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latter kind is the screw. A disadvantage to anything with even a good, small, smooth holder is that it can and will accumulate whatever your nose produces. A disadvantage to the curved nail is that it can push out of the nostril easily, even if you're not blowing your nose or something like that. You will find yourself pushing such a nail back inside the nostril so the decorative part is flush with the nose frequently; I know I did, regardless of how many different curved nails I tried. Advantages include the fact that a nose nail can be very small and delicate looking, which many people are looking for in a nose piercing. It can bear a small jewel of some kind on the decorative end, unlike a barbell, which by nature bears a large decoration at the end. They are also virtually painless to take in and out. If you want a small and attractive piece of nose jewelry that is painless to take in and out, a nose nail might be the right option for you.

Finally, a non-curved choice for nose piercing is the nose bone. This too is a straight piece of metal, usually intended just for the nostril as it is asymmetrical with one piece that is decorative and shows outside. Unlike nails, which have either something on the thin end of the jewelry to hold it on or are curved, bones have the thicker decorative end on one end and on the other have a thicker end that simply keeps the jewelry inside the nose. So the bone jewelry is thinnest along the center with the thicker decorative piece on one end and a thicker retaining piece on the other end that must be pushed through the piercing. While a disadvantage to this kind of piece is the discomfort involved in pushing the thicker part through the piercing-even once it has healed-this also signals an advantage, which is that the jewelry stays put. The bone is only (about) as thick as your nostril, so it really cannot push out much. Like the nose nail, the bone can bear a small jewel of some kind on the decorative end, unlike a barbell, which by nature bears a large decoration at the end. And finally, even if you press all the way down on your nostril, because the bone is basically flush with your nostril, you won't feel any pain against your septum at all. There is also no danger of injuring your septum even if you were hit by something in the face, which is a major advantage to this jewelry. So, if you want a stable, safe, attractive piece of nose jewelry, the nose bone might be for you. This is my personal favorite for the nostril.

One final word about jewelry options concerns what the jewelry is made of. When getting your initial piercing, it is wise to use only surgical steel. Some piercers will also use titanium or niobium-those metals that appear to have a rainbow cast to them-but make sure you are not allergic to them before you use them. The only way you can find this out is to wear them in your body for awhile; I learned this the hard way. You should never do an initial pierce with silver or any sort of plastic although you may be able to wear these substances in your nose after you are healed.

And now, enjoy your fantastic-looking nose pierce, that is, if you can decide what to wear!

Learn more about this author, Karla Momberger.
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