A professional piercer will use an 18 gauge needle to pierce the nostril.

Nostril piercings heal very quickly. If you wear a nose ring that is thinner than 18 gauge, the piercing will heal down to the thinner gauge. This is normally a 20 gauge for thinner nose jewelry.

A nose bone is held in place by the nostril healing down to the thinner bar. You have to stretch the piercing to take out the nose bone, as the end ball is thicker than the straight bar.

If you buy gold nose screws, you can cut the "U" shape into an "L" shape and file the cut end with a metal nail file. You can also bend the "U" shape to pinch against the inside of the nostril to avoid having it spin outward.