Your guide to nose piercing jewelry

Whether your nose is adorned with stylish bling or you're just starting to think about your first nose piercing, nose rings are one of the most popular styles of jewelry to choose from. And not in vain.

While a nose stud often makes a subtle statement to your look, different types of nose rings can be both edgy and elegant, depending on the location and style chosen.

Below, we've highlighted everything you need to know about nose piercing jewelry options, styles, placement, and care so you can get the most out of your next nose piercing.

If you have additional questions or are ready to take the next step, feel free to reach out to our talented team at Pierced. We have two convenient locations in Newmarket and Mississauga and would be happy to help.

.

Nose piercing options: rings, studs and more!

If you're still in the early stages of planning and haven't taken the plunge yet to get pierced, there are a few decisions you need to make before jumping into the chair.

First of all, you need to decide where to place your nose piercing. The two most common and popular types of nose piercings today are the nostril piercing and the septum piercing. Both the nostril and the septum are excellent candidates for hoop jewelry, and there are many beautiful rings available for both options.

Nostril Piercing

A nostril piercing is usually done just above the nostril crease, where your nose curves away from your cheek. Nostril piercings can be done on either side of the nose, and although it is most popular to pierce just one nostril, some people prefer to pierce both nostrils symmetrically. Another nostril piercing option that is gaining popularity is getting more than one piercing in the same nostril, or even piercing the top of the nostril. In Ayurvedic medicine, it is believed that piercing the left nostril promotes female fertility and facilitates the process of childbirth.

Septum piercing

In recent years, septum piercing has seen a huge surge in popularity. This may be partly due to the influence of haute couture: Models at the famous New York Fashion Week sported septum rings in large numbers in 2015. Another possible reason for the newfound popularity of septum piercings could be the ability to easily hide these piercings at work. .

The septum piercing goes through the center of the nose between the two nostrils. When performed correctly, a septum piercing does not actually pierce cartilage like a nostril piercing does. There is a small fleshy area in the septum where the septal cartilage ends, this is the most pleasant place for a septal piercing, and as a result, the piercing is not only relatively painless to pierce, but often heals fairly quickly.

Other nose piercing options

A few other less common nose piercings that don't pair as well with hoop jewelry are bridge piercings, septril piercings, and vertical tip piercings.

No matter what type of nose piercing you end up choosing to get, be sure to choose an experienced piercer from a clean and reputable shop like Pierced. Located at the Upper Canada Mall in Newmarket and soon to open a second location in Mississauga, our piercers are highly experienced and work to the strictest health and safety guidelines to ensure your new piercing is placed correctly and heals properly. .

Nose Piercing Jewelry Tips

Once your nose piercing is fully healed, you can take full advantage of the wide variety of jewelry styles available. While changing jewelry may seem like a simple process, there are a few things to keep in mind to avoid damaging your piercing or causing infection.

Steps for changing jewelry

First, make sure your piercing is completely healed before changing your jewelry. If you're unsure if now is a safe time to change, check with your piercer.

Then make sure your new piece of jewelry is the correct size. Although most nose piercings are made with a 16 gauge needle, if you are unsure of your gauge, ask your piercer before attempting a new piece of jewelry. Attempting to wear jewelry of the wrong size may result in tearing or infection. Installing new jewelry doesn't have to be a painful process. If you're having a hard time getting your new ring on but you know you're the right size, you can use some antibacterial soap as a lubricant.

Finally, make sure your new jewelry is clean. This also means cleaning any area that may come into contact with your jewelry, so be sure to wipe down any surface you may place your ring on and rub your hands thoroughly. Any bacteria that is allowed to remain in contact with your jewelry or piercing poses a risk of infection.

If you're having trouble trying to change your jewelry, talk to your piercer.

Our Favorite Nose Piercings

How to put a nose ring

Wash your hands: Clean hands should always be the first step when doing anything related to your jewelry and piercings. Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly before starting work.

Take off your old wedding ring. Carefully remove the old stud or ring. Wash and dry your old jewelry completely before storing it.

Clean the nose ring and piercing. Using a sea salt solution, saline solution, or piercing spray, clean the piercing and new nose ring. If your new nose ring has a captive tab, be sure to remove it to clean it completely. To remove the bead in the retaining ring, gently pull side to side to loosen the tension, this will release the ball or bead. Once your jewelry is clean, do not place it on unsterilized surfaces.

