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Nose Piercing
How to Put a Hoop Nose Ring in Download Article Co-authored by Karissa Sanford
Last Updated: September 5, 2025
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Using Captive Rings
|
Using Seamless Rings
|
Using Segment Rings
|
Expert Q&A
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Warnings
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Things You'll Need
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This article was co-authored by Karissa Sanford. Karissa Sanford is the Co-owner of Make Me Holey Body Piercing, a piercing studio based in the San Francisco Bay Area that specializes in safe and friendly body piercing. Karissa has over 10 years of piercing experience and is a member of the Association of Professional Piercers (APP). This article has been viewed 719,615 times.
Putting a hoop ring into your nose piercing takes careful maneuvering, but with a little practice, you can make the process a habit. The procedure will vary depending on the type of nose ring you choose, but you should pull the ring apart gently and reattach with ease by using a bead, segment or pushing the ends together. Just make sure you use a freshly disinfected ring and wash your hands thoroughly before handling it.
Steps
Method 1 Method 1 of 3:
Using Captive Rings
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1 Pull the ring open with pliers. You might be able to do this by hand if the ring is fairly thin, but for 14 gauge rings and thicker, you might struggle to open and close the ring. If that happens, you can use captive ring opening/closing pliers. Softly pick up one side of the ring with your pliers and hold the other side with your hands, then bend and twist carefully.
2 Remove the bead. The bead or ball of a captive ring is held in place using nothing but pressure. When you release the pressure on both sides of the bead, it will fall out. Hold the ring on either side of the bead. With your hands or pliers, gently pull both sides of the ring in opposite directions, pulling them apart.
Avoid stretching the ring open too far, since this could make it difficult to fit the ends back together.
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3 Twist the ring. After you remove the bead, twist the ring into a semi-spiral shape, so you can easily fit it into your piercing. Turn one end clockwise and the other counterclockwise, but do this as little as needed. If you twist the ring ends too far apart, you might have difficulty twisting them back together again.
4 Position the ring inside your piercing. Feed one end of the ring into the piercing hole on your nose. Gradually wind the ring further into the hole until the center rests inside the piercing and the opening lies directly below it.
5 Fit the bead back onto the ring. The bead should have small dimples on either side. Fit the ends of the ring into these dimples by placing one side of the bead onto one end of the ring. Carefully twist the two ends toward each other again until they line up evenly. Then, push the second end onto the other side of the bead. Once the bead is snug and secure, the nose ring is set in place.
Advertisement Method 2 Method 2 of 3:
Using Seamless Rings
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1 Twist the ends of the ring with your hands. Captive ring pliers may distort the shape of this ring. Locate the split in the ring and grab the metal on either side with both hands. Move your right hand clockwise and your left hand counterclockwise so that the ends twist away from each other in a subtle spiral.
Only twist the hoop open enough to create a gap around the pierced portion of your nose.
Do not pull the ends apart sideways, since it will be nearly impossible to squeeze the ends back together again.
2 Fit the ring into the piercing. Glide one open end of the hoop into the piercing hole. Slide the rest of the ring through the hole, until the bottom of the hoop is centered in the piercing and the opening lies directly below it.
3 Twist the ends closed. Use your fingers to gently twist both ends of the ring back toward each other, until they are brought together. Make sure the ends are brought as close as possible. This will keep the hoop secure, and the edges of the ends from scraping your nose.[1]XResearch source
Advertisement Method 3 Method 3 of 3:
Using Segment Rings
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1 Push the segment to the side. The segment is held in place with prongs and pressure. By pushing it to the side, you ease the pressure off, freeing the prongs and making it easier to detach. Hold the hoop with the segment positioned on top. Grab the segment with your index finger and thumb of one hand, while steadying the bottom of the ring with the other hand. Gently push the segment to one side until it pops out.
Do not try to yank the segment straight out. If you try to remove the segment without releasing the pressure first, you may snap the prongs off.
2 Position the ring inside the piercing. Feed one end of the main hoop through your nose piercing. Continue feeding the hoop through the hole, until the bottom is centered inside the piercing and the opening lies directly below it.
