When a properly-trained body piercer performs a nostril piercing, complications are rare, but they do sometimes occur. The biggest dangers related to nostril piercings are improper jewelry and inadequate cross-contamination procedures. When choosing a piercer, ask to see a portfolio of prior work, and ask if the shop is certified by the Association of Professional Piercers.
Gun Piercing
Piercing guns, unlike needles, cannot be autoclave sterilized. Without autoclave sterilization of instruments and jewelry, it is possible to pass bloodborne pathogens from one person to another. According to the UCLA Department of Medicine, the most common infection transmitted via piercing guns is Hepatitis B, although it is possible to contract Hepatitis C or HIV as well. Another danger of using a gun for a nostril piercing is that a stud earring is inappropriate jewelry. The stud is not long enough to allow for swelling, which can cause the jewelry to become embedded and require a painful and expensive trip to the emergency room to remove. In extreme cases, surgery has been necessary. Piercing guns also cause unnecessary tissue trauma by using the stud itself to create the hole, as opposed to a cannula needle, which makes a clean slice through the piercing site. To prevent jewelry from becoming embedded, a nostril piercing should always be performed using either a captive bead ring or nostril screw.
Metal Allergy
Some jewelry, particularly that made of nickel, can cause a metal allergy. Possible complications include contact dermatitis, eczematous rash or, in extreme cases, piercing-induced asthma. Some people are allergic to gold and silver as well. The UCLA Department of Medicine and several professional piercers have reported instances of granuloma induced by metal allergy. Granulomas are nodules caused by an immune response that require treatment by excision or steroid injection. Professional piercers generally use jewelry made of surgical stainless steel, the metal least likely to cause allergy in the majority of people. Those who are sensitive to surgical steel can ask for jewelry made of titanium.
Keloids
Nostril piercing can lead to scars and keloids, prominent raised areas of scar tissue. The Western Journal of Medicine describes a keloid as "an abnormal overgrowth of fibrous tissue following injury in certain predisposed persons." Predisposition is prevalent in African-Americans, who are advised to carefully consider facial piercings. Treatment of keloids includes excision and steroid injection as well as cryotherapy, in which liquid nitrogen is used to freeze and destroy diseased tissue. If steroid injections are used, keloid formation can recur when the injections are stopped. Keloids are often the result of infections, so those who are prone to excessive scarring are advised to be particularly careful when choosing a piercer and diligent about aftercare using sea salt soaks and antimicrobial soap.
References
- Infinite Body: Nostril FAQ
- Western Journal of Medicine: Common Complications of Body Piercing
- UCLA Department of Medicine: Common Complications of Body Piercing
- Dermatology Online Journal: Successful Treatment of Granuloma Faciale with Tacrolimus
- Bio Skin Rejuvenation: Preventing Keloid Formation After Surgery
