Nose piercing has been in practice since there have been noses and sharp things to pierce them with. Piercing your nose generally involves denser flesh than ear piercing, and the nose contains more bacteria than the average ear or belly button, so infections are common. People touch new nose piercings more often, which can introduce bacteria into the piercing and cause an infection under the skin. Cleaning a nose piercing infection is not difficult. Cleaning nose piercings that have become infected can be done at home unless you run a fever, see visible pus or experience severe swelling and pain.
Step 1
Wash your hands thoroughly with antibacterial soap and hot water. Dry them on clean paper towels rather than on a cloth towel that may have germs or bacteria.
Step 2
Pump a dot of antibacterial soap onto a clean cotton swab and gently swab the area around your piercing to soften and remove any dried or crusted stuff. According to the experts at the Association of Professional Piercers, you should not use harsh substances like alcohol, Betadine, Hibiclens, hydrogen peroxide or any over the counter ointments or creams because they can interfere with the skin healing around the piercing. Antibacterial soap is all you need to keep your piercing clean, even after it becomes infected.
Step 3
Rinse the soap away carefully with warm water. Blot your nose dry with a clean paper towel, being careful not to tug on or bump your piercing.
Step 4
Put a small spoonful of sea salt into a 5 oz paper cup. Don't put too much, a little pile about the size of your thumbnail is good. Fill the cup with the hottest water that will come out of your tap.
Step 5
Soak a clean cotton ball in the salt water solution and squeeze out most of the excess. Press this gently to the infected piercing. Hold the cotton ball against your nose until it cools off and then discard it. Soak, squeeze and apply a fresh cotton ball until you have been doing so for at least five minutes.
Step 6
Splash some clear, warm water on your nose to wash off any salt residue, and then blot is dry with a clean paper towel. Do this twice a day until the infection clears up.
Tips and Warnings
- Change your pillow case every night, or put a fresh, clean white t-shirt on over the pillowcase so that you have a clean surface to sleep on while your infection heals.
- Never remove jewelry from an infected nose piercing without consulting your physician or piercing professional, because this can prevent the discharge from draining and make the infection worse. If you see a thick, colored discharge that has a bad smell, red lines radiating out from the infection, or if you run a fever or become dizzy or nauseated, seek professional help immediately.
Things You'll Need
- Antibacterial soap
- Paper towels
- Cotton swabs
- Paper cups, 5 oz size
- Sea salt
- Hot water
- Clean cotton balls
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