How to clean an irritated nose piercing?
Nose piercings can get irritated for several reasons; the most common are poorly fitting jewelry, too much handling, and metal sensitivity. A poor fit is likely to occur more often in septum piercings and in nostril piercings in which the screw style of stud is used. In this case, it’s best to get jewelry that fits better–most often a larger ring for the septum or a longer-posted screw for a nostril.
For already healed piercings, there is another option for the nostril piercing: the bone-style stud. This style of stud, rather than bending at the end, has a bead at the end to hold it in place. This is NOT to be used for a new piercing, as you’ll end up either dropping it before it heals up or ripping it out painfully the first time you change it. But if you’ve had the piercing more than a couple of months and have had issues with the tightness of the screw style, the bone might be an option for you.
Another reason that piercings get irritated is that they get handled too much. It’s very important not to play with your piercing. Wash your hands before you touch it, and only touch it to clean it or to change your jewelry.
Another reason piercings get irritated is that you may have a sensitivity to the metal. For example, the most common metal used for piercing jewelry is surgical steel, and I absolutely can’t wear it. If you have any kind of metal allergies, you may need to ask your piercer about using 14K gold or titanium for your jewelry (if a new piercing) or look for 14K or titanium jewelry online.
There are several good products available that help the healing process. H2Ocean and tea tree oil provide great results. But for cleaning, nothing beats antibacterial or antimicrobial wash, rinsed with water, followed by the aftercare solution of your choice.
Speaking of which, let’s talk about aftercare products. I’ve already mentioned H2Ocean, which many people claim is the best they’ve used. It also comes in a spray, which minimizes the amount of handling the piercing receives, thus minimizing irritation. If you’re going to use tea tree oil, make sure you’re using a good quality oil that has been diluted with distilled water, as full strength would be irritating. Another option is a saline solution soaked into a cotton ball and applied to the piercing. You can do your own by using about 1/8 teaspoon of sea salt–not any other kind of salt, because others will irritate–and about 3 ounces of very hot water. If you’re not sure you’ve got the strength right, get a little on the tip of your finger and taste it–if it’s any saltier than a potato chip, it’s too strong. (Then wash your hands again!) Completely saturate the cotton ball and leave it on the piercing for about 5 minutes. Usually once a day is enough, but you can do it 2-3 times a day if you need to.
Do not use hydrogen peroxide, because although it does kill germs, it also kills white blood cells that are trying to heal up your piercing. Alcohol is also a bad thing, because it dries out the skin and irritates the piercing more, which can lead to infection. Ear care solutions, the kind you’d get at a mall kiosk that does ear piercings, are awful. They usually have both peroxide and alcohol in them, and they do as much harm as good. Avoid ointments of any kind because particles can get trapped in them, thus introducing into the piercing the very thing you’re trying to keep out.
Hello! I pierced my nose not to long ago. Shortly after it got infected and irritated. The best thing to do is buy H2Ocean (from hottopic, online, piercing shops, etc.) Buy some Bactine spray (Online, target, walmart, rite aid..) and spray those on your nose 3-4 times a day. The H2Ocean will heal it, and the Bactine will help keep it clean, heal it, and will partially numb it 😀 Repeat the process for about a week or until it heals and is no longer irritated. Make sure you don’t touch it unless you have washed your hands. Also, if it doesn’t get better in 2-3 weeks, try changing your nose jewelry. You could be having an allergic reaction to the jewelry.
