How to Fit and Wear a Nose Chain

While nose chains have been worn for thousands of years, and are important parts of Indian and Middle Eastern culture, the Western world has slowly adopted nostril chains as fashion statements, especially amongst the body modification community.

If you’re interested in purchasing and wearing a nose chain, learn how to make sure you buy one that fits properly and how to install one in this step-by-step guide.

Step One: Identify What Type of Nostril Jewelry You Have

Before you think about the length of the nose chain you need to buy, you need to identify the type of nostril piercing jewelry you have. Generally, double nostrils, also known as paired nostril piercings, tend to have the same jewelry on each side. However, if you had your nostrils pierced at different times, you may have two different types of jewelry.

One important thing to remember is that to wear a nose chain, you cannot wear hoops as jewelry. Instead, you need to have one of the following two most common types of nostril piercing jewelry: nostril screws or push-pin threadless flat-back studs.

However, according to professional piercers, push-pin threadless flat-back studs (or mini labret studs) are the preferred jewelry for accommodating nose chains. This is because they are stable and don’t move around as much, providing better anchors for the chain.

Step Two: Measure the Distance Between Your Paired Nostril Piercings

The next step is to measure the length between your nostril piercings so you can identify how long the nose chain needs to be. To do this, you need to get a piece of dental floss. You’ll need to purchase the flat ribbon type if it’s not the type of dental floss you already have; you cannot use a floss pick to measure either. To get the most precise measurement, you will want to:

• Cut a small piece of dental floss from the roll. It cannot be too short and needs to be long enough to reach from one nostril piercing to the other.
• Take a permanent marker and mark one side of the piece of dental floss.
• Align the marked dental floss with your left nostril jewelry and place the dental floss across your nose.
• Use the permanent marker to mark where your right nostril jewelry is on the dental floss.

Because it may be difficult to get the dental floss to lay steadily across your nose and mark where your jewelry is, we advise asking someone to help you with the measuring process.

In the end, you’ll have a precise measurement of how long the nose chain needs to be to reach from one nostril to the other. If you want the chain to fit tighter or looser, you can put the dental floss back on your nose and pull it tighter across the nose or give it a bit of slack and mark the dental floss appropriately.

As a last tip, having the chain fit a bit looser will be more comfortable. The tighter the chain is, the more pressure it puts on your nostril jewelry and it could end up irritating your piercing. Therefore, it’s best to plan for it to be just slightly looser than it needs to be.

If you’re not comfortable measuring yourself or you want to ensure you don’t buy a nose chain that’s too tight, you can always go to a shop with a professional piercer and have them help you.

Step Three: Measure The Distance Between Marks on the Dental Floss

Using a ruler, tape measure, or one of Urban Body Jewelry’s measurement guides and gauge cards, measure the distance between the two marks on the dental floss.

First, align the dental floss so the first mark is on the zero and pull the dental floss taught across the measuring device. Note the inches or millimeters that line up with the second mark’s placement. If the mark doesn’t quite align with a specific measurement, round up to the closest measurement. You never want to round down, as this will make the chain too small or tight.

You also want to give yourself a bit of extra length to account for the jump rings. The jump rings are two larger rings on the chain that connect the chain to your nostril piercing jewelry.

What Lengths Do Nose Chains Come In?

Nose chains are measured by either millimeters or inches. Typically you will find nose chains come in a variety of lengths, including ⅞”, 1”, 1 and ⅛”, 1.18”, and increasing increments until 2”.

If you look at product descriptions, you’ll also see the thickness of the chains at each length as well as the size of the jump rings on either side of the chain.

Step Four: Double-check the Nose Chain You Buy Against the Marked Dental Floss

One way to ensure that you bought the correct nose chain length is to align it below the marked piece of dental floss. If it lines up perfectly, you’re good to go.

Step Five: Remove Your Nostril Piercing Jewelry

To install the nose chain, you will need to remove your nostril piercing jewelry. If you have threadless push pins for jewelry, you do not need to completely remove the jewelry. Simply remove the ends only.

The easiest way to remove ends from push-pin jewelry is to purchase medical-grade forceps. These will help you grip the ends for easy removal. First, using the hand opposite the one holding the forceps, use your finger to put pressure against the flat back of the push pin post. Grab the end with the forceps and pull the end out of the post. Place it to the side and repeat the process for the other nostril jewelry.

Make sure you’re as gentle as possible so you don’t end up damaging or bending the end.

If you’re wearing nostril screws, you will need to completely remove the jewelry. However, be warned that nostril screws aren’t going to make the chain as secure as push-pin jewelry. Without a backing on a nostril screw, it offers more opportunity for movement and the chain to come loose.

Step Six: Place the Chain

With the ends removed from the threadless push-pin jewelry, you’ll use the forceps to grab one of the posts and hold it steady. Place one of the jump rings over the post. Use the forceps to slightly angle the post upwards so the jump ring can hang off the post.

Next, grab one of the ends and snap it back into place to lock the jump ring in place as well. Repeat the process on the other nostril.

If you’re wearing nostril screws, you’ll thread the jewelry through one jumper ring and insert the nostril screw back into the piercing. Repeat the process for the other nostril.

In the end, if you’re having a difficult time putting the chain on, you can always go to a professional piercer for assistance.

Where to Buy a Nose Chain

Urban Body Jewelry offers a wide selection of chains suitable for wearing as a nose chain. With a wide range of materials to choose from, such as titanium, 14-karat gold, and steel, and different types of chains ranging from curb and rolo to box, there are plenty of options. Some chains even come with double chains, gems embedded in the chain, or charms. Browse through the collection today.