3 Ease the segment back onto the ring. Push one end of the segment onto one end of the ring, while gently twisting the other end of the ring to the side. Widen the gap as you twist. Once one end of the segment is secure, twist the unattached end of the ring back towards the segment.
Remember to make the opening a little larger. If not, you may not be able to snap the segment on completely or evenly.
Do not pull the ring apart sideways.
Do not twist the ends apart any further than necessary to snap the segment back in place.
4 Snap the segment into place. Push the prong in to completely secure the segment. Once this is done, the hoop should be safely tucked into the piercing and ready to wear.
5 Use pliers for thicker gauges. Placing the segment back on is much more difficult than taking it out. You might find it easier to use your hands with smaller gauges, like a 20 or 18 gauge. For 16, 14 and thicker gauges you may need to use opening/closing pliers.
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Expert Q&A
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Question Can you start with a hoop nose ring? Karissa Sanford Body Piercing Specialist Karissa Sanford is the Co-owner of Make Me Holey Body Piercing, a piercing studio based in the San Francisco Bay Area that specializes in safe and friendly body piercing. Karissa has over 10 years of piercing experience and is a member of the Association of Professional Piercers (APP). Karissa Sanford Body Piercing Specialist Expert Answer Make sure your piercing is healthy and stable before you switch to a hoop, which can take 6 months or more after you get your piercing. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 1 Helpful 11
Question What happens if you don't clean your nose piercing? Community Answer It can get infected, and your body may start to reject the piercing. Red bumps could appear if you don't clean the area consistently. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 9 Helpful 16
Question How much would it cost to get my nose pierced? Community Answer It differs based on where you live and where you go to get it done. For me, it cost $30 Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 13 Helpful 15
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Warnings
Avoid wearing nose hoops/rings until the location of the piercing has fully healed, which can take 12 to 24 weeks. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
Clean the pliers if you need to use them. Soak a cotton pad in a commercial or homemade saline solution and vigorously scrub any part of the pliers that may touch your jewelry. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
Clean the piercing, as well. Even after your piercing has healed, you should periodically clean it with a mild antiseptic, like benzalkonium chloride, bactine, or liquid antibacterial soap. Doing so will reduce the risk of infection. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
Always clean the nose ring before wearing to prevent infection. Soak the ring in a saline solution made with 1/4 tsp (1.25 ml) salt and 8 oz (250 ml) distilled warm water for 5 to 10 minutes. Alternatively, scrub the entire hoop with this solution using a soft cotton pad. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
Do not wear a nose ring in a fresh piercing. Leave your initial stud in for the first eight weeks.[2]XResearch sourceThanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
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Things You'll Need
Hoop nose ring
Captive ring opening/closing pliers (optional)
Mild antiseptic
Saline solution
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Co-authored by: Karissa Sanford Body Piercing Specialist This article was co-authored by Karissa Sanford. Karissa Sanford is the Co-owner of Make Me Holey Body Piercing, a piercing studio based in the San Francisco Bay Area that specializes in safe and friendly body piercing. Karissa has over 10 years of piercing experience and is a member of the Association of Professional Piercers (APP). This article has been viewed 719,615 times. 12 votes - 75% Co-authors: 10Updated: September 5, 2025 Views: 719,615 Categories: Nose PiercingArticle SummaryX
To put a seamless hoop ring into your nose, start by twisting the ends of the ring with your fingers to open up the hoop so you can get it around the pierced portion of your nose. Next, glide 1 end of the hoop into the piercing hole. Then, slide in the rest of the ring through the hole, until the hoop is centered in the piercing and the opening lies directly below it. Finally, use your fingers to close the ring by gently twisting the ends back toward each other. To learn more, including how to put in captive rings and segment rings, read on.Did this summary help you?YesNo
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Brenda Hines
Jun 30, 2017
"To take better care of a nose ring piercing and know the care of it until it is well."
