Ear piercings were a desired thing when people were kids, excited to get that first popular piercing. Lately, the nose piercing has become the favorite way to disfigure one’s body. However,the nose piercing is not a new fad.  In fact, it has been popular for over 4,000 years.

An article on The Boar, written by Meera Eldridge, explained that the nose piercing is also a cultural thing, being a sign of respect, healing practices, traditions, and more. Indian culture primarily started these adorations, adding fashion to the reasoning. Among Eastern cultures, the nose piercing has a rich spiritual history and symbolic presence. 

The nose piercing has become a huge fashion trend, especially in the United States and the United Kingdom. It may not be as popular as it was a couple of years back, but piercings are still growing in popularity within our society. According to The Pulse, “Not only are ear piercings being normalized in young adults, but nose piercings are also becoming more fashionable. About 19 percent of women have a nose piercing, while 15 percent of men have one.”

Senior Ella Mader, who has a nose piercing herself, said, “I really liked the way the piercing looked on people, and I thought it would look good on me. I think it’s really cool that it’s popular. You have to make sure it’s always clean, and if it gets infected you have to find a way to clean it to not have it infected.”

The nose piercing isn’t just a form of fashion or culture, but also a form of self-expression. Teenagers use a lot of physical transformation on their bodies as a self-expression tool, such as dying or cutting their hair, makeup, changing the style of clothes, tattoos, and piercings. According to Indiana Student Media, “Turning 18 legally provides us the right to do what we want with our body, so I don’t see why some parents hold that over our heads constantly. As for piercings, we can take them out for serious occasions when it may seem inappropriate to wear excessive jewelry; however, I can see why tattoos may be a touchy idea. Although again, that’s the adult’s body and decision, I do believe parents can have a say in their choice and possibly the location in case it’s a bad tattoo idea.” Self-expression can be abused, unfortunately, but it can also be therapeutic.