How Flipping Works

A horseshoe circular barbell or a U-shaped retainer can be rotated so the visible portion sits inside the nostrils rather than hanging below the nose. From the outside, the piercing is completely invisible — no visible jewelry, no visible hole.

The flip works because the jewelry is circular — rotating it 180 degrees moves the decorative ends from below the nose to inside the nostrils. The piercing itself doesn’t move; only the orientation of the jewelry changes.

Septum piercing — The Piercing Boutique Homer Glen Illinois

When Can You Start Flipping?

During initial healing, every flip rotates the jewelry inside the forming fistula. This disruption is minor for a fully healed septum but can create irritation during the early healing stages. Our general guidance:

  • First 6–8 weeks: Avoid flipping entirely if possible. The fistula is in its most vulnerable formation stage.
  • Weeks 8–12: Occasional flipping (once a day or less) is unlikely to cause problems on a healing that’s progressing normally.
  • After 3 months: Regular flipping is reasonable on a well-healing septum. Clean after flipping.
  • Fully healed: Flip as often as needed — it’s a permanent healed piercing and the jewelry movement is entirely normal.

The Flipping Technique

1
Wash hands first
Every time, regardless of heal stage. The jewelry is going inside your nose — clean hands are essential.
2
Locate the jewelry
With clean fingers, gently feel for the jewelry below your nose. For a horseshoe, you’ll feel both balls.
3
Rotate upward gently
Push the visible arc upward and inward with one finger while guiding both ends into the nostrils. Don’t force — the jewelry should rotate smoothly. If it catches or resists, don’t push harder.
4
Check placement
Both ends should sit comfortably inside the nostrils. Nothing should be pressing against the inside of the nose. If it feels uncomfortable, the diameter may need to be adjusted.

Flipping Questions

Either the jewelry diameter is too small for your septum anatomy (too tight to rotate freely) or the fistula is angled in a way that resists rotation. Come in and we can assess the fit and recommend the correct diameter for comfortable flipping.
Yes — many people with healed septums sleep with the jewelry flipped up. For healing piercings, flipping up for sleep is reasonable from around 8–12 weeks onward, but minimize flipping during the earliest healing stages.
For most people with correctly sized and placed septum jewelry, flipping up makes the piercing completely invisible from all normal viewing angles. Very close inspection or looking directly up the nostrils might reveal it — but in everyday interactions, a flipped septum is genuinely undetectable.