I don't know if there's a cutoff age. Some people seem to feel it's permanently part of their image, so I have plenty of 40something friends still sporting theirs happily. On the other hand, some people have had it as sort of a youthful experiment and then left it behind at some point. And on the third hand, I have at least one fortysomething girlfriend who never had one, and then went out and got one last year.

So I don't think it's something you age into or out of. Just something that can change with your self-image, as your own idea of how you want to look changes.

I like them, and I like them more on older people than on younger people. So I vote to keep it until you're 50. (Or take it out now and then reinstitute the stud when you're 30.)

Swap it out for a spike and tell people you're a unicorn.

A different gemstone? A different style altogether?

(Or take it out now and then reinstitute the stud when you're 30.)

Oog. I saw a friend get a redo on a nose piercing that had healed over. She turned green from pain and swore it was many times worse than the first time. Of course, that was back in the bad old days of using ear-piercing guns and getting it done from one of the more adventurous mall/hair stylist piercing purveyors...and as I recall there was serious pain involved in mine (first one, done at the same time, hit a nerve, thought my right eye was going to fall right out), so take that for what it's worth. I sometimes wish I still had mine, which I got rid of when I worked for the gov't. I'd take it out every morning & put it back in every evening, and finally the ring broke from metal stress. I was going to replace it, but thought, "Why? So I can sit around the apartment watching tv and look punk?"

Um...that's neither here nor there. Need pics for informed vote. Be advised that if you've had it for any length of time, the scar will be there always, and will taunt you with your inability to put any jewelry through it without weeping in pain and giving up and having a very red nose for days.

Remember my screw earrings? Put one of those in it. That'd be an eye-catcher.

OH! That would be awesome jonmc!

I could also put my paper plane in... but my nose is big enough already that it doesn't need to become any more airborne!

If anyone looks at you funny, just use your best germanic accent and say "Iz Frankenschnozz. You have problem wid dat?"

I've thought of getting a big round red one...

then I could dress up as either a witch, or Rudolph.

Works for some people.
Doesn't work for others.

Couldn't tell you based on text alone.

I understand your pain, though. I go through the same process every so often with my beard. And I make the same post. :P

I'll post photo's when I get home... can't connect my phone to my work computer.

How about the ball end of an E string?

Mrs mendel, just turned 30, just got a nose stud last week. (I got my earlobes done at 8ga at the same time.)

Here's my theory on piercings: YOU'RE used to it, but it's still having the "new" effect on everyone else that sees it for the first time. That makes 'em worth keeping even if it's a bit old news to you.

Go get something interesting on your opposite ear to go with it. (Conch?)

I have a friend who got one in her late 50's.

Age is not a consideration here, in my fifty year old opinion.

I'm 37 and still have mine. I say "meh" to age appropriatism.

Yeah age is not really a factor. I have a few friends with moms who have them. Like I said, works for some people.

I had my nose pierced twice in my late 30s. The first time I took it out to change the jewelry, got distracted and it closed up enough that I couldn't insert the new one (or the old one). The second time (about a year later, it was repierced a couple months after the first closure) I somehow removed the screw in my sleep. Again, it was too closed up to reinsert the jewelry. I still want to get it pierced again (I'm 42), but just haven't taken the time/money.

So, in short (too late!), age hasn't a thing to do with it. I really miss mine.

Why do you have a nose stud? Why do you still have a nose stud? If you can't answer these questions, take it out.