If you’ve never worn a seamless nose ring before, or perhaps this is the first time that you’re changing out your stud, then opening and closing the hoop can be frustrating in the beginning.
The key to using a seamless or endless nose hoop is to open and close it with a twisting motion. Do not pull the ends horizontally apart from one another. The twisting motion will preserve the circular shape of the hoop. If the ends are pulled away from each other, as opposed to being twisted, then the hoop will become distorted and you may not be able to restore it to a circular shape.
Table of Contents
- Watch a video example demonstrating opening and closing a hoop.
- What is a seamless nose ring?
- How do I get a nose hoop open?
- How do I close a nose hoop once it's in my piercing?
- Why is there a gap between the ends of my nose hoop?
- How does the nose ring stay in without a clasp?
- What can I do if my nose hoop is bent out of shape?
- Can I make my nose ring bigger or smaller?
- Should I use tools to open or close my nose hoop?
- What’s the best metal for a nose ring hoop?
- Why is it so hard to put in my nose hoop?
- Why does the nose ring feel sharp in my piercing?
- Why can’t I get the ends of my nose hoop to stay closed?
How to Use Your Hoop
This video shows how to twist the nose hoop open and closed properly. I also include an example of how not to open your nose hoop by pulling the ends apart horizontally. If the ends are pulled apart like this you may ruin it permanently.
What is a seamless nose ring?
A seamless ring is a hoop that has no clasp to close it. The ends are twisted away from each other to open and close the hoop, and they simply rest next to one another when the jewelry is inserted. As long as the ends are properly smoothed, and there is no gap between them, a seamless ring is very comfortable to wear in a nose piercing. This style of jewelry may also be referred to as a catchless or endless hoop.
Example of a seamless nose hoop with beads:
Another example of a seamless nose hoop:
How do I get a nose hoop open?
Hold both sides of the hoop using your thumb and index fingers. One hand is holding one side of the hoop, while the other hand is holding the other side of the hoop.
Gently push one side of the hoop away while pulling the other side towards you in a twisting motion. Make sure you open it wide enough to insert it into your piercing, but not so wide that you distort the shape.
If you’re familiar with making jewelry, then opening a nose hoop is similar to opening a jump ring. The only difference is that you are using your fingers to open the jewelry instead of pliers. The twisting motion is very important.
If you try to pull the ends of a seamless ring away from each other in a horizontal motion, then you will distort the shape of the hoop. Once this happens, the ends will never line up correctly again. Opening pliers for captive bead rings are not the right tool to use on this style of jewelry – you will ruin it!
This is a nose hoop that was properly twisted open:
This is what the same hoop twisted open looks like on the side:
This is a nose hoop that was incorrectly pulled apart:
This is what the same incorrectly opened hoop looks from the side:
How do I close a nose hoop once it’s in my piercing?
To close the nose hoop you just have to repeat the opening motion in reverse. This may be tricky to do if you chose an inner diameter that fits your piercing closely because there’s less room on the hoop for your fingers to hold. The opening of the hoop should be facing outward, it should not be inside of your nostril.
The ends need to be twisted slightly past one another so that tension is properly created in the hoop. This is what will keep it closed while you’re wearing it. While you’re closing the hoop, make sure that you are paying attention to how the ends are aligned. If they don’t line up with each other when you are done, then the hoop will feel uncomfortable as it rotates through the piercing.
If the join doesn’t feel smooth when you run your finger over it, or it pinches after you have inserted the hoop, then you do not have the ends lined up well.
Twist the ends slightly past each other to create tension:
The ends will spring back towards each other so they line up:
If you’re using one of my beaded nose rings, make sure you pay attention to where the beads are on the hoop as you’re twisting it closed so that you don’t accidentally pull them off. Once the hoop has been inserted and closed you can then reposition the beads so that the ends of the hoop can be hidden inside of the nostril.
Notice how the opening of the hoop is on the outside of the nostril:
This is what the ends should look like after you've twisted it closed:
Why is there a gap between the ends of my nose hoop?
If there is a gap between the ends, then you are not opening and closing the hoop properly. A gap indicates that you are pulling the ends apart from one another horizontally, as opposed to properly twisting them away from each other using the motion that I demonstrate above.
