Where are all of these nose rings coming from? It seems as though the last ten years or so has seen a dramatic increase of nose rings.

In the case of an allergic reaction from your nostril screw or septum ring, the material should be changed immediately

Once upon a time only punks had nose rings. Nowadays, otherwise conservative-looking men and women are sporting nose rings. Many opt out of wearing the actual ring that they are pierced with and wear small, discreet studs.

These little dots of silver or gold are quite attractive unlike the metal rings that people are required to wear for several weeks as the piercing is healing. Does this rise in nose rings signal something about our culture? Perhaps a change? Are we becoming more tolerant of things that we once viewed as being trashy or punky? It may be that our youth are changing.

Nose rings have a respectable history. They are mentioned in the Bible and have been used in India to denote beauty or class. In America, nose rings in the second half of the twentieth century were usually only worn by hippies or punks and mainstream culture looked down on them for some time. Recently it appears that our attitude toward nose rings has changed dramatically. I believe this is due to the people who are wearing them today.

Young adults are becoming increasingly modern and are able to blend the palatable with the questionable. Young adults are beginning to balance the need for social acceptability and the expression of self.

Most Indian women have been wearing nostril rings since the sixteenth century Click the picture to buy this nose ring

Not so long ago, a hole in one's face sounded like an immediate turnoff. Today I see beautiful women of all ages sporting this jewelry. Nose rings have become more of an adornment than a harsh political statement. Nose rings have become more respectable. I think that this change in perception has come from the respectable nature of the people who have been getting nose rings. Nose rings are not just for punk rockers anymore. Though most of the nose rings I see are not as ornate as the ones worn by Indian women, head shops are beginning to see a large market for nose rings and are trying to put out interesting and fresh pieces of jewelry.

I got my nose pierced when I was about nineteen years old. I thought about it for a long time because piercing your face is a big decision. Many people will ask you when you are considering getting a piercing whether you will want it when you are eighty years old. I for one plan on being a pretty cool eighty-year-old. One thing to think about is whether your current or future employer will let you wear one around the office. I have had mixed experiences in this regard. You may luck out though because nose rings are not what they used to be and they do not mean what they used to mean in our culture. They have somehow found a respectable place in our modern world.