(by 24 people)
Nose piercing has been a part of various world cultures for hundreds of years
It's only been in the last two decades that nose piercing has gained a mainstream popularity in Western culture. Presently, it is the second most-popular body piercing desired by teens and young adults.
This lens will tell you about nose piercings, give some history, offer advice on healing and aftercare, and makes some recommendations for nose rings and jewelry.
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table of contents
- Take the Piercing Poll!
- Information About Piercing Your Nose
- Nostril Piercing
- The Nose Knows
- Nose Rings - body jewelry
- Which "Side" Should You Get Pierced?
- Septum Piercing
- Nostril Screws - body jewelry
- Piercing "Guns" Are BAD! - Learn Why
- Aftercare and Piercing FAQs
- Nose Pins and L-Bars - body jewelry
- The Earl or Bridge Piercing
- Nose Piercing Prejudice
- Nose Piercing and Personal Rights
- Nose Piercing Videos
- Ask the Nose Piercing Lensmaster!
Take the Piercing Poll!
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Information About Piercing Your Nose
Friction from a too-tight or too-large nose stud or ring, an accidental yank or snag, or even some people's genetic predispositions can cause a type of scar tissue, called a keloid, to form on healing nose piercings. This is that "bump" that everyone always talks about. Reading up on piercing care and knowing how to take care of your healing nose can really help avoid things like infections and keloids (aka "the bump).
Remember to ask your body piercer how to take care of your new nose piercing BEFORE you get your nose pierced. This is important because some people get sort of dizzy or feel a head rush from piercing, and it can make it harder to remember the aftercare info if you talk afterwards. (really!)
Also, many states have rules and regulations about ages and nose piercings. Be prepared to have legal ID, a legal guardian and their legal ID on hand to get your nose pierced in some states.
Nose PiercingsBy Rae Schwarz
Many people decide get their nose pierced and then have a lot of questions afterwards. Educate yourself before you get pierced and have a better experience. Learn why piercing guns are bad and get tips for getting rid of keloids.
Price: $4.95
The Body Art Book: A Complete, Illustrated Guide to Tattoos, Piercings, and Other Body Modification
Amazon Price: $11.20 (as of 10/13/2008)
List Price: $14.00
Used Price: $5.97
Body Piercing: A Medical Dictionary, Bibliography, And Annotated Research Guide To Internet References
Amazon Price: $26.05 (as of 10/13/2008)
List Price: $28.95
Used Price: $31.63
Nostril Piercing
the common nose ring
The most commonly pierced place on the nose is somewhere along the rim of the nostril. Placement is most often at the peak of the curved edge.Jewelry is most often a small stud or ring. For healing a nose piercing, wearing a ring allows the piercing to be cleaned more easily. Whatever is worn, it's best to wear gold or steel during the 3 month healing period. Do NOT wear sterling silver as it has the unfortunate side effect of leave a permanent black mark on your nose.
The most common complaint about nose piercings is that, like many other cartilage piercings, these can form a keloid, a bump-like type of scar tissue. This is most often due to friction or continuous irritation of the piercing.
As common as this piercing has become, they aren't as easy to heal as most young people assume. Many people do not truly anticipate what it's going to be like to have what is really a healing wound on their face for two to three months.
It often helps to try not to sleep facedown and to change your pillowcase more often while healing a nose piercing. Do not put rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide on a healing nose piercing as both can burn the raw tissues inside the piercing and increase irritation.
The Nose Knows
links to more nose piercing info
- Nose Piercings
- Details of the nostril and septum piercing, types of jewelry, healing and aftercare, keloids
- Nose Piercings - Ebook
- Nose piercing has been practiced by many cultures both ancient and modern. Learning about this popular body piercing before you get pierced often makes for a more enjoyable and succesful piercing experience.
- All About Nose Piercings
- Learn more about the types of nose piercings (nostril, septum and bridge), jewelry (rings, bones, studs, screws), see how nose piercings are done and get healing and aftercare advice.
- Adorning the nose
- Nose speaks for the face. If Mother Nature has carefully shaped it, then everything else is put in its proper place. A well-chiseled nose adds beauty to a woman's face. A tiny nose stud makes it more beautiful.