The hoop ends should not be pulled away from each other horizontally like this:
There should not be a gap in between the ends of the hoop like this. The ends should touch:
How does the nose ring stay in without a clasp?
A seamless nose hoop stays closed with tension. When you close the hoop, the ends are pushed or pulled slightly past one another. Doing so will make them spring back into alignment, and this tension keeps the ends closed until you physically choose to open the hoop.
What can I do if my nose hoop is bent out of shape?
If your hoop is bent out of shape because it was opened incorrectly, or perhaps it snagged on some clothing, then you may be able to make it mostly round again. Use the twisting method above to properly close the ring. While you are twisting the ends closed, push them slightly in towards one another in a horizontal motion so that they begin to overlap.
If the ends of the hoop are pulled apart like this you may not be able to restore the circular shape:
You can try squeezing them towards each other while you twist the hoop closed so they overlap:
Can I make my nose ring bigger or smaller?
You cannot alter the size of your nose hoop safely at home. Make sure you are measuring your actual piercing prior to ordering body jewelry online. A hoop cannot be made larger because you would not be able to fully close the ends again.
There would always be a gap if you tried to size it up at home, which would at best be uncomfortable as it moves through your piercing. The ends cannot be squeezed closer together and snipped off because it would not be safe to insert sharp ends through your piercing. A nail file is not adequate for smoothing the ends of the hoop once they’ve been cut.
Should I use tools to open or close my nose hoop?
Using tools to open and close nose jewelry isn’t necessary for most small gauges (22 gauge, 20 gauge & 18 gauge). If you use tools on the hoop, then you will most likely mar the metal irreversibly by scratching it or flattening the metal.
What’s the best metal for a nose ring hoop?
Nose hoops should be made out of a metal that will not tarnish in the piercing. For example, niobium, titanium, and solid gold make excellent piercing jewelry metals. Silver nose hoops are best avoided because all silver tarnishes, which means it turns a dull, dark color. In a nose piercing, this tends to happen very quickly.
If you wear a metal that has to be polished frequently because it tarnishes, then you will need to take it out often for cleaning. Not only is this irritating to do, but frequently bending the metal to open and close it will shorten the life of your seamless nose hoop.
Why is it so hard to put in my nose hoop?
Smaller inner diameters are harder to work with because you don’t have as much room on the hoop for your fingers. If you’re having a very difficult time inserting and closing the hoop, then make sure that you measured your nose piercing accurately. You may want to consider sizing up to the next inner diameter.
The gauge of the jewelry will also influence how difficult it is to open and close the hoop. All 20 gauge jewelry is easy to open and close by hand, however, if you ordered an 18 gauge hoop with an inner diameter that’s smaller than 8mm (5/16”), then you may struggle to work with the jewelry. Always ask your piercer for help inserting the jewelry if you don’t feel like you can safely do it at home.
Why does the nose ring feel sharp in my piercing?
If the ends feel uncomfortable or sharp as they move through your nose piercing, then there might be a couple of the issues going on.
All nose hoops purchased from my shop have carefully rounded ends for safe insertion. So if the area where the ends meet feels uncomfortable on a hoop that you purchased from me, then this indicates that the hoop has not been closed properly. Check to make sure that one of the ends is not sticking up higher than the other one. The ends should be fully lined up with each other, and they should feel smooth if you run your finger over them. Nothing should catch on your skin.
If you purchased the nose hoop from a shop other than mine, then make sure you check to see if the ends are well rounded. The ends should be completely smooth with no sharp edges or raised metal. One quick check you can do is to run your finger over the join when the ends are closed. If something catches on your fingertip, then the hoop won’t be comfortable in your piercing.
The ends should fully line up with each other and they should be touching:
If you run your finger over the join it will feel smooth. Nothing should catch on your skin:
Ends that don't line up together will feel sharp or catch against the skin:
If there is a gap between the ends it will pinch as it rotates through the piercing:
Why can’t I get the ends of my nose hoop to stay closed?
If the ends aren’t staying closed, then the ends aren’t being twisted far enough past one another as you close the hoop. Thin gauges with a large inner diameter will be more difficult to work with. For example, a 22 gauge hoop with a 10mm inner diameter will have more of a tendency to spring back open, so you will have to pay more attention to how well you are twisting the ends closed.