Open the ring: If you are using a beaded ring, your jewelry should already be open and ready to use. If your jewelry does not have a retaining ring, spread the hoop so that you have a hole wide enough to comfortably insert the ring into the piercing. If you can't do this with your fingers, you can use pliers, but be careful not to damage the jewelry.

Slowly insert new jewelry into the piercing: do this slowly and remember that inserting new jewelry should not hurt. You can use a small amount of antibacterial soap as a lubricant to make the process easier.

Close the ring: While pressing the ring with your fingers, carefully bring the ends together and make sure it is closed tight enough that there is no risk of the new ring falling out. If your ring has a locking bead, pinch the ends in the bead until the ring is tight enough to hold the bead securely in place.

How to insert a septum ring

Wash your hands: Make sure your hands are clean before touching a piercing ring or septum.

Remove the old hoop or ring. Gently open the old ring by pulling the two ends up and down, not out. If you are wearing hoops or rings with beads strung on the end, simply remove one of the beads and remove the jewelry. Clean and dry the old ring before putting it away.

Clean the piercing site and new jewelry: Using sea salt solution, saline pads, or piercing spray, thoroughly clean the piercing site and new septum ring. Be careful not to place the new ring on any unsterilized surface or it will need to be cleaned again before being inserted.

Open the new ring: Remember to open the septum ring by turning it by pulling the ends up and down, not apart. For thicker accessories, you may need pliers. Just don't squeeze too hard with the pliers to avoid damaging the septum ring.

Take your time: It can be a bit difficult to find a septum piercing the first few times. Take your time, pinch just below the septum and pull it down to get a better view of the hole if you're having trouble. You can also use your old jewelry as a medium to introduce a new ring, simply pull the old one out while guiding the new ring so there is no break in the cycle.

Insert the new septum ring into the piercing: Once you find the hole, carefully insert the new ring. If necessary, you can use a small amount of antibacterial soap to lubricate the jewelry.

Close the ring: twist the ring back or reinsert the retaining bead and make sure the new ring is seated straight and secure.

Choosing the right metal for your jewelry

While there are many cheap options on the market made from a variety of metals, we highly recommend choosing jewelry made from quality, hypoallergenic metals. A reaction to cheaper metals can cause discomfort, discoloration, or even infections. Some metals can even release toxic chemicals into your body! We recommend the following metals for any face or body jewelry to avoid the risk of a reaction, listed in order from best to worst.

Titanium: Titanium is the hardest and highest quality metal you can get for body jewelry. It's incredibly durable, meaning you're unlikely to scratch or damage it, and it's virtually free of nickel (a metal known to cause allergic reactions in many). Titanium can be a classic silver color or even different colors.

24K Gold or Rose Gold: Gold and rose gold make beautiful and elegant options. However, gold is a very soft metal. Due to its softness, gold is prone to defects in which bacteria can linger. This is why gold is usually only recommended for fully healed piercings and not for new piercings.

Nose Piercing Jewelry Styles

Captive Bead Nose Rings: Captive bead nose rings are a metal ring with one bead held in place by tension. Beads can be of different shapes, materials and colors.

Bar clasp nose rings: same as ledge nose rings except with a strip instead of a rim. The rod is usually threaded through the actual puncture to give the impression of a solid metal ring.

Nose Ring: These simple nose rings are elegant and easy to put on. They are usually simple rings with a small stopper at one end to keep the ring from falling out. Nose rings are best for nostril piercings and are not recommended for septum piercings.

Clickers for septum. Septum clickers have become incredibly popular due to their ease of installation. They consist of a small rod and a larger round piece attached with a hinge that snaps into place. Unlike captive rings, you don't have to worry about losing the captive rod or collar when placing the septum clicker.

Round Barbell or Horseshoe Ring: A round barbell or horseshoe ring consists of a rod shaped like a horseshoe or small crescent moon with two beads at the end. This style is especially popular for septum piercings for several reasons. First, they are easy to customize because you can usually change the beads on the ends any time you want to change your look. Secondly, you can easily flip this nose ring over to hide it at work or other occasions when a piercing is unacceptable.

Need help finding the perfect nose ring or other nose piercing jewelry?

If you happen to be in or around the Newmarket or Mississauga area, give us a call or drop by our highly rated piercing parlor today. Our team is passionate, experienced and talented, so all our clients enjoy choosing the perfect combination of piercing and jewelry.