- Piercings - Sepia Mutiny
- I had recently gone to a Bengali family party, and was sitting on the floor talking to an older auntie type, when I noticed she had something gold in her nose. I asked her what it was, and with a little pull here and there, she pulled out a punk-rock style gold septum ring.
- Nostril Piercing - BME Encyclopedia
- The nostril piercing is, on a global and historical level, the most common piercing next to the earlobe piercing.
- nose rings
- Although nose rings are very common in India, they actually originated in the Middle East. It was only during the 16th century that the practice of piercing the nose filtered into India....
- Nose piercing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Nose piercing is the piercing of the skin or cartilage which forms any part of the nose, normally for the purpose of wearing jewelry; among the different varieties of nose piercings, the nostril piercing is the most common. Nose piercing is one of the most common varieties of piercing after earlobe piercing.
- get a nose ring on 43 Things
- Chat, message and meet over 150 people who want to get a nose ring
- Piercings, Body Piercing
- Body piercing has become very popular, trendy and fashionable. Body piercing greatly varies with multiple hoops up, around, and inside the ear, or studs and rings sticking out of the tongue, eyebrow, nostril, belly-button and lips.
Nose Rings - body jewelry
Single 18K Yellow Gold Fixed Bead Ring: 20g, 1/4"
Amazon Price: $39.00 (as of 10/13/2008)
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Single Stainless Steel Fixed Bead Ring: 20g, 1/4"
Amazon Price: $9.90 (as of 10/13/2008)
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Single 18K Yellow Gold Fixed Bead Ring: 20g, 5/16"
Amazon Price: $39.00 (as of 10/13/2008)
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Single Stainless Steel Fixed Bead Ring: 20g, 5/16"
Amazon Price: $8.95 (as of 10/13/2008)
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Which "Side" Should You Get Pierced?
It's an URBAN MYTH that somehow getting one side of your nose pieced or the other has some sort of special meaning. Whichever side you decide to get pierced is just your personal preference, nothing more. Any of your friends who tell you differently are just spreading internet rumors.
Septum Piercing
Sometimes nicknamed the "bull ring" piercing, the nose is also sometimes pierced through the cartilage that separates the chambers of the nose, the septum. This piercing is more common in tribal peoples. Reasons for this peircing were to imitate totem animals, to bring luck and to keep evil spirits from entering the body by coming in through the nose.This piercing can be made invisible by wearing a U-shaped piece of jewelry with the ends flipped up into the nose.
Nostril Screws - body jewelry
a type of jewelry that was tradionally worn in India for pierced noses
You want to avoid sterling silver for any fresh or still-healing nose piercings because the silver tarnishing not only can cause or increase irritation in the healing piercing, it can also trigger a condition where the healing skin is permanently stained with a dark color.
You should not start out with anything nylon or plastic in a fresh piercing, as those surfaces tend to cause adverse skin reactions and interfere with healing. They are fine for piercings that have fully-healed. So, don't think about getting a new nose piercing and then hiding it on the job. It really doesn't work well.
How to Wear a Nostril Screw - This jewelry starts out by twisting into place. Rotate the nostril screw so that the curled part of the wire pokes through your nose. Once you get the curl turned through the piercing, rotate the jewelry so that the straight part pops into place inside your nose. The curl should now be parallel to your nostril, hidden on the inside of your nose and should hold the jewelry in place securely but without digging into your nose too tightly.
14 karat NICKEL FREE white gold nose ring with OPAL
Amazon Price: $45.00 (as of 10/13/2008)
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Solid 14KT White Gold 2mm Cubic Zirconia SOLITAIRE Nose Ring
Amazon Price: $13.99 (as of 10/13/2008)
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Solid 14KT Yellow Gold BALL Nose Ring
Amazon Price: (as of 10/13/2008)
Solid 14KT White Gold STAR Nose Ring
Amazon Price: $12.99 (as of 10/13/2008)
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Piercing "Guns" Are BAD! - Learn Why
Piercing guns are very bad for noses because they were not made to pierce noses, they pierce using a very blunt stud (increases chances of scarring), the jewelry fits too tightly (increases chances of infection) and, most importantly, they are NOT sterilized properly in between customers so as to prevent the spread of HIV and Hepatitis C!
Do yourself a favor and do not get your nose pierced this way!
