Different Kinds of Nostril Jewelry Explained

While technically you can use any most kinds of piercing jewelry in a nostril piercing, it’s best to stick to the traditional forms of nostril jewelry because, well, they’re created for your nose! They don’t bulk up the inside of your nose so that it’s still easy to breath like some jewelry with large balls might, they don’t allow nostril gunk to stick to the piercing in a way that may make it uncomfortable or irritable to remove, and they have so many varieties.

Traditional Hoop

A traditional nostril hoop differs from a circular barbell or a captive bead ring as it’s a long seamless rounded bar with a simple metal plaque that when the entire hoop is threaded through the nose sits on the inside edge, holding it in place. 

When first getting a nose piercing it is not advised to begin with a hoop as your starter jewelry. Hoops can easily spread bacteria into a newly pierced wound if you change positions on the curved bar, allowing anything that pressed against the open side to slide in direct contact with the wound.

It’s best to change to a hoop after you’re finished healing to avoid issues!

Nose Bone

Nostril jewelry is typically much smaller than other body piercings; they typically range from 20-18 gauges. Of these types of nostril jewelry, the nose bone is the smallest. It is a straight bar that slides right into a nose piercing with a small ball on the end that gently holds the bar from sliding out.

Nostril Screw

A nostril screw begins like a nose bone. On the outside you can see a silver studded tip or any tiny symbol your jewelry displays, and the path through the flesh of the nostril is a straight post. But when it reaches the other side – the inside of the nose – it bends at a ninety degree angle and curves around like a pig’s tail against the wall of the nostril in order to firmly hold the jewelry in place.

This kind of nostril jewelry is for extra support. The curved tail acts to hold the jewelry in place even when the other end is gently tugged. But due to the curved end that must be pushed through the nostril piercing it can be a little tough of raw piercings.

L-Shaped Pin

L-shaped nostril jewelry might at first appear like a straight post, but are actually bent in order to stop the jewelry from falling out when gently tugged. The actually L shape can range from a slight 45 degree bend to a full 90 degrees.

This style is particularly useful for piercers who often have on hand nose studs called a fishtail. These are straight posts with no ball on the end that are custom bent by the piercer to fit unique nose shapes or those that need larger jewelry.

When getting your nose pierced it’s always important to have a full conversation with your piercer about the kinds of nostril jewelry options you have available and which fit best with your lifestyle and the age of your piercing. If you’re ever worried about your nostril piercing, be sure to immediately head your piercer for proper, qualified advice.

Do you have a nostril piercing and have tried some of these styles? Let us know which are your favourites and why?