Whether you’ve got a little secret rebel buried inside you, or you’ve been displaying your boho non-conformist spirit for some time now, there’s no denying the popularity of the nose ring these days. It doesn’t matter if you want to make a big, blingy statement, or one that’s more delicate and refined, there’s nose jewelry out there for you. But before you agree to take the needle, you should know the pros and cons of nose piercing.
The Pros:
- There are soooo many beautiful jewelry options!
- It looks unbelievably cool.
- The piercing itself doesn’t hurt afterwards, and it heals quickly.
- If you change your mind, it’s easy to just take the piercing out and let the hole heal. There will be virtually no mark once it’s closed.
The Cons:
- Employers sometimes do not allow a visible piercing (other than ears).
- The hole can close quickly if left without jewelry for more than a couple days.
- If not properly cared for and cleaned, or if jewelry is not cleaned when changing, the hole can become infected (redness, swollen, even bleeding may occur).
The Basics:
- Unlike ear piercings, nose piercings should be only done by a professional piercer.
- Prepare yourself in advance that there is some mild pain involved in this piercing. Since it is not done with a “piercing gun,” it is also not in instantaneous process.
- The initial piercing jewelry should not be changed for at least 6 months, and should be turned and cleaned daily with saline solution and a Q-tip.
- Using a saline solution and Q tips for cleaning the pierced area twice a day.
- Never use regular earrings as nose jewelry.
- If your piercing does show signs of infection, go back or call the piercer for instructions on how to heal properly.
- No matter what type of piercing jewelry you prefer, there will be different “gauges” to choose from. The gauge is the thickness of the straight bar that goes through your nose. Typical sizes are 18, 20, and 22 gauge, with 18 being the thickest.
- Jewelry should only be made of either titanium G23, surgical stainless steel, or gold. Any other material, including sterling silver, is potentially dangerous. All silver tarnishes, can easily excite bacterial growth, and can contain allergy-causing metals such as nickel. Obviously, plated, costume, or “mystery” metal are serious no-nos for nose jewelry.
The Bling:
- Nose bones – Once it’s safe to remove the initial piercing, this will be the easiest form of nose jewelry to wear and change out. It consists of a straight bar with your bling on one end, and a small ball on the other. You push the ball gently through the hole, until you can feel it come through on the inside of your nose. The ball will act to keep the jewelry in place (provided you don’t rub or blow your nose. If you do, be sure to hold the piercing in place).
- Nose screws – Just as the name implies, the post of this stud is twisted, resembling a corkscrew, which keeps the jewelry from slipping out of the hole. But inserting one of these can be tricky. The key is to take your time and don’t force it. If you do, you could damage the hole and you risk infection.
- Nose hoops – Hoops can either be open and full, or half hoops, with a post that resembles a nose bone. These can be fairly easy to insert and remove.
- L-shape – These are piercings that have posts bent in the shape of an L, designed to keep the jewelry secure in the hole. They are fairly easy to remove and replace.
- Camouflage – There are small flesh-colored textured discs and clear plastic “retainers” that can be used during working hours…basically un-noticeable!
Image by Christian Reusch is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 (source: flickr)