Aftercare and Piercing FAQs
- All About Nose Piercings
- Learn more about the types of nose piercings (nostril, septum and bridge), jewelry (rings, bones, studs, screws), see how nose piercings are done and get healing and aftercare advice.
- Nose Piercing FAQ
- Frequently asked nose piercing questions. Should you be worried if you got your nose pierced with an earring gun? Is there anything you can do for a pierced nose that just won't heal? Can you pierce your nose at home?
- How To Remove A Nose Ring
- Remove a Nose Ring or Stud Whether you've outgrown your nose pierce, or simply feel the need for a change, the removal process is pretty straightforward. Expect the hole to leave its mark, though - a legacy to the period you're leaving behind.
- Go Ask Alice!: Nose piercing
- Dear Alice, I am a first-year student and I want to get my nose pierced. This isn't just a whim; I've wanted one for a long time. However, I know that there will come a time when the ring will look juvenile on me. My question: will such a hole close up fairly quickly, without leaving an ugly scar?
- NOSE PIERCING AFTERCARE
- History, Jewelry, Gun vs Needle and more
Nose Pins and L-Bars - body jewelry
more nose piercing jewelry
L-bars however have a tiny bend, often smaller than a nostril screw and this holds the stud in place. Nose pins are a straight post with no form of backing, and those either stay in place for you, or they don't. I think both styles are much more viable for nose jewelry options. The best is a tiny ring or the nostril screws listed above.
14 karat gold nose pin with clear gem end
Amazon Price: $12.95 (as of 10/13/2008)
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Crystalline Gem MICRO Nose Ring L-Shaped
Amazon Price: $3.99 (as of 10/13/2008)
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Solid 14KT White Gold Star L-Shaped Nose Ring - 20 Gauge
Amazon Price: $15.99 (as of 10/13/2008)
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Solid 14KT Yellow Gold 2mm Genuine Amethyst L-Shaped Nose Ring - 20 Gauge
Amazon Price: $24.99 (as of 10/13/2008)
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Silver nose pin with clear gem end
Amazon Price: $10.95 (as of 10/13/2008)
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
The Earl or Bridge Piercing
A modern nose piercing that's been invented is sometimes called the "earl" or bridge piercing and involves a barbell being pierced through the skin over the bridge of the nose. The only part of the body jewelry visible are the two balls on the ends of the bar, which rest on either side of the nose.Facial movement and surface tension makes this a difficult piercing to heal for some people. Others abandon the piercing as having the balls just inside their field of vision becomes annoying.
This piercing got the name "earl" from one of the first people who ever got this piercing. Earl played the tattooed and pierced elder on the vampire high council in the first Blade movie, wearing his own body art, not makeup, for the role.
Nose Piercing Prejudice
If you aren't up to withstanding any of these prejudgments, don't get your nose pierced.
Some people switch out metal jewelry for retainers when they have to deal with certain work or family situations. This type of jewelry is made out of clear acrylic, so as to be of a lower visual profile than metal. These are only appropriate for piercings that are completely finished healing, as the plastics sometimes interact badly with still-healing skin surfaces.
Take Out Your Nose Ring, Honey, We're Going to Grandma's
Amazon Price: $13.99 (as of 10/13/2008)
List Price: $13.99
Usually ships in 24 hours
Leave Your Nose Ring at Home
Release Date: 08/08/2008
Amazon Price: $13.59 (as of 10/13/2008)
List Price: $16.99
Usually ships in 24 hours
18 Gauge CLEAR ACRYLIC CONE Nose Screw Retainer
Understand that acrylic retainers are NOT really invisible, they just have a lower visible profile than metal jewelry. You can still see that you have a nose piercing when you wear them.
Amazon Price: $2.99 (as of 10/13/2008)
List Price: $19.95
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Nose Piercing and Personal Rights
Where do you stand on the issue?
Welcome to the debate on nose piercings! Let us know whether you think nose piercings have an effect on how someone does their job. (when you start to type an answer, the buttons that let you pick the pro or con option will appear)
Do you think it's discrimination when people are forced to take out their nose rings for work?
Fetching blurbs now... please stand byYes, it's unfair. Piercings are unrelated to job performance and professionalism.
Amelia says:
I work at a bank, so we of course have to hide anything that shows our youth. all the girls my age that i work with have their noses pierced and have to wear retainers which you can see anyway. I think as long as you have a small stud, and not some huge obnoxious ring or something, that it should be fine at work. I'm getting mine redone with a clear ring on tues instead of something cute because of work's old-fashioned demands.
