Which Side Should a Nose Piercing Be On?

Getting a nose piercing may be one of your most exciting decisions and experiences of your life. After all, it is a simple body modification that changes your entire appearance.

The practice of piercing the pose has been a part of many old cultures. In some, it is mandatory for women to get a nose piercing at a certain age.

Throughout the years, different subgroups have embraced nose piercing in a unique way. Now, people across different cultures opt to get nose piercings for a variety of reasons. If you’ve decided to get a nose piercing, you may have already picked a nose piercing stud or ring.

However, you may be on the fence about which side of the nose you should get pierced.

Sure, you may have come across many people with a nose piercing, but it’s still hard to decide now that it’s your turn to get one. Most of us have asymmetrical faced shapes, making it difficult to choose a side as both must look perfect.

A few factors influence your choice for a particular side, and if you want to know what that side is, you must read further down.

This article is the perfect guide to nose piercings and where they will look best.

What Does a Piercing on the Left Mean vs. The Right?

You have the freedom to get your nose piercing on whatever side you feel comfortable with. But if you want to focus on what others have to say about the symbolism and meanings behind each side of the nose, you’re at the right place.

Universally, the left nostril is the most common place to get your nose piercing. However, other factors can influence your choice, as well.

According to Ayurvedic medicine, a nose piercing on the left nostril, especially in women, ensures a reduction in pain during childbirth.

Ayurveda also believed that a piercing on the left nostril for boys symbolizes that they are gay. On the other hand, if a girl gets it on her right nostril, it means that she is a lesbian.

If you want to know the aesthetic aspects behind getting a piercing on your left nostril, it’s a simple answer: it just matches well with your facial features.

Your face shape plays a vital role in choosing which nostril you get a piercing in. Hence, getting a piercing on the left or right nostril simply means you’re considering your facial features and think that it will look better there.

Does One Side Look Better Than the Other

A nostril piercing would look amazing on any side as long as you’re comfortable with the way it looks. There are a few factors that influence which side would look better on you. These factors mentioned below may help you decide which nostril to choose for a nose piercing.

Facial Features

Your face structure is one of the main factors to play a role in choosing the right side for your nose piercing. Primarily, there are two face shapes: symmetrical faces and asymmetrical faces.

If you have a symmetrical face, then you can consider getting a piercing on either nostril as it would look good on both. If you have an asymmetrical face shape, then you should choose the side that doesn’t flatten towards one side of your face.

To know this, you can try wearing an artificial nose piercing on each side and then see which side looks good as you don’t want to achieve an uneven face shape.

Other Facial Marks

Other facial marks also play a crucial role in choosing a nostril for the piercing. Facial marks such as any distinguishing features, beauty marks, tattoos, or other piercings can drastically change how the piercing turns out.

Considering this factor, if you have any of the above distinguishing features, you should always choose the side that has fewer features, marks, or modifications. Otherwise, you might end up with a jumbled look.

Hair Look

Your hair look is also another important factor to consider.  No matter your hair length, if you style your hair in a way where a portion of hair covers one side of your face, you should always choose the opposite side for your piercing.

Precisely, consider the way you style your hair whenever you go out. Choosing which nostril to pierce based on your hairstyle allows you to get a piercing that helps your face look balanced.

Your Day-To-Day Activities

Your day-to-day activities also influence which nostril you choose to get a piercing, as it can come in the way of certain activities. You should also consider your sleeping position and avoid getting it on the side you sleep on.

This will make you feel very uncomfortable while sleeping and may disrupt the healing process.

Also, keep in mind the hand you will use to take out your piercing when required, so if you’re a lefty, you must get it on whichever side allows you to take out the piercing properly.

You can carry out a small practice session before choosing a side. These day-to-day activities are sometimes more important than other reasons. Remember, you don’t want your piercing to come in the way of your daily life and cause an inconvenience.

Keeping these factors in mind will help you pick the best side to get a nose piercing. But, make sure to always consider your own opinions and comfort instead of others.

If you’re comfortable choosing one side that doesn’t go with these factors, then that’s alright because your nose piercing is all about making you feel good.

Which Side Should a Guy Get Pierced?

Men getting nose piercings are a part of many ancient and new cultures. Hence, more men are embracing the idea of getting a nose piercing. Nevertheless, this leaves them wondering an important question: which side to get a nose piercing on?

The same rules apply here, so he should choose whatever he’s more comfortable with. But let’s suppose you want to get a piercing according to the rules and symbols of different cultures.

In that case, most of them believe that men should get a piercing on the left side. According to many cultures, a man who has a piercing on the right nostril represents being gay, while a woman who pierces it on her left nostril represents herself as a lesbian.

There are many meanings behind getting a piercing on either side of the nose, so sometimes they might confuse you. But, in modern times, it’s best not to give too much thought to cultural symbolism if you don’t want to.

Similarly, you can consider your facial features and opt for a nose piercing on whichever side looks best.

Does the Side You Have Pierced Have Significance If You Are Hindu or Buddhist

According to Hindu culture, the ancestors believed that if a woman got her left side of the nostril pierced, it would effectively help her deal with pain during childbirth.

This has a lot to do with the ancient Indian medicine known as Ayurveda, which many Hindus still practice today.

To date, Hindu women get a piercing in their left nostril as a symbol of their marriage. Similarly, girls would get a piercing in their left nostril before marriage to show that they are of marriageable age and are in search of a husband.

The Hindu culture places immense traditional significance on the placement and timing of nose piercings, and it’s a beautiful way to look at it. While many people don’t believe in these meanings today, some still do.

For them, a small thing such as a nose piercing gives them hope and significance, which is quite unique and astonishing.

Their culture emphasizes the healing abilities of a nose piercing.  Early Hindus had a spiritual belief that if a woman has been through illness or a traumatic injury, then she could seek healing through a nose piercing.

These are some of the few superstitions and symbols Hindus associate with nose piercings.

Buddhists don’t hold much cultural significance for nose piercings or a specific side, but because their culture includes a love for jewelry, nose piercings play a vital role.

Choosing a specific nose piercing side has more to do with south Indian beliefs that derive from the Hindu culture.

Can You Get Both Sides of Your Nose Pierced?

Of course, if you think a nose piercing would look flattering on both sides, you could choose to get piercings on both nostrils. The more, the merrier, and two piercings will definitely help you achieve a cool and sassy look.

If you’re getting two nose piercings, it’s important to get them on separate days. This means allowing the first one to heal before getting another. Getting both piercings on the same day is a recipe for pain and discomfort.

You can take things to another level, too, by getting a septum nose piercing. The septum is the center part of your nose. This piercing will give you an overly unique look, but it is much more painful compared to the standard nose piercing.

Bottom-Line

Who would’ve thought that choosing a side of your nose to get a piercing would be the most stressful part? Hopefully, with this article, you shouldn’t face that stress and confusion anymore.

Just remember to keep all the necessary factors in mind and, most importantly, consider your comfort levels when choosing a side. If you want your nose piercing to look the best and give out an eye-catching look, then choose a side that accentuates your facial features.

Most importantly, make sure you go to a reputable and experienced piercing artist with promising reviews.