Face Piercings Guide: Types, Healing & Safety

Face Piercings: the complete UK guide to styles, safety and smooth healing

Walk down any British high street and you will see more metal than ever glinting from brows, bridges, cheeks and lips. Face piercings have moved from fringe sub-cultures into everyday fashion, offering everything from a subtle sparkle beside the nostril to a full constellation of dermal studs. Yet every facial placement crosses either skin, cartilage or mucous membrane—so good technique and diligent after-care are non-negotiable if you want the look without the complications. This in-depth guide distils current NHS advice, UK Association of Professional Piercers (UKAPP) standards and studio best practice to help you make an informed, confident choice.

A quick tour of facial piercing styles

“Facial piercing” is an umbrella term covering anything outside the ear. The classics are nostril, septum and eyebrow, but you will also encounter bridge (through the nasal root), multiple lip variants (vertical labret, philtrum, snake bites), cheek/dimple piercings and single-point dermal anchors that can be positioned almost anywhere with flat skin. Each placement demands different jewellery: curved or straight barbells for brows and bridges, hinged rings for healed nostrils, flat-back posts for lips, and dermal anchors with screw-top gems for surface work. A reputable piercer assesses your anatomy first; not everyone has a pronounced enough nasal root for a safe bridge, and cheeks dotted with salivary glands are notoriously slow to heal.

Inside the studio: what actually happens

Whatever part of the face you are decorating, the appointment follows a strict clinical rhythm. After ID checks and a quick medical form, your piercer scrubs up, gloves on and cleans the skin with an alcohol-free surgical prep to prevent unnecessary dryness. A disposable hollow needle—not a gun—is standard. For lip placements you swish antiseptic mouthwash, while eyebrow or bridge clients get a careful mark-up and mirror check before the single, swift push of the needle. Jewellery—always pre-sterilised titanium, niobium or solid gold—is transferred immediately so the channel cannot close. The entire procedure rarely lasts longer than ten minutes, yet quality studios schedule extra time for positioning photos and after-care coaching. nhs.uk

Pain and healing: setting real expectations

Pain is short-lived but not identical across the face. A nostril or eyebrow usually rates a three or four out of ten: a quick pinch followed by mild warmth. A septum features thicker cartilage, so expect a sharper burst—around five or six—though many find it less dramatic than the folklore suggests. Oral piercings combine surface tenderness with internal swelling that peaks after forty-eight hours, so speech may lisp temporarily. Surface dermals sting less on entry but can ache for days because surrounding tissue braces against a foreign anchor.

Healing times vary. Soft-tissue lip tracks seal superficially within a fortnight but need eight to ten weeks before jewellery changes. Cartilage such as the septum or bridge takes three to six months to fully strengthen, and dermals can take even longer, especially if they snag on clothes. Blood flow, immune health, smoking and stress all tilt the clock, so listen to your body rather than a fixed calendar.

After-care that actually works

NHS guidance keeps it simple: treat every fresh piercing as a wound. Clean twice daily with warm saline—either a ¼-teaspoon of sea salt in a mug of boiled, cooled water or a pharmacy-bought sterile spray. Rinse gently, pat dry with kitchen roll and avoid twisting the jewellery, movement grinds micro-organisms deeper. Oral placements add an alcohol-free mouthwash after meals and cigarettes. For the first fortnight skip make-up around the site, resist heavy creams, and dodge swimming pools and steam rooms where bacteria flourish. If the area becomes hot, red and produces yellow discharge, leave the jewellery in place and ring your GP or NHS 111—antibiotics beat home remedies when infection takes hold.

Price tags and jewellery choices

Across most of the UK a single facial piercing—including basic implant-grade titanium—costs between £30 and £45. Central London studios and placements needing extra skill, such as a bridge or paired “snake bites,” often sit in the £50–£70 bracket. Online price lists from reputable studios such as London Blue Lady Tattoo and Rude Studios in Leeds reflect this spread. Upgrading to gold, coloured niobium or genuine gem ends adds another £20–£100, and don’t forget a downsizing appointment—usually £15–£20—once swelling subsides.

Risks and how to keep them low

Any piercing presents a small infection risk; unsterilised equipment can transmit blood-borne viruses such as hepatitis C, although legal oversight keeps the danger low in UK studios that follow best practice. Facial placements add site-specific concerns. Bridge jewellery can migrate along the shallow tissue plane, leaving a scar at the nasal root. Lip posts left too long can rub enamel and gum, inviting recession. Dermal anchors may reject altogether if they sit where glasses, hats or masks rub. Good jewellery material matters too: EU law caps nickel release, but imported costume parts bought online may skirt the rules and trigger dermatitis.

Who should (and shouldn’t) consider face piercings

Healthy adults with robust immunity, patient hygiene habits and a workplace that tolerates visible metal will enjoy uncomplicated healing. Athletes in high-contact sports should delay until the off-season or shield the area with a plaster once healed. Anyone on blood-thinners such as apixaban should discuss the decision with a GP first, because prolonged bleeding and infection risk rise. nhs.uk Chronic skin conditions, diabetes and a family history of keloids also warrant a frank studio consultation before the needle comes out.

Studio standards and UK regulation

Under Part VIII of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982, every premises and practitioner performing piercings in England and Wales must register with local Environmental Health; Scotland and Northern Ireland maintain comparable schemes. legislation.gov.uk Look for the certificate on the wall, sealed autoclave pouches opened in front of you, sharps bins for needle disposal and single-use gloves for each stage. Membership of the UKAPP is voluntary but signals adherence to industry-leading protocols, continuous education and exclusive use of implant-grade metals. ukapp.org.uk

Frequently asked questions and enduring myths

Many first-timers worry that facial piercings inevitably leave gaping holes if removed. In truth, skin and mucous tracts begin shrinking within hours; after a few months only a faint dot remains, especially on well-vascularised areas like the nostril. Another common myth claims that spinning the jewellery prevents sticking. Modern wisdom is the opposite: rotation breaks delicate granulation tissue and prolongs irritation. Lastly, some social-media tutorials push tea-tree oil for bumps; undiluted essential oils often inflame the site, so professional review and saline compresses remain safer choices.

The takeaway

Face piercings offer a spectrum of self-expression, from understated nostril studs to full avant-garde facial projects. The key to keeping them an asset rather than a liability is informed decision-making: choose a licensed UK studio, insist on implant-grade jewellery, commit to consistent saline cleanses and plan a downsizing visit as soon as swelling recedes. Give the tissue the months it needs to remodel quietly beneath the surface, and your new adornment will settle into a comfortable, confidence-boosting part of your everyday style.