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Austin Bar Piercings are a horizontal bar through the tip of your nose. They go through a pretty thick piece of cartilage and are situated in a “high traffic” area. Because of this, they have a very high chance of migration and rejection, making them one of the most dangerous piercings. Many piercers will refuse to perform austin bars because they are so prone to rejection. A safer alternative to austin bar piercings are mantis or forward nostril piercings.
What is a Mantis/Forward Nostril Piercing?
A mantis (or forward nostril) piercing looks very similar to an austin bar. The difference is that, while austin bars are one piercing with a singular piece of jewelry, a mantis piercing is two piercers with two studs. These are types of nostril piercings that come out on the top of your nostril, so two studs would have the appearance of a singular bar going through them, forming an austin bar. Mantis piercings also have a higher chance of migration, simply because of the higher traffic area, but they are considered much safer than an austin bar.
Austin Bar Piercing Pain
While all pain is relative, austin bar piercings generally hurt a bit more than other piercings. The cartilage on the tip of your nose is much thicker than the cartilage in other areas of your nose. Nose piercings are particularly sensitive for some people and will likely make you tear up even if you don’t think it hurts very much.
Mantis piercings tend to hurt less than an austin bar, but more than a regular nostril piercing. Even though these are just a different kind of nostril piercing, the cartilage at the top of your nostril is thicker than the cartilage on the side. Thicker cartilage often always means more pain.
How to Heal an Austin Bar Piercing
Austin bar piercings are notoriously difficult to heal. You’ll need to avoid touching it or anything rubbing against it at all costs. Things that may bump your nose that you’ll need to watch out for:
- Kissing (to avoid bumping your nose against a person)
- Drinking out of a glass (certain glasses or mugs may touch the end of your nose without you realizing)
- Sleeping (if you sleep on your stomach, you may rub your nose against your bed or pillow)
- Glasses (take care not to let them fall off the tip of your nose)
- Touching your face (you likely touch your face and even the tip of your nose far more than you realize)
You’ll need to keep a careful eye on your austin bar to make sure it’s not rejecting or migrating. Never touch it and simply allow a gentle stream of water to wash over it as needed to clean crusties.
Conclusion
Austin bar piercings are particularly hard to heal piercings that are often refused to do by piercers. If you have an austin bar or want one, you’ll need to keep a careful eye out for the signs of migration or rejection. If you allow your piercing to reject, you’ll be left with a nasty scar on the tip of your nose. A safer alternative to austin bar piercings is a mantis or forward nostril piercing, which are nostril piercings that go through the top of your nostril.
