Rhino Piercing – TikTok’s latest jewellery craze. But what is it exactly? How do you wear it? Is it even safe?
Well, then, – let’s find out!
What is a Rhino Piercing and how is it worn?
Let’s talk about what a rhino piercing isn’t: it’s not one of those dainty nose piercings because a rhinoceros is most likely not the first thing you’re going to put up on your beauty inspiration board.
The rhino piercing goes by multiple names, actually, including:
• Vertical tip piercing
• Vertical nose tip
• Vertical nasal top piercing
That’s because it goes vertically (and literally) through the tip of your nose and once it heals, leaves you with two ‘attractive’ points of adornment: one above the nasal tip and the other on the underside of the columella.
The rhino piercing is a relatively new body and jewellery fashion trend, although it has been steadily gaining popularity for its rather unique placement and appearance.
So, as we know by now, it is a vertical piercing going through the tip of the nose, creating two points of adornment, one of which is just above the nasal tip while the other is on the underside of the columella.
Does this sound like your type of body piercing? If it does, then here’s how you can wear it:
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You can wear a rhino piercing as a piece of jewellery – as curved barbells, for example, which happens to be the most common type of jewellery for this kind of piercing.
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You might also wear your rhino piercing as a placement. So, in this case, the piercing will go vertically through the cartilage at the tip of your nose, extending from under the tip to the top of your nose. It’s right where your nose tip starts to curve.
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Some people like to wear their rhino piercing as variations, choosing nice and deep variations, in fact, where they extend the piercing as far as the top of the nose, close to where the bridge begins.
What are the different types or variations of a Rhino Piercing?
Now that we’re up to speed on what a rhino piercing is, let’s go more in-depth into some of the variations you can experiment with:
Standard rhino or vertical nose piercing
This is the most common type of rhino piercing. To do this one, you’ll need to start at the bottom, passing the piercing through the nose tip, and then find the release at the top. The piercing needs to be done right above the main robust part of your nose cartilage, where you’ll place it between the two large sections of the cartilage at your nose’s tip. It’s the part of your nose where you feel a little dip or cleft when you touch it.
Deep rhino
In this variation, you’ll run the piercing from the bottom of your nose tip to just above and along the nose bridge. You can even do your piercing a bit off-centre, as you want to experiment with different depths.
The higher you go up the nose bridge, the more you need to take into account how the cartilage will come into play, as things can get complicated. This is because the thin strip of cartilage found between the division of your nose cartilage does not allow anything to be pierced through, which means you can choose only one side.
Therefore, if you’re looking for a deep rhino piercing without bringing the central cartilage section of the nose into play, then you can definitely do that – but that also means your piercing will be limited in how far up your nose it can go.
Stretched rhino
This one is also called a septril, mixing an adapted septum piercing with some aspects of a rhino piercing. It’s actually quite distinct from a rhino piercing in that the hole does not come out at the top of your nose. Rather, it is only visible as a stud which can be seen from the bottom end of your nose.
In this variation, the other end of the piercing will show on the side of your nostril; that’s where the septum piercing is typically found. In order to get this piercing, you must stretch your septum (the skin between your nostrils) from 14 to 0-guage.
These are the main variations of a rhino piercing. No matter how you decide to wear yours, remember to work with a reputable professional piercer for a hassle-free procedure.
Are Rhino Piercings safe? Do they hurt?
Unless your rhino piercing is done by a professional, reliable, and reputable piercer or you do not give it the proper aftercare, you may be looking at issues like keloid scarring, granulated tissue, or hypertrophic scar tissue. All of these can affect the aesthetic outcome and may potentially damage the nose which, at some point, might require medical attention.
While everyone’s pain tolerance is different, the short answer to whether rhino piercings hurt is ‘yes’. Compared to other conventional nose piercings, and especially the location and style or variation of the rhino piercing, the wearer may experience noticeable discomfort, both during and after the procedure.
Always consider your lifestyle and functional needs before you commit to something like a rhino piercing. For instance, if you have a high tendency to develop seasonal allergies or you need to wear a facial mask to work, this piercing is probably not ideal.
Furthermore, depending on the size and placement of your rhino piercing, it can affect your ability to easily carry out day-to-day activities – such as blowing and cleaning your nose or even overall nasal breathing.
Conclusion
Are rhino piercings for you?
Well, that depends, are you willing to put in the required aftercare and take the necessary precautions as recommended by your piercer? Do you want to ditch the everyday diva or lady persona and go for something unique and unorthodox?
With the right aftercare, a rhino piercing can make for some incredible close-up social media selfies and all that jazz!