TMI Tuesday: Body Piercings

Some of you may know, some of you may be surprised, but… Jen and I are pretty pierced.

Between the two of us, we have at least 8 piercings other than our ear lobes. (We’re getting this TMI Tuesday off to a good start, eh?) Jen and I are 28 and 26, respectively. Are we too old for this?

I still get weird looks in the street sometimes for having a nose ring. Men and women over 50 love to point out that we’ve got holes in our face. I don’t mind answering “Did that hurt?” questions, but I can’t help but wonder if they’re asked more as a point to state their passive opinion about my body modifications.

The Woman Behind The Dogs

Is this taboo? Are we too old for this? If not, are we supposed to limit what types of piercings or jewelry we have? (For example, nose studs instead of lip rings?) Is there an age where piercings are “inappropriate?”

What do you think? Is there such thing as “too old for piercings?”

body jewelrybody modificationearringsnose ringspiercingstaboo
Lindsay: Probably watching Netflix.

View Comments (8)

  • I took out my last remaining non-ear piercing last year- I was 28 and I had had it since I was 18. I did feel like I was too old for it.. I liked having it, but it was time to move on.

  • I didn't get my nose pierced until I was 35, which was (ahem) a few years ago. It's since grown closed (I took it out for some reason I can no longer remember and it sealed itself up OVERNIGHT), but I've been seriously contemplating re-piercing it. Too old? Pffff, whatever. That implies that I care what other people think about what I do to my own body.

  • Piercings are just like style--individual. Of course there are types of clothing that are "too old," but I genuinely believe that confidence dictates how we look to others. In other words, rock dem piercings (and I don't have any, for the record)!

  • No such thing as "too old." Your body is your body and what you choose to do with it, at whatever age, is completely individual.

  • Totally agree with Eden-Avalon. Do what you want! It's you're body and as long as it isn't interfering with you supporting yourself, then who cares?
    I had my tongue, both nips twice each and "down there" done. I had various issues with each piercing and had to take them out for my health and sanity but I kinda miss them sometimes and I'm 32.

  • this is a question I wrestle with on every birthday. (I'm 33.) I have two cartilage piercings in my ears (my lobes aren't pierced) and a tongue piercing, which I've had for about 14-15 years. whether I'm too old to have piercings probably wouldn't be an issue for me if it weren't for the fact that I'm also an academic in the sciences, which tend to be more conservative than the humanities. Thus far I've never gotten an explicit comment disapproving of my piercings (they are all pretty discreet, and most people are surprised when they realize my tongue is pierced) but I worry about whether they will work against me if/when I'm up for tenure or a promotion. I think I can get away with the ear piercings, so so it's the tongue I reconsider every year. On the other hand, since it seems like every sorority girl has a tongue piercing these days, maybe it's already normalized and all I have to worry about is whether it's ridiculous to be a 40 year old with a pierced tongue.

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