Nose piercing
From 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.
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[edit] Nostril piercing
Nostril piercing is a body piercing practice often associated with India. In India the outside of the left nostril is the preferred position of the piercing as this is supposed to make childbirth easier. This is because Ayurvedic medicine associates this location with the female reproductive organs [1].
Nostril piercing was first performed in the Middle East about 4,000 years ago.[2]. A nose ring was one of the gifts given to Rebekah, according to Genesis 24:47 [3]. From there the practice spread to India and parts of Asia. In India piercings were regarded as a mark of beauty and social standing in the 16th century.
Nose piercing is still popular in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh. It also remains popular in Middle Eastern and Arab countries.
Nostril piercing has in recent decades become popular amongst the industrialised nations, as have other forms of body piercing. Piercing was introduced by the hippie culture in the 1960s and 70s. Afterwards punks and subsequent youth cultures in the '80s and '90s adopted this sort of piercing. Celebrities such as Slash, Izzy Stradlin, Dani Filth, Sinéad O'Connor, Madonna, Christina Aguilera, Lisa Bonet, Nicole Richie, Kelly Clarkson, Joss Stone, Del tha Funkee Homosapien, Lenny Kravitz, James Hull, Pete Burns and Tupac Shakur have had their nostrils pierced.
Today, nostril piercing is popular in the U.S., UK, Canada, the Caribbean, Australia and Italy, with piercings being performed on either the left or right nostril. Both men and women have nostril piercings, although they are much more common among women. Some people have multiple nostril piercings, in either or both nostrils.
[edit] Nasal septum piercing
A nasal septum piercing is less common than nostril piercings. The nasal septum is the cartilaginous dividing wall between the nostrils. Generally, the cartilage itself is not pierced, but rather the small gap between the cartilage and the bottom of the nose, typically at a gauge no smaller than 14ga (1.6mm). The nose has many nerves running through it and as a result, nose piercings can be painful, although it varies by individual. This piercing heals within a month and a half to three months also depending on the individual.
There are many types of jewelry generally worn in a septum piercing. Captive bead rings (CBRs) are rings that close with a bead in the centre. Circular Barbells (as shown in the picture) have two beads which screw on. Additionally, one can wear a "tusk" which is a straight or shaped piece of material which is generally tapered on either end. Pinchers are another popular piece of jewelry worn in this piercing.
Another option is a septum retainer, which is staple shaped. This type of nose piercing is particularly easy to hide when desired, for example to comply with a dress code. A septum retainer makes it possible to turn the jewelry up into the nose, thus concealing it.
Septum piercing was popular among certain Native American peoples in history; the Shawnee leaders Tecumseh and Tenskwatawa, for example, had such piercings.
[edit] Bridge piercing
Yet another nose piercing is the bridge piercing. This piercing is a piercing through the small flap of skin at the top of the nose, between the eyes, though never through the bone. Curved barbells and straight barbells are the most commonly used in this piercing.
[edit] See also
| Types of body piercing | |
|---|---|
| Ear piercings | |
| Earlobes and helix | Stretching (body piercing) | Tragus | Antitragus | Daith | Conch | Rook | Industrial | |
| Facial and oral piercings | |
| Bridge | Cheek | Eyebrow | Anti-eyebrow | Lip | Labret | Vertical labret | Lip frenulum | Nose | Tongue | Tongue frenulum | Uvula | Monroe | Medusa | |
| Body piercings | |
| Corset | Hand web | Madison | Navel | Nipple | Nape | Surface | |
| Male genital piercings | |
| Ampallang | Apadravya | Hafada | Foreskin | Deep shaft | Dolphin | Dydoe | Frenum | Frenum ladder | Guiche | Lorum | Prince Albert | Reverse Prince Albert | Pubic | Transscrotal | |
| Female genital piercings | |
| Christina | Clitoris | Clitoral hood | Triangle | Fourchette | Isabella | Labia | Nefertiti | Princess Albertina | |