Posted October 01, 2008
Heather says:
I think it is very varied. I think people with a single stud in thier nose look very tastefull, but depending on the job, I would not want to hire someone who had a ring on his lip, eyebrow and a hole in his tounge.. I think if you come to the interview with that and are hired, you should either be told that you won't be allowed to wear the jewlry before you accept the postition or you should be able to wear it.
Posted September 26, 2008
ashley says:
YEAHHHHHHHHHH UGLYYYYY
Posted September 24, 2008
No, the employer/biz has the right to set a dress code, even if it violates your religion or personal beliefs.
Dez says:
If you are hired with it in during the interview, then you shouldn't have to take it out for work. If however you hide it during the interview, or get it pierced after getting hired, then you should respect your employer. After all, at that point, he didn't hire you with it in.
Posted September 11, 2008
HESIqueen says:
I think it depends on where and what type of business it is. Sometimes for safety reasons nose jewelry and earrings must be either tiny or removed. I just got my nose pierced - my boss will NOT like it, but it is allowed under our dress code. I've worked there 4 years, I am over 50 and I believe it is my choice.
Posted September 01, 2008
Me says:
I think it depends where you work, on whether it is appropriate. I am lucky - Iw ork in a corporate world, but it is within the fashion industry, so I am not alone with my nose piercing. But again, what I chose is a more feminine fashion statement so it is more acceptable. If I went crazy w/piercings, I'm sure I'd hear about it.
Posted July 29, 2008
Nose Piercing Videos
See what getting your nose pierced is like
Ask the Nose Piercing Lensmaster!
questions and answers about nose piercings
Got a nose piercing question? If it's a brief one, you can ask it here.
It's also a good idea to read through past questions to see if someone has already asked what you wish to ask about, as that might get you your answer right away!
the fear of the pain seems to be a barrier for most people, can you speak to that...and what do you ask the piercer to know s/he is good and safe?
Thanks
Posted October 04, 2008
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relache
Nikki, it's best to wait at least three months before changing jewelry unless it's the jewelry itself that is causing some sort of problem. Posted October 02, 2008 |
How long should I wait before changing out my nose piercing? It's been about 4 weeks and I'm dying to put in something cuter. I haven't had any problems and it's healed beautifully. Any suggestions?
Posted October 02, 2008
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relache
Actually, at the 1 1/2 month point, your nose is still healing and a slightly looser fit should enable you to clean the piercing better. Posted October 01, 2008 |
I got my nose pierced about a month and a half ago. The crystal fell off the stud I had in it, so I went and got another, I've been using the L-shaped kind. I just changed it and I think the length of the L is different from the one I had in before, so it just feels a bit looser to me. Is it bad if the one I have isn't necessarily as tight on the end as the one I had previously? I'm just nervous about it falling out...
Posted September 30, 2008
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relache
Emily, those saline products should be fine. Posted September 25, 2008 |
The guy who did my piercing sold me this purified sea salt stuff to clean it with. The instructions that came with it tell me not to use any other products while using it (although he didn't say anything like that. . . just not to use alcohol or peroxide), but I was wondering if it should be okay to use Saline nose spray or like AYR saline gel (used for infants), just to keep it moist, so the inside of my nose doesn't scab or crust.
Posted September 25, 2008
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relache
Erynn, if you can gently swab on the inside, that would really help. Wear the jewelry however it's comfortable, but if you can find more than one position that is comfy, that's better. Posted September 24, 2008 |
I got my nostril piercing 4 days ago, and really haven't had any trouble with it. I have a stainless nose screw in, and I'm wondering if I'm cleaning it correctly. I'm using saline solution on a Q-tip to clean the outside. But do I need to turn it? Is there a certain way the hook on the inside should face, or just whatever is most comfortable? Should I rotate it, or leave it in position. When I spray the saline solution on the outside, I can't tell if it's going all the way through. What is the best way to clean the inside, or should I just leave it alone rather than risk irritating it?
Posted September 24, 2008
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relache
Ana, I've heard people report this problem with nipple piercings when they are brand new. Give it some time and I bet it settles down. Posted September 22, 2008 |
