Different Types of Nose Piercings, Rings, and Jewelry

  • Written By Dan Hunter on November 6, 2020
    Last Updated: December 27, 2020

Nose piercings, rings, and jewelry contain a long, meaningful history. These pieces have been worn and showcased by people across the world. Each type of jewelry has a deep meaning behind it as they have been present in different cultures for religious, aesthetic and ritualistic reasons.

Today, nose piercings, rings and jewelry provide people with a stylistic identity that they can carry with them everywhere. There are many different choices and each option is suited for a specific type of nose. Some rings are suitable for people who have fully-healed cartilage, while others are not.

This article gives you the full breakdown of different types of nose piercings, rings and jewelry to choose from. Once you educate yourself on the various options, you can incorporate these rings and jewelry into your overall style.

Different Types of Nose Piercings

Depending on your preferences and piercing goals, you can choose from various options to showcase jewelry on your nose. Although nose piercings require much patience and pain tolerance, the result can serve as a deep meaning for you and your identity. Check out the seven different nose piercings below.

Nostril Piercing 

The nostril piercing is the most common and traditional piercing. These piercings are usually directly above the crease where your nostril bends away from the cheek. Depending on the nose structure, nerve structure and aesthetic desire, the position may differ.

Nostril piercings are ideal for both sides of the nose and they contain a singular hole. They are the most straightforward nose piercing and have the most diverse jewelry options due to their location. The best jewelry for a nostril piercing includes nostril screws, L-shaped nose pins, nose hoops, circular barbells, captive bead rings and stud bones.

High Nostril Piercing

The high nostril piercing is a slight deviation from the regular nostril piercing. It is an effective method to layer or combine piercings for a flashy style. The high nostril area is more delicate than other parts of the nose, so the piercing selection is not as flexible.

It is also challenging to maneuver a piercing in the high nostril region. The ideal jewelry selections include an L-shaped nose pin, nostril screw and the nose or stud bone.

Septum Piercing

The septum piercing is an edgy, unique piercing that will genuinely enhance your style. These piercings serve a lot of different purposes and can also be gauged. Septum piercings might be one of the more difficult selections to achieve.

Although septum piercings are a widely popular option and professionals will have no issue doing them, it does take a high maneuvering and knowledge level. Piercers must know the optimal septal cartilage, especially where it begins and ends. Different jewelry options include captive bead rings, circular barbells and gauges for serious wearers.

Bridge Piercing

Bridge piercings are another deviation from the norm. They produce cool results and are often classified as surface piercings. Bridge piercings do not puncture any bone or cartilage. They lay nicely over the more visible portion of your nose.

It is worth bearing in mind that surface piercings, such as bridges, are much more prone to migration. This occurs when your body nudges a piercing toward your skin’s surface, regarding it as a foreign object. If this happens, you should ask your piercer to take out the jewelry and let the hole close.

The best jewelry choices for bridge piercings include circular barbells and curved barbells. You might want to stay away from straight barbells as they are much more likely to cause migration.

Vertical Tip Piercing

The vertical tip piercing is the perfect option for the “rhino” look. This rare and unique nose piercing sits vertically, directly above the nose tip. Then, it runs just under the tip of the nose. The jewelry options with the vertical tip piercing are limited, however. Due to the typical nose structure, the only ideal jewelry choice is the curved barbell.

Septril Piercing

The Septril piercing is a dynamic choice that combines half of a vertical tip piercing and a gauged septum. From the outside looking in, the Septril piercing looks to be delicate. On the inside, the piercing process takes much dedication and patience to reach full potential. When you gauge a septum, it is an involved process that yields some pain.

The choice for a Septril piercing is also a careful process. Most people elect to go with a smaller option for the Septril hole, such as a flat back stud or curved barbell. For the stretched septum, a plug, tunnel or eyelet is usually a viable choice.

Nasallang Piercing

The Nasallang piercing looks simple from the outside, although the process is intense.  It is a tri-nasal piercing option, which penetrates lower on both nostrils and the septum. When a professional piercer does the work, they will use one needle and insert a straight barbell. The process is consistent with an industrial ear cartilage piercing.

Different Types of Nose Rings and Jewelry

Picking out your desired nose ring or jewelry type is the fun part. As you browse through the different options, it would be best for you to consider how it matches your wardrobe, the easiness of removal and application, as well as the size.

