Nose Piercing Care, Infected Nose Piercing

Nose piercing is one of the latest trends today. A lot of people resort to this for aesthetic purposes while some have this for their cultural beliefs. This may seem simple to some people but there are lots of things to consider before you decide to have your nose pierced and many steps to take after you have your nose piercing.

Nose Piercing Which Side?

Nose piercing can either be located on the nostril, septum or the bridge. The nostril is the most common place for the piercing. The septum is the cartilage that separates both holes of the nose. And finally the bridge is on the surface of the nose aligning the septum. The bridge is the most difficult to deal and the most painful of all.

Things to Consider before Deciding to Pierce your Nose

Before you decide to have a nose piercing, understand the things you should do before and after you get it. If you think you can handle it, go ahead and get it. But if you can’t commit to it, especially with the aftercare, then think twice. Here are the things you should take into consideration:

• Safe piercer – Look for the safest and cleanest piercing shop in town. Do not resort to cheap piercing and get yourself into trouble afterwards. It is better to be safe than sorry.

• Products to use for healing – After you’ve found a good piercing shop, ask the piercer about what products to use to help with the healing of the nose.

• Reliable nose jewelry – Ask the piercer where to find recommended nose jewelry in case you want to change your nose ring in the future.

• Address your concerns – It is normal to worry about things that could go wrong during nose piercing. Discuss your concerns with the piercer. This is one way to test the piercer’s professionalism. If he answers you patiently, stay. If he gets impatient and sarcastic with his replies, find another piercing shop with more competent and helpful piercers.

Nose Piercing No-No’s

Here are some of the things you should know about what not to do with a nose piercing:

• Do not agree to pierce your nose with the use of a piercing gun. This could cause for the nose ring to be placed too tight and could result to infection on the surrounding areas of the punctured site.

• Do not replace your nose ring right away. Let it heal first. If you replace your nose ring right away with other jewelry, it could permanently leave a mark due to tarnishing of the jewelry. Others may also cause infection. Note that the healing of nose usually takes 3 or more months.

• Do not use alcohol to clean or disinfect the site. This causes irritation to the piercing and slows down the healing process.

• Do not take a dip on chemical maintained facilities such as the swimming pools and hot tubs. The chemicals in it may either cause infection or prolong healing. If you really wish to do so, place a water proof bandage on the piercing such as Tegaderm.

• Do not touch nose piercing frequently as constant contact with hands may lead to infection.

• Do not place any topical creams or ointments that promise “quick healing”on the piercing. Consult your physician or the piercer first. They are the best persons to ask about this.

Nose Piercing Aftercare

Nose is a cartilage, meaning, it is harder to pierce in comparison to our ears, which are made up of tissues. Nose piercing poses no harm to the individual if it is given proper care. Here are important things to note after you get a nose piercing.

• Clean the nose piercing on a regular basis. Neither touch your nose frequently nor let it be touched by a curious friend. Keep in mind that any unclean objects that touch your nose piercing can cause infection so do not forget to wash your hands before cleaning the punctured site. This is the most important aftercare instruction and it is best to stick with it.

• The most common solution for cleaning nose piercing is a saline solution as you can easily make this solution at home. Get ¼ glass of water and mix ½ teaspoon of salt in it. Mix this solution until you create a homogenous mixture. Dip a cotton ball into this solution and gently put it over the piercing until the warm feeling is gone. Repeat this procedure until you think the nose piercing is already cleaned thoroughly. Be careful to keep the nose ring intact.

• Your piercer may also recommend the use of antimicrobial or antibacterial soap to clean your nose piercing. Examples of these soaps are Provon, Hibiclens, Satin or Dial. Apply the soap gently on and around your nose piercing.

• For smokers, tone down on your smoking as tar, resin and other residues may gather on the site of the piercing causing delay on the healing process.

• Keep the original nose ring or jewelry on. Constant removal of this may lead to infection and slow healing and sometimes it would allow the nose piercing to close entirely. Let the nose heal first before removing or changing nose rings.

• Avoid using products that may contain chemicals. One major example of this is make up, cosmetics or other beauty products such as moisturizers, facial lotions and cleansers, sun block, facial wash and others. As aforementioned, chemicals may either cause infection or slow down the healing process of the nose piercing.

• Lavender oil is also recommended in hastening the healing process of the nose piercing.

• When sleeping, do not let your nose piercing touch your pillow. This is to avoid infection. However, if you really tend to unconsciously shift positions while sleeping, the best option is to change your pillowcase frequently.

Whatever your reason is for nose piercing, keep in mind that it is your responsibility to take care of it after. It may seem minor and harmless but note that improper care may lead to infection.