How to Get the Right Fit for a Nose Piercing
Updated on: 11/15/2021
These days, nose piercings are incredibly popular. Their increased popularity can be attributed to numerous factors—they’re more accepted in the workplace, they’re trendy, they’re significant to different cultures, and so on. Another reason they’re so popular is that there is a wide variety of jewelry to meet anyone’s aesthetic. However, as with any piercing, it’s important that you get the right fit; this means that you get jewelry that’s the proper gauge, length, diameter, and rise. Keep reading to learn how to get the perfect fit for your nose piercing.
How to Find the Right Gauge for Your Nose Piercing
Body jewelry comes in different gauge sizes, or different thicknesses. This might be familiar if you’ve seen people with varying large sizes ear lobe piercings. The same principle applies to nose piercings as well.
Nose Piercings & Standard Sizes
Because everyone’s anatomy is different, your piercer will determine which size needle to use to pierce your nose. This will determine which gauge size you will need for your nose piercing.
For standard nostril piercings, the gauge size is usually 18 or 16. This is especially the case if the initial jewelry placed is a flatback. Nostril screws are typically 18 gauge and nostril rings can range anywhere from an 18 gauge to a 12 gauge if the person desires a larger piercing. Additionally, many people who are pierced at an 18g tend to downsize to a 20g because the piercing tends to be more dainty and easier to conceal.
For high nostril piercings, thicker jewelry tends to work better. That’s why high nostrils are typically pierced at a 16 gauge or even a 14 gauge.
The size range for septum piercings starts with a 16 gauge but can go up to a 10 gauge for larger anatomy. However, some people like to stretch their septum piercings (or even nostril piercings) to larger sizes.
Your piercer should provide information about which gauge you were pierced at so you know which size jewelry to buy in the future. However, if you’re unsure, you can always go to a professional piercer and have them take a look.
Finding the Right Length for Your Nose Piercing Jewelry
When you're selecting jewelry for your nose piercing, the type of jewelry you get will determine a proper length for you.
If you have flatback jewelry; nose studs; nose bones or you’d like to put any of these types of jewelry in your nose piercing, it’s important that you select the right length. The initial jewelry placed in your piercing tends to be a bit longer than you need to allow for any swelling to occur. However, once your piercing heals, you will need to downsize your jewelry. To help you find the right lengths suitable for your piercing and anatomy, it is often best to see a professional piercer.
The length of the jewelry refers to the bottom of the post, where enters your piercing hole, to the top of the post; it is also known as the wearable surface of a piercing. The typical length of jewelry placed in standard nostril piercings ranges from 1/4” to 5/8.”
You should also know that there are a variety of nose stud styles. One type is similar to a nostril screw, but it has a specific L bend shape to keep it in place. The other time is similar to a threadless top, except the bottom of the post has a small bulb that’s a bit larger in gauge size to prevent it from falling out. It works much the same way double flares on plugs do.
Because circular barbells, seamless rings, and clickers are typically worn in septum rings, the length mostly applies to jewelry worn in nostril piercings. However, septum tusks can also be worn. For a septum tusk, it’s important to get the right length; the most common lengths of septum tusks are 25mm, 40mm, and 50mm. The length you get will depend on your nose and how far you want your septum tusk to go across your face.
Finding the Right Diameter for Your Nose Piercing
While flatbacks are measured in terms of their length, rings and clickers are measured in terms of their diameter, or the length between the inside of the jewelry at its widest point. The most common diameter sizes are 5/16” (8 mm) and 3/8” (10 mm). However, if you have a large gauge nostril piercing, you might need a wider diameter. You can also decide which diameter works best for your nose piercing by determining how flush against your nostril or septum you want the jewelry. The larger the diameter, the farther from your nose the jewelry will be.
If you’re deciding upon jewelry for your septum and will be flipping it up occasionally, it’s recommended that you get a slightly larger diameter to allow room for it to flip up.
Nose Jewelry End Diameter
If you choose jewelry with an end, you will need to decide how large you want the end to be. Some people prefer small, dainty ends, while others prefer to have a large, ornamental end. Much like nose rings and clickers, ends are measured based on their diameters as well. End sizes range from 1.3 mm to 8 mm; however, the most popular sizes are between 1.5 mm and 3mm.
Nose Piercing Jewelry Shopping Fun!
Once you know the gauge, length, and diameter you need or want for your piercing, be sure to browse our large selection of nose piercing jewelry. We carry everything from segment rings to captive bead rings, septum clickers to circular barbells, seamless rings to nose screws, and threadless flatbacks with a variety of ends to choose from.
Written by Jackie Rachel
