Today, nose jobs are pretty common. A little lift here, a little straightening there, no big deal. But as NOVA points out in this video, “Thank goodness it’s not the 16th century!” This could be said for a lot of things, but it is particularly true of nose jobs.

Here, Anna Rothschild takes you through why the 16th century was a bad time to tweak your sniffer. The process involves shoving cloth under the skin of your arm, walking around for two weeks with your bicep attached to your face, and probably dying from the process.

Let’s just say it again: Thank goodness it’s not the 16th century!

More from Smithsonian.com:

This Weird Map Visualizes Air Pollution as Nose Hair Length

Like Pinocchio, When You Lie, Your Nose Gives You Away