Key Takeaway
A rhino piercing — also called a vertical tip piercing — runs straight up through the cartilage at the very tip of your nose, worn with a curved barbell. It hurts more than a standard nostril piercing, and it comes in three variations: standard, deep, and stretched (called a septril).
A rhino piercing doesn't sit to one side of your nostril like most nose jewelry. It runs vertically through the cartilage at the nose tip, leaving two visible points once healed — one just above the tip, one on the underside of the columella. The style picked up real momentum on TikTok in 2024, with the #rhinopiercing tag clearing over 140 million views, though piercers have been doing this placement for years under its clinical name, vertical tip piercing.
The Rhino Piercing, Explained
It's not one of the dainty nose piercings — a rhinoceros isn't the reference point most people expect. The needle passes through the major alar cartilage right at the nose's tip, between the two lobes that shape the tip itself, and exits through a second point on the underside where the columella meets the lip.
The piercing goes by a few names — vertical tip, vertical nasal tip, and rhino are the ones you'll see most. If facial piercings interest you beyond this one, the Ashley piercing and the Medusa piercing are two other facial styles worth knowing about before you pick one.
Here's how people usually wear one: as jewelry, curved barbells are the standard choice and by far the most common. As placement, the piercing runs from just under the tip up to where the tip starts to curve. As a variation, some go deeper — up toward the bridge — for a bolder look.
Rhino Piercing Types: Standard, Deep, and Stretched
All three variations share the same vertical path — what changes is how far up the nose the piercing travels, and in the septril's case, what it's combined with.
Once you're healed, a lot of people start layering in additional ear or facial jewelry to build out the look. Our guide on chain earrings for double piercings covers how to space and pair multiple piercings once you're past the healing stage.
| Variation | Where It Sits | What Makes It Different |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | Between the two cartilage lobes at the tip | Most common version — the entry and exit points sit right at the tip's natural cleft |
| Deep | From the tip up toward the nose bridge | Placed off-center, since the central cartilage divide can't be pierced through |
| Stretched (Septril) | Combined with a stretched septum | Requires stretching the septum from 14-gauge to 0-gauge; shows only as a stud from below |
Standard Rhino or Vertical Nose Piercing
This is the version most people mean by "rhino piercing." The needle starts at the bottom, passes through the nose tip, and exits at the top — placed right above the firm part of the cartilage, in the natural cleft between the tip's two lobes. You can feel that dip yourself by pressing gently on your own nose tip.
Deep Rhino
The deep version runs from the bottom of the nose tip up toward the bridge, and it's usually done slightly off-center. That's not a styling choice — it's anatomy. The thin strip of cartilage that divides your nose down the middle can't be pierced through, so a deep placement has to pick one side.
The higher up the bridge you go, the more that central cartilage limits how far the piercing can travel. A piercer working around it, rather than through it, is what keeps a deep rhino from turning into a much bigger procedure.
Stretched Rhino
Also called a septril, this one mixes a stretched septum with the rhino placement. Unlike the standard or deep versions, the hole doesn't exit at the top of the nose — it only shows as a stud visible from underneath, where a septum piercing normally sits.
Getting one means stretching your septum from a standard 14-gauge up to 0-gauge — six sizes, a jump that piercers typically spread out over months, not weeks, to avoid tissue damage. It's the most involved of the three variations and the one that takes the longest lead time.
Whichever variation you're considering, work with a professional, reputable piercer — this isn't a placement to attempt with a piercing gun or a friend's needle.
How Safe Is a Rhino Piercing — and How Much Does It Hurt?
Done by a professional with proper aftercare, a rhino piercing carries the same risk profile as most cartilage piercings. Skip either of those, and you're looking at keloid scarring, granulated tissue, or hypertrophic scar tissue — all of which can affect the outcome and, at their worst, need medical attention.
Yes, it hurts more than a standard nostril piercing. Cartilage has a poor blood supply compared to soft tissue, which means a longer needle dwell time and a slower heal — and the nose tip carries a dense cluster of nerve endings, which is exactly why piercers rank this placement above a nostril or septum piercing on the pain scale.
⚠️ Lifestyle check: If you get seasonal allergies, need to wear a face mask at work, or blow your nose frequently, a rhino piercing can get in the way of daily routines. Think about your day-to-day before committing.
Depending on size and placement, a healing rhino piercing can also make ordinary things — blowing your nose, wiping it, breathing through it during a workout — noticeably more awkward for the first few weeks.
Deciding If a Rhino Piercing Fits Your Life
Two honest questions settle it. Are you willing to actually follow the aftercare your piercer gives you, not just the first week? And does a placement this visible — one that shows up in every close-up photo — fit how you want to be seen day to day?
We don't carry curved barbells for this placement — that's jewelry you'll source through your piercer. What we do carry is what goes with the rest of a facial-piercing look, and the men's earring guide covers sizing, metals, and what pairs cleanly with bolder facial work.
A compact stud like the crossbones skull studs sits flat and needs zero adjustment — one less piece of jewelry to think about while you're focused on nose aftercare — and the skull hoop earrings with red CZ eyes use a hinge-lock closure instead of a post, so there's nothing extra to fuss with either. Browse the full biker earrings collection in sterling silver for more options that complement bolder facial piercings.