Is your teenager interested in getting her nose pierced? When your teen comes to you asking about getting a piercing, it can be difficult to know what to say.
There are a lot of things to consider to ensure you make the right choice together. We’re here to help you weigh the pros and cons and give you a few things to consider before you let your teen have their nose pierced.
There are several things you want to keep in mind when helping your teen make this decision.
Are Nose Piercings Allowed at School?
Something important to consider is whether or not your daughter’s school allows facial piercings. Some schools have a very strict dress code and that may not allow any piercings at all, and the school administrators may ask her to remove the piercing while she’s in school.
Removing the piercing for long periods of time could cause it to grow over since it is still in the healing process for several weeks or even months.
If the piercing grows over, she will have to have her nose pierced all over again and it will be as though it was never pierced in the first place. It’s best to know the school policy before moving forward with the piercing to avoid having it redone later.
Are Nose Piercings Allowed at Work?
If you daughter is working or will soon be applying for a job, it is important to keep in mind the policies surrounding body piercings for her place of employment.
Some employers have strict guidelines about facial piercings and visible tattoos, and they could also require her to remove the jewelry during her shift. Again, removing the jewelry for long periods of time could cause the piercing to grow over during the healing process.
It’s important to have a discussion about workplace policies beforehand so she is aware of the potential limitations that could come from having a facial piercing.
Most employers are pretty laid back about nose piercings and are more strict about other facial piercings, but it’s always a good idea to double check.
Cleaning
A piercing is essentially a wound and it needs to be properly cared for to avoid infection. This care is an easy daily routine, but it’s important to consider your 
daughter’s level of responsibility before letting her have her nose pierced.
Proper care of a nose piercing entails using mild soap and water to clean around the piercing multiple times a day.
Your daughter will need to make sure she has clean hands when touching the piercing directly, and that she isn’t constantly playing with the jewelry.
This can lead to oils and dirt getting into the piercing and potentially causing an infection.
Nose piercings can take several months to heal, and during this time it’s very important to make sure that the piercing and jewelry stays clean and taken care of.
It’s important to talk with your daughter about appropriate after care of her piercing to ensure she is committed and understands the importance of caring for the piercing.
Pain Tolerance
Another important point to discuss with your daughter is her pain tolerance. A nose piercing requires puncturing the nostril or septum.
This can feel like a pinch and be enough to make your eyes water since your nose is part of your sinus cavity. If your daughter doesn’t handle pain well, you’ll want to consider if a piercing is the right choice.
State Piercing Laws
Before allowing your daughter to have her nose pierced, it’s important to know the laws in your state. Most states in the U.S. permit body piercing for teenagers between the ages of 14 and 18 with parental consent.
Some states do not require a parent to be present for the piercing, while other states require at least written permission or for the parent to be with the teenager for the duration of the piercing process.
If you live in a state where your daughter is not legally old enough to have her nose pierced, do not attempt to have a shop do the piercing anyway.
The shop could be fined and/or the artists could lose their license for piercing a minor. Research the laws in your state so you can make an educated decision about whether or not a piecing is right for your teenage daughter.
Talk To Her About Why She Wants the Piercing
Our number one piece of advice is to talk to your daughter. Ultimately, this is a discussion about her body, and you will both feel more comfortable if she is part of the conversation.
It’s important to ask your teenage daughter why she wants to have her nose pierced.
Is she doing this because she wants to, or because she is feeling pressured to do so? Do most of her friends have their noses pierced? Is there someone she is trying to mimic by having her nose pierced?
Is this something she has wanted to do for a while or is this the first time you’re hearing about it.
These are important questions to ask because it will allow open conversation between you and your daughter and give you more insight into why she’s interested in getting a piercing in the first place.
A nose piercing can be a fun way to express herself, or she may be curious about other types of piercings and body art as well and wants to start by piercing her nose.
Whatever her reasoning is, you won’t know if you don’t ask, and chances are she will be excited to talk to you about it.
What Age is Appropriate for a Nose Piercing?
The age appropriate for a teenager to have her nose pierced is subjective. As we talked about above, most states don’t allow piercings under the age of 14.
Some 
would say that 14 years old is still too young to have a piercing done. Ultimately, the laws are left up to each state to decide what is legal.
Even though it may be legal in your state for your teenager to have her nose pierced, you still may not feel that she is ready. This is where discretion comes into play.
Generally, 16 years old is a pretty average age for a teenager to have their nose or belly button pierced. At this age, teenagers are learning about responsibility, but are also experimenting with self-expression.
At 16, teenagers are able to have a thoughtful conversation and review the pros and cons, making a sound decision with your guidance.
Of course, you must decide what the appropriate age is for your teenager. Maturity is relative, and if you teenager seems emotionally ready to accept the responsibility of caring for their nose piercing, then that is the most important thing to keep in mind when you are considering letting your daughter have her nose pierced.
Next Steps
Once you have discussed all of these topics and weighed the pros and cons with your daughter, it’s time to make a decision. If you have determined that a nose piercing is appropriate for her to have done, then you will want to talk about appropriate shops to have the piercing done.
Do your research and find a respected shop in your area. It is important to always have body piercings done by a licensed professional.
They will ensure that the piercing is done correctly, and then will talk to your daughter about proper care of her piercing and answer any questions that you or your daughter has.
Having someone who is not licensed pierce your daughter’s nose could result in injury or infection. Allowing a friend to do the piercing is not worth the risk.
Be sure to make a responsible choice when deciding on the best place to do the piercing.
Now that you’ve done some research and know the appropriate questions to ask, it’s time to talk to your daughter about having her nose pierced.