Nose Bones

Nose bone rings are straight studs with a slight flare at one end. This piercing creates a smaller ball that helps block the ring from detaching on the single side. If your nose piercing has not yet healed, it would not be best for you to wear a nose bone. Although nose bones fit a smaller niche, it does provide a stylish and comfortable jewelry option.


Much like its name suggests, the L-shape nose ring looks like an uppercase “L.” These pieces of jewelry are manufactured at a 90-degree angle. Compared to other nose rings, the L-shape option fits much more snugly. L-shape nose rings also offer a much simpler on-and-off process. Apart from its convenience, the L-shape nose ring comes in many different designs and styles, including right and left versions.

Hoop Nose Ring

Hoop nose rings are a consistently trendy option. One of the most popular choices on this list, the hoop nose ring comes in various metallic colors like gold and silver, along with various standard colors.

Wearers can choose their preference because you can purchase this jewelry type in multiple designs and sizes. Additionally, nose ring makers are getting much more creative with designs today, therefore, the opportunities are endless. Silver or gold hoop nose rings are the perfect combinations with all your wardrobe choices.

Seamless Ring Hoop Nose Ring

Seamless hoop nose rings are a practical option that surround your entire nostril, because it wraps entirely around it. The ring offers a bold hoop appearance. These jewelry types are easy to put in and take out. Instead of pulling the ends apart, you should always twist down and up in opposite directions to open it, and then rotate it back into the original position.

Gemstone Nose Ring

Gemstone nose rings add a unique flair to the jewelry design. Although they come in a variety of different formations, they all contain some sort of gorgeous gemstone. It could be anything from a favorite color, birthstone, diamond,or opal. No matter what design you choose with the gemstone nose ring, it will certainly catch someone’s eye.

Labret Nose Ring

Labret nose rings contain a flat disk on one side, a stud and a removable gemstone or ball on the alternate end. They might not be the most popular nose piercing options, yet they offer a stylish and flashy option for its loyal fanbase.

Labrets are not usually compatible with nose piercings, though they are convenient to wear. If the wearer already has multiple piercings on the same side of their nostril, the labret is an excellent option. When labrets are applied, they must be put in near the back. For a more straightforward insertion process, it would be best to utilize a pin to help.

Nose Stud

Nose studs contain a singular stud at the tip, which displays on the exterior of the nostril. These flashy jewelry types come in gold or silver cover, although you can buy them to incorporate diamonds and various other gemstones too. Nose studs are also a versatile choice because they match with all clothing attires. Women love nose studs because they offer a perfect balance of elegance and simplicity.

Nostril Screw

Nostril screws are a trendy jewelry choice due to their stylish, functional design. This jewelry piece involves one-inch posts that are bent to create a C-curve. When piercers work with a nostril screw, they input it with a twisting motion, which screws into the nose. These jewelry types come pre-bent, though you can also purchase them as a straight post for a more customized and secure fit.

Septum Clickers

Septum clickers are a creative jewelry option that offer a fresh deviation from the traditional nose ring assortments. Curved nose rings and circular barbell rings were the primary choices for septum piercings, nevertheless, septum clickers are becoming more popular today.

This type of jewelry has a straight bar towards the top, which when closed, forms a complete hoop. The straight bar goes through the nose’s septum portion, including the circle hoop toward the bottom. Only the stylish part of the hoop is visible once inserted. Jewelry options include plain hoops of many different colours, or hoops adorned with beautiful patterns or gemstones.

There are many benefits to choosing septum clickers over other nose piercing types. They are simple to insert and remove, saving you a lot of time when getting ready for your day. Septum clickers are also safe to wear on your nose, while creating a flashy, decorative styling option.


As you can see there are many different types of nose piercings, rings, and jewelry that will fit your unique style. Whether you are getting a piercing for the first time or not, it is essential to consider the type of piercing you want. We examined the seven different piercing locations, their ideal situations and the critical elements to consider.

The fun part comes when you pick out your desired jewelry. There is no wrong choice, just things to contemplate, such as jewelry types like the hoop nose ring can go with any wardrobe. You should also focus on selections that are convenient to take off. No matter what piercing, jewelry or ring you decide, you are wearing a meaningful accessory that will enhance your look.

If you want to ensure your piercing heals the best it possibly can, it’s imperative that you follow your piercer’s aftercare advice closely, and be sure to invest in a high-quality aftercare solution to aid recovery.

