About Nose Jewelry
Nose jewelry has been used by many cultures for countless centuries for beauty, health, and religious reasons. Modern society's adoption of the tradition has led to greater variety and safety with the jewelry available. Does this Spark an idea?
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Function
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In modern western culture, nose jewelry is used primarily for appearance, to accent the natural visual aspect of an individual. Many people view the jewelry as elegant, as such the size of the rings and studs are often smaller than their counterparts in the ear or other areas. Nose rings are most predominant in women.
Many traditional religions and tribes use nose rings for similar purposes. Indian women are known for their small studs worn in the nostril and many South American tribes sport a variance on septum or bridge piercing, often utilizing bones or wood for the jewelry.
Features
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There are three main areas in which jewelry for the nose is worn. The most common is the nostril piercing whereby a hole is placed in either the right or left nostril to allow a piece of jewelry to be worn. Bridge piercings are punctures through the skin at the top of the nose between the eyes. Septum piercings or bull rings as they are sometimes called, are a traditional way of piercing where the skin at the base of the nasal septum wall separating the two sides of the nose is pierced.
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History
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Nose jewelry has a long tradition in many cultures. The Bible mentions nose jewels made of metal or ivory. American Indian tribes such as the Shawnee were known for septum piercings for decoration. African, South American, and Pacific tribes practiced piercings for centuries before contact with Europeans.
Indian women have long used the practice of nostril piercing to aid in the pain of childbirth. In Northern India, women pierce the left nostril, while in Southern India they pierce the right. There is also a religious element to the Hindu culture in paying honor to Parvathi, goddess of marriage.
Western culture was introduced to nose jewelry in the 1960's and 1970's by hippies and ultimately the Punk Movement. By the 1980's and 1990's, nose jewelry was commonplace among younger Americans and had moved to Europe, Canada, the Caribbean, and Australia.
Types
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A circular barbell resembles the shape of a horseshoe and has two small beads or other shapes placed at the ends so it can be threaded through a piercing.
A curved barbell is a long strip of metal, slightly curved to allow its positioning easier in a piercing. Again, two small beads are placed at the ends of the threading. This is most usual in a bridge piercing.
Captive bead rings are circular rings that contain a small bead with indentations that allow it to be placed in the opening between the ring, creating a full circle. This is the most common piece of jewelry for the nose.
The stud is most common among women as it allows a jewel to be the prominent decoration on the nose. A stud is a small piece of metal that is placed inside the piercing on the nose so it is less prominent than a barbell or ring.
Warning
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Nose piercing should only be done by a professional body piercer. Infection can happen, as is common with the bridge piercing, if not properly cleaned and sterile conditions are not kept.
All piercings should have jewelry inserted immediately and need one to three months to heal.
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