What Is a Nasallang Piercing?
A nasallang is a single barbell that passes through both nostrils and the septum in one line. This guide covers what makes it one of the most technically demanding nose piercings, the pain reality, healing timeline and why piercer experience matters more here than anywhere else.What Is a Nasallang Piercing?
A nasallang piercing is a tri-nasal piercing where a single straight barbell passes through the right nostril, continues through the nasal septum and exits through the left nostril in one continuous horizontal line. From the outside it creates the appearance of two separate symmetrical nostril piercings: they are connected by a single bar that runs entirely through the nose. The bar is hidden inside the nasal cavity with only the two decorative ends visible on each side.
The name is a portmanteau coined by California piercer Cliff Cadaver in the 1990s, who pioneered the placement. It is sometimes described as a facial industrial piercing: just as an industrial barbell connects two cartilage holes in the ear with one bar, the nasallang connects two nostril piercings through the septum with one bar.
Unlike a standalone septum piercing which passes through the soft columella sweet spot, the nasallang must pass through actual nasal cartilage on both nostril sides. This is what drives the high pain rating and extended healing time. The alignment must be perfect at a 180-degree angle or the bar sits under torsion inside the nose, which causes severe complications. This is not a piercing for inexperienced piercers or for people new to piercings.
Nasallang vs Other Nose Piercings
How Painful Is a Nasallang Piercing?
Most people with multiple piercings rate the nasallang at around 8 out of 10 for pain. Three factors compound the intensity: the needle passes through cartilage on both nostril sides rather than soft tissue; the septum portion of the path goes through actual cartilage rather than the soft spot a standalone septum piercing uses; and the larger 16G gauge means a wider needle path through all three zones. The pain is sharp and concentrated during the procedure itself. Significant soreness, tenderness and swelling follow for days to weeks afterward.
Because three separate tissue points heal simultaneously and are all connected by the same rigid bar, complications at any one point affect all three. Movement of the bar at one nostril transfers directly to the septum and the other nostril. This is the core healing challenge: the bar is a permanent link between three wounds throughout the entire healing period.
| Stage | Timeframe | What to Expect |
|---|---|---|
| Inflammatory | Weeks 1–4 | Significant swelling at all three points; nasal congestion common; clean carefully twice daily |
| Proliferative | Weeks 5–16 | Swelling reduces; tissue forms around all three channels; still very sensitive to any bar movement |
| Settling | Months 4–8 | More comfortable; external points may appear healed while internal tissue is still maturing |
| Full healing | Months 6–12 | All three fistulas fully formed; confirm with experienced piercer before any jewellery change |
Jewellery and Risks You Need to Know
A straight barbell is the only jewellery used in a nasallang. The bar must be sized to your exact nasal width so that both ends sit flush against the nostrils without pressure. The initial bar is longer to accommodate the significant swelling that occurs across all three points. Once swelling fully resolves your piercer will downsize to a correctly fitted bar.
| Risk | Cause | How to Reduce It |
|---|---|---|
| Misalignment | Inexperienced piercer; bar not at 180 degrees | Only book with a piercer who has documented nasallang experience and a portfolio of healed results |
| Migration and rejection | Thin gauge; incorrect bar length; repeated movement | Use 16G minimum; let piercer size the bar; minimise touching |
| Prolonged swelling | Three simultaneous cartilage wounds | Saline twice daily; no touching; avoid blowing nose forcefully for weeks after piercing |
| Scarring | Rejection or premature removal | Do not remove the bar yourself; see piercer if concerned about rejection signs |
Implant-grade titanium (ASTM F136) at 16G is the standard. Never go thinner than 18G as thinner gauges cut through cartilage tissue over time. This piercing is not appropriate as a first or early piercing. Having both a healed septum piercing and healed nostril piercings gives you direct experience of what the nasallang involves at each of its three tissue points before committing to all three at once.
For all nose piercing types including septum, nostril and bridge piercings, visit the Nose Piercing Types Explained guide. For every piercing type in one resource, visit the Piercing Types Explained hub.
Book a piercing consultation at OSCO London
For advanced nose piercings, anatomy must be assessed before any booking is confirmed. Visit OSCO London to discuss your anatomy and options with an experienced professional.
OSCO London is a professional piercing studio in Northwood, London. Visit the OSCO London homepage to discuss advanced nose piercings and have your anatomy assessed by an experienced piercer.
How to Care for a Nasallang Piercing
Nasallang aftercare is more demanding than standard nose piercing care because there are three healing points that must all be kept clean simultaneously. Spray sterile saline at both external exit points twice daily and allow the solution to reach around each ball end. The internal septum portion of the channel cannot be directly sprayed but benefits from the same cleaning routine as the external points.
Blowing your nose must be done extremely gently during healing. Hard nose-blowing forces air pressure through the nasal cavity and directly across all three healing channels simultaneously. Press one nostril gently and blow minimally. Use a fresh tissue for each use. Significant congestion from illness or allergies during healing is a serious management challenge: discuss a safe strategy with your piercer if this occurs.
Do not attempt to remove or change the bar yourself during healing under any circumstances. The bar passes through three separate channels and reinserting it without guidance risks failing to thread through the septum correctly and damaging the forming fistulas. If the bar needs adjustment or you have concerns about healing progress, visit your piercer in person for assessment.
For a complete resource covering every nose and body piercing type at OSCO London, visit the Piercing Types Explained hub, covering all placements from lobe and cartilage piercings through to advanced and specialist piercings.