Pierced! Part One: How Did I Get Here?

It’s been 10 days since I had my nose pierced.  I know some people were surprised that I would do it… hey, I even surprised myself!  I am 44, after all!  Am I having a mid-life crisis?  Have I left the faith?  Am I becoming worldly?  I think the answer is No to all of the above. 

Sean wanted this here... smh 😉

All my pictures are flipped, so the piercing is actually on my right, not my left.

While I am not a stranger to piercings (I have two in each ear and even once had a navel piercing), a nose piercing wasn’t something that I had “always wanted to do”.  In fact, years ago, I would have cast some negative judgment when I saw a woman with her nose pierced.  The Lord has forgiven me… I thank Him for growth.  Now, here I am with MY nose pierced.  Anyway, fast forward to what brought me to this place.

I had been seeing more women with nose piercings and my reasoning for wanting one was simply… drumroll please… that I thought they were pretty.  Probably, the fact that Sean had agreed to let me do it was what most surprised people.  The conversation went something like this:

Me:  Hey Hon, I think I want to get my nose pierced.  What do you think?

Sean:  I think, No.

Me:  I’m not talking about wearing anything big, just something small and subtle like {had to drop the names of some respected nose-pierced friends} wear.

Sean:  Okay, then go ahead.

See, that didn’t take long! 

Next, came about a week’s worth of prayer and research.  I read many articles and watched a number of Youtube videos, even the ones of people getting theirs pierced.  Yeah, that was enough to make me want to run the other way, but I soldiered on. 

I know some godly women who look lovely with their nose piercings.  Before taking the plunge, I consulted with two such lovely ladies, asking them questions about their experiences – how long have you had them, why did you get one, how do you care for it, what do you do when you have to blow your nose…. all the important stuff.  Thank you, A & D!  ~In Christ, Talya

Next:  Pierced!  Part Two:  So, Then What?

Pierced! Part Two: So, Then What?

I read reviews of all the local piercing establishments and settled on the place that had the highest ratings, Sadu Body Modifications.  One neat thing is that they ONLY do piercings, so they should really know what they’re doing. 

Looks like a place of horrors, really! 

Sean took me to get it done.  The building looked a little, uh, unique on the outside, but it was clean, though dimly lit, on the inside.  At that point, Sean was more enthusiastic than me, wanting me to get a larger, red or green jewel.  But, hey, I have to keep it in for at least the next 6 months without changing it, so I needed a more neutral color!  I settled on a small (still a little larger than I originally wanted) champagne-colored jewel.  The metal is titanium. 

I was the only customer there, so once the “master piercer” arrived and sterilized my jewelry, I was led into what looked like a small, very bright, doctor’s exam room.  My piercer, Dianna, was friendly and professional.  She put a dot on my nose to see if the placement was how I wanted it, then she had me lie on the exam table.  You know that paper stuff dentists clip around you as a sort of “bib” when you get a cleaning?  Dianna poked a hole in a piece of that “paper” and fit it over my nose so that my nose was exposed for her to see, but the rest of my face was covered.  I felt her manipulating my nose, then she told me I would feel a small pinch, then a harder one.  I don’t think she counted down or anything, but she did tell me to take a deep breath and let it out.

Next thing I knew, it felt like my right nostril was being squeezed with pliers by a very, very strong man for three seconds.  In reality, Dianna placed a clip on my nostril then stuck a needle though the holes in the clip and through my nostril.  She removed the clip, leaving the needle stuck there while she gathered the jewelry.  Surprisingly, the pain only lasted the three seconds it took her to get the needle through.  After she placed the jewelry, my nose was sore, but just barely.

Since then, I’ve been cleaning the piercing with saline twice per day and trying not to touch it or get it bumped or snagged by anything or anyone.  Apparently, it is easy for these piercings to become inflamed, often creating a little bump near the piercing site.  At this moment, my piercing is not sore at all, but I am to keep up the cleaning and hands-off regimen for the next 6 months.  I wish I knew all this stuff when I had my navel piercing.  Maybe I would have cared for it better and kept it longer. 

All my pictures are flipped, so the piercing is actually on my right, not my left.

I like my piercing.  At ten days in, I don’t regret getting it done.  I have received a positive response to the piercing from family and friends.  Perhaps, those who disapprove have chosen to remain silent or haven’t said anything yet – I respect that.  ~In Christ, Talya

Next:  Pierced!  Part Three:  You're a Christian, Right?

Pierced! Part Three: You're a Christian, Right?

What about God’s Word?  While I do not believe there to be an express prohibition on all tattoos or body piercings, I consider it a matter of conscience to be taken prayerfully before the Lord.  One’s heart’s motive for doing anything is critically important.  We should do all things for the glory of the Lord (1 Corinthians 10:31). 

Further, I had to consider whether I was seeking to exalt my outer adornment as cautioned against in 1 Peter 3:3-4.  To that end, I purposely chose a small nose stud.  From a short distance, you can’t see it, and apparently, some people don’t even notice it when I am standing two feet away from them!  LOL!  This article, "What does the Bible say about nose rings/getting a nose ring?", was helpful.  

Do I see my piercing as a gateway into a mission field?  No more than anything else.  If the Lord chooses to use it, perhaps to strike up a conversation to share what He has done in my life, then I hope to be submitted and respond obediently.  In the same way, I don’t see long hair, short hair, or my two sets of ear piercings as serving a distinct purpose of evangelism. 

I hope this three-part series gave insight into my new nose piercing.  I am a newbie, but if you have any questions about the early days of a nose piercing, comment below or message me and I can share what I’ve experienced.  ~In Christ, Talya

All my pictures are flipped, so the piercing is actually on my right, not my left.