridge

Get your piercing done from a professional piercing studio. First the region is marked with a surgical pen, after which, a hollow sterilized needle, needle receiving tube, and a cannula or cork are needed to make a proper hole for inserting the jewelry.

Getting a vertical bridge piercing

The vertical bridge piercing, also known as “Unicorn piercing” or “third eye piercing”, is another variation of bridge piercing that is done vertically between the eyebrows. It is preferable to do this type of surface piercing with a surface bar for fast healing.

Who can get a bridge piercing

People having sufficient skin in the bridge area of the nose should go for this kind of piercing to avoid any complications. Because of the complexities involved, in most stores the minimum age required to get this piercing is 18 years.

Is bridge piercing painful

The level of pain varies from one person to the other, also depending upon the efficiency with which the piercing has been done. But, compared to other body piercings, this one is less painful. Some people have also said that the pain is equivalent to what they feel while plucking eyebrows. However, the region being very tender, the piercing may result in pain or swelling. Bleeding may occur during or after piercing and also while healing if the region has been poked or disturbed in any way.

Bridge piercing aftercare

Dip a cotton ball in warm salt water and press it gently against the pierced region for about five minutes.
Close your eyes during the process to prevent salt water from entering.
After the compression, pour some warm water over the pierced region to clean any cotton stuck on it.
Wiping with a towel may cause irritation, thus allow it to dry on its own.
During a shower, apply some soap on your fingers and clean the area delicately once a day. Rinse it well.
Do not apply any makeup or strong cleansers on the pierced region during the healing process.
It is advisable, not to take out or change the jewelry while healing.

Bridge piercing healing

After piercing your bridge, give it proper time to heal to avoid infection. It takes about a span of 8 to 12 weeks to heal externally. However, internal healing may span between 4 to 6 months or even last longer, depending on the aftercare taken.

Bridge piercing infection and other problems

Infection: Improper healing results in infection that may lead to the formation of a bump accompanied by pus, needing medical assistance. Infection in the bridge area may also result in scar formation in the region.

Rejection and migration: In case of rejection, the body is unable to accept the jewelry as it is a foreign object. If the jewelry is not removed when being rejected, your body will gradually push or migrate it out, healing the skin at the same time. Characterized by soreness or sensitivity in the skin, chances of migration may be lessened to some extent if there is sufficient flesh available to hold the jewelry on the bridge of the nose. Re-piercing can be attempted once the region heals completely.

Problem occurring from glasses: People wearing glasses regularly should avoid this piercing or switch to lenses as it may constantly be in friction with the piercing, increasing chances of infection. If you still want to go for it then make sure that the piercing is done at a reasonable height to avoid its contact with your glasses.

Common myths regarding bridge piercing

Though having a headache during the healing process is quite normal, the preconceived notion regarding the fact that any infection caused by bridge piercing spreads to the brain through the sinus is incorrect. However placing the jewelry in an improper way may exert pressure on the sinus. Another popular myth is that this piercing form may result in eye problems, leading to involuntary eye-crossing.

Bridge piercing jewelry

Straight barbells are mainly used while piercing, whereas, surface bars and curved barbells can also be opted for as initial jewelries. Wearing a D-shaped jewelry lessens the chances of migration. Using retainers help in making the piercing look less prominent.

Fake bridge piercing

As the bar goes in between the bridge area, it is hard to produce a fake piercing. However by using eyelash glue and metal balls an attempt can be made.