Clean Your Nose Piercing

It is very important to keep your nose piercing clean, otherwise healing could be delayed or you might develop an infection. Luckily, cleaning your nose piercing requires very little time and effort - so there's really no excuses! See Step 1 below to get started.

Steps

Cleaning Your Nose Piercing

  1. Clean your piercing twice a day. Nose piercings should be cleaned twice a day - once in the morning and once in the evening - until they are fully healed. Cleaning your piercing too little may cause it to become dirty and infected while over-cleaning your piercing can lead to irritation and delayed healing.
  2. Prepare a salt solution. The simplest way to clean your piercing it to use a salt solution. To make a salt solution, mix 1/4 teaspoon of non-iodized sea salt in 8 oz. (1 cup) of warm water. Alternatively, you can buy a packaged sterile saline solution at the chemist's.
  3. Wash your hands. Before you touch your piercing, it is essential that you thoroughly wash your hands with antibacterial soap. Otherwise, bacteria from your hands could come in contact with the piercing (which is essentially an open wound) and cause an infection.
  4. Soak a cotton ball in the salt solution. Grab a clean cotton ball and dip it into the salt solution. Gently press the cotton ball against your nose piercing and hold it there for 3 or 4 minutes. Be careful when removing the cotton ball in case it gets caught in the nose ring or stud.
  5. Pat the area dry with some clean tissue. After cleaning, gently pat the area around your piercing dry with a clean cotton ball, a tissue or some paper towel. Avoid using a towel to do this, as towels can harbor bacteria and snag on the ring or stud.
  6. Use a q-tip to remove any crusting. You should also clean the underside of the piercing to remove any crusting, otherwise it could tear the skin and cause the piercing to become inflamed.
    • You can do this by soaking a clean q-tip in the salt solution and using it to rub around the back of the stud or ring inside the nostril.
    • Don't rub too hard, as you might push the stud out of your nose.
  7. Use a little lavender oil to promote healing. Lavender oil lubricates the piercing, reducing tenderness and promoting healing. After cleaning, apply a little lavender oil to the piercing using a q-tip.
    • Twist the stud or rotate the ring to get the oil inside the piercing, then wipe away any excess with a clean tissue (otherwise it could irritate the skin).
    • Lavender oil can be found at health food stores, at the supermarket or at the chemist's. Make sure the bottle is labeled "BP" or "medicinal grade".[1]

Knowing What to Avoid

  1. Avoid using harsh antiseptic products. Harsh antiseptic products such as Bactine, bacitracin, hydrogen peroxide, alcohol or tea tree oil should not be used to clean nose piercings, as these can irritate and/or damage the skin, and prolong healing.
  2. Avoid using make-up to cover the piercing. Do not allow make-up to come in contact with the piercing, as it can clog it up and lead to infection. This also goes for sun-tan lotion and any other cosmetic products.[2]
  3. Do not remove the nose ring or stud until the piercing is fully healed. Nose piercings can close up within a few hours if the stud or ring is removed.
    • Forcing the stud back into the piercing after it has started to close can cause pain, inflammation, and infection.
    • Therefore, it's important to avoid removing the stud or ring from the piercing until it is fully healed, which can take 12 to 24 weeks.
  4. Avoid baths, hot tubs and pools. You should avoid submerging your piercing in a pool, bath or hot tub water, as these often harbor harmful bacteria which could lead to infection. But if necessary, you can cover your nose piercing with a waterproof wound-sealant bandage (available in drug stores) to protect it.[3]
  5. Avoid sleeping on a dirty pillowcase. Dirty pillowcases are another potential source of bacteria, so it's important to change your pillowcase regularly.
  6. Avoid touching the piercing unnecessarily. Avoid touching or playing with your piercing - you should only touch it when you're cleaning it, after you have washed your hands. It is not necessary to twist or rotate the stud/ring during the healing process.

Tips

  • Never stick your fingers up your nose if they are dirty, this can cause an infection.
  • Have a nice hot shower as this can loosen any crust that is around the piercing.
  • Don't clean more than three times a day. This can cause the piercing to dry out & cause an infection.

Warnings

  • Don't pick at any scabs (no matter how tempting it is) as you can get infections.
  • Always use a new clean cotton bud when cleaning the inside of your nostril, so you don't end up spreading germs from one place to another.
  • Don't use silver sleepers in place of the jewelry. The sleepers are dangerous as they can oxidize the wound and cause a permanent black mark in your nose called a argyria. They can also create allergic reactions.

Things You'll Need

  • Antibacterial soap.
  • Saline Solution or sea salt.
  • Cotton buds, Q-Tips, tissues or toilet paper.
  • Lavender oil.
  • A clean plastic mug.
  • Warm water.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.savageandheads.com/nose.html
  2. ↑ https://uhs.berkeley.edu/home/healthtopics/bodypiercing.shtml
  3. ↑ http://www.safepiercing.org/piercing/body-aftercare/#!/~/product/id=23786192
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