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Jun 30, 2017
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Co-authored by: Karissa Sanford Body Piercing Specialist This article was co-authored by Karissa Sanford. Karissa Sanford is the Co-owner of Make Me Holey Body Piercing, a piercing studio based in the San Francisco Bay Area that specializes in safe and friendly body piercing. Karissa has over 10 years of piercing experience and is a member of the Association of Professional Piercers (APP). This article has been viewed 719,615 times. 12 votes - 75% Co-authors: 10 Updated: September 5, 2025 Views: 719,615 Categories: Nose Piercing Article SummaryX
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472 
1 Pull the ring open with pliers. You might be able to do this by hand if the ring is fairly thin, but for 14 gauge rings and thicker, you might struggle to open and close the ring. If that happens, you can use captive ring opening/closing pliers. Softly pick up one side of the ring with your pliers and hold the other side with your hands, then bend and twist carefully. 
2 Remove the bead. The bead or ball of a captive ring is held in place using nothing but pressure. When you release the pressure on both sides of the bead, it will fall out. Hold the ring on either side of the bead. With your hands or pliers, gently pull both sides of the ring in opposite directions, pulling them apart. 
3 Twist the ring. After you remove the bead, twist the ring into a semi-spiral shape, so you can easily fit it into your piercing. Turn one end clockwise and the other counterclockwise, but do this as little as needed. If you twist the ring ends too far apart, you might have difficulty twisting them back together again. 
4 Position the ring inside your piercing. Feed one end of the ring into the piercing hole on your nose. Gradually wind the ring further into the hole until the center rests inside the piercing and the opening lies directly below it. 
5 Fit the bead back onto the ring. The bead should have small dimples on either side. Fit the ends of the ring into these dimples by placing one side of the bead onto one end of the ring. Carefully twist the two ends toward each other again until they line up evenly. Then, push the second end onto the other side of the bead. Once the bead is snug and secure, the nose ring is set in place. Advertisement 
1 Twist the ends of the ring with your hands. Captive ring pliers may distort the shape of this ring. Locate the split in the ring and grab the metal on either side with both hands. Move your right hand clockwise and your left hand counterclockwise so that the ends twist away from each other in a subtle spiral. 
2 Fit the ring into the piercing. Glide one open end of the hoop into the piercing hole. Slide the rest of the ring through the hole, until the bottom of the hoop is centered in the piercing and the opening lies directly below it. 
3 Twist the ends closed. Use your fingers to gently twist both ends of the ring back toward each other, until they are brought together. Make sure the ends are brought as close as possible. This will keep the hoop secure, and the edges of the ends from scraping your nose.[1] Advertisement 
1 Push the segment to the side. The segment is held in place with prongs and pressure. By pushing it to the side, you ease the pressure off, freeing the prongs and making it easier to detach. Hold the hoop with the segment positioned on top. Grab the segment with your index finger and thumb of one hand, while steadying the bottom of the ring with the other hand. Gently push the segment to one side until it pops out. 
2 Position the ring inside the piercing. Feed one end of the main hoop through your nose piercing. Continue feeding the hoop through the hole, until the bottom is centered inside the piercing and the opening lies directly below it. 
3 Ease the segment back onto the ring. Push one end of the segment onto one end of the ring, while gently twisting the other end of the ring to the side. Widen the gap as you twist. Once one end of the segment is secure, twist the unattached end of the ring back towards the segment. 
4 Snap the segment into place. Push the prong in to completely secure the segment. Once this is done, the hoop should be safely tucked into the piercing and ready to wear. 
5 Use pliers for thicker gauges. Placing the segment back on is much more difficult than taking it out. You might find it easier to use your hands with smaller gauges, like a 20 or 18 gauge. For 16, 14 and thicker gauges you may need to use opening/closing pliers. Advertisement 
Karissa Sanford Body Piercing Specialist Karissa Sanford is the Co-owner of Make Me Holey Body Piercing, a piercing studio based in the San Francisco Bay Area that specializes in safe and friendly body piercing. Karissa has over 10 years of piercing experience and is a member of the Association of Professional Piercers (APP). 
Community Answer It can get infected, and your body may start to reject the piercing. Red bumps could appear if you don't clean the area consistently. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 9 Helpful 16 
Community Answer It differs based on where you live and where you go to get it done. For me, it cost $30 Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 13 Helpful 15