What Age Should You Let Your Child Get a Nose Piercing?

I love piercings. I have always been drawn to them, even as a little girl.

Nose piercings are particularly beautiful when they are done correctly. A child might see a lovely nose piercing and want one of their own.

When is it okay and when should you say no?

*FYI, some of the links in this article about what age should you let your child get a nose piercing may be affiliate links. If you click and make a purchase, we may get a commission (at no extra cost to you). For more info, please see our disclaimer.

When Should a Child Be Allowed to Get a Nose Piercing?

The legal age for getting a cartilage piercing is 16. This is generally the preferred age for most tattoo parlors, which is where the majority of these piercings take place. A child younger than 16 might get a piercing with parental consent, but they might not be prepared for the pain and upkeep.

Things to Consider Before Letting Your Child Get a Nose Piercing

Here are some of the things you should consider before letting your son or daughter get his or her nose pierced.

1. Nose Piercings Hurt

I went with my friend Jo to get our noses pierced. She was the toughest woman I knew.

She shaved her head. She was covered in tattoos. She never backed down from a fight, and she always knew where to find one.

She also knew that I had always wanted to get my nose pierced. She asked me to go with her for a nose piercing. I excitedly agreed.

Jo went first. She sat in the chair, winked at me when the tattoo artist/piercer showed us the needle he would be using for the piercing, and placed her nose in his capable and heavily tattooed hands.

She was pierced within seconds. She was also sobbing and wailing in pain. She couldn’t stop crying. I asked the piercer if that was normal. He said yes. I said goodbye.

A child may think a nose piercing looks very cool, but they may not be prepared for the pain.

The pain doesn’t stop with the piercing either. Cartilage takes a long time to heal. It requires regular cleaning and can even then become infected. I have two piercings: my tragus and my faith.

Both are great now, but they were painful to get and even more painful to manage as infections kept coming and going in the weeks after each piercing.

2. Piercings Can be Permanent

One of the arguments about piercing is that the hole simply grows back when and if the child is no longer interested.

That isn’t always the case.

Sometimes scars form around the piercing. When the ring is removed, the scar remains. Many of these scars require corrective surgery that is costly and traumatic.

It’s also possible that a nose ring can be ripped out in an accident, which leads to severe damage and a large, permanent facial scar.

At age 15, I had a friend who was goofing around with another boy, and his nose ring was torn directly through this nose. We are both considerably older than 15 now, but his scar still remains.

A child needs to know that their immediate choice to get a nose ring can have long-lasting consequences. If they are able to understand that, they might be ready.

It’s Not Just About the Child
Something else you need to ask yourself as you read through this article is if you’re able and willing to deal with some of these consequences.

As a parent, you will have to deal with the emotional and financial burden of these decisions if something goes wrong.

3. There’s Some Care and Upkeep

The amount of time and effort it takes to ensure nose piercings stay clean, particularly in the weeks following the piercing, is something your child needs to understand.

Your piercer will give you instructions on how to clean the piercing. They must be followed to avoid infection and the possibility of a permanent scar.

If a child has to be reminded to brush their teeth, clip their fingernails, comb their hair, wash their face, etc., they are not ready for a nose piercing.

In fact, the nose piercing may be good motivation to get them to do those things without reminders.

Tell your child they can get a piercing if they can take care of their personal hygiene without reminders for an allotted period of time. They need to prove they are up to the challenge.

Key Takeaways

Nose piercings are no longer the punk rock taboo they once were. They are very common and can be quite lovely. However, they also require a lot of work. A child under age 16 should prove they are ready.

Do you agree or disagree? Tell us in the comments!

Have You Read These Yet?

• What Age Should You Let Your Child Have a Facebook Account?
• Should I Let My Child Choose Their High School?
• How Much Freedom Should Parents Give Their Teen?
• When Should You Let Your Child Wear Makeup?

Frequently Asked Questions