Which is the biggest beauty fail you’ve ever had? Does it have anything to do with a dodgy piercing or an ear or a belly button piercing that went horribly wrong, and you even had to go to the ER to have the infection treated? Although you survived those ordeals, you are now all grown up, and it’s time to make smarter, safer decisions.
Today, we look at the nose piercings and how to take great care of the piercing to avoid infections. We’ll also share tips on how to take care of a nose piercing if it gets infected.
Understandably, you may feel embarrassed for doing that thing or failing to follow the instructions for care, but you know what – now is not the time to feel sorry for yourself, but the time to take care of that nose piercing, whether you are done with the piercing or if you cannot wait to wear that nose ring you just bought. Remember that ignoring a small infection could cause significantly worse effects later on in your life. Therefore, you need to take the necessary steps to keep the piercing clean and uninfected, and if it’s infected, you must seek immediate help.
But first, how do you know that your nose piercing is infected?
How do you know if a piercing is infected?
As the nose piercing heals, you will experience some itching, a slight crust will form around the nose jewelry, and you may notice some whitish pus oozing from the pierced area. These are common signs, and you may experience them weeks later since a nose piercing takes as much as 6 months to heal fully.
However, if any of the symptoms above worsen or if they keep changing and if you notice a small bump developing, you may be in for trouble! Now, the bump doesn’t always mean that you are dealing with an infection since it could be a keloid, granuloma, or a pustule. However, you should seek medical attention or go back to the nose piercer if you experience throbbing, burning, or any other form of uncomfortable pain, an unpleasant odor accompanied by yellow/ green pus, or unusual tenderness around the pierced site. The other symptoms of an infected nose include swelling and redness.
With all the pain that comes with the infection of the nose piercing, you may be unsure of the next steps to take or the reasons why you had to suffer that much. We look at the reasons for the nose piercing infections in detail in the next sections.
The reasons your nose piercing is infected
Not everyone with a nose piercing gets an infection. Ever wondered why that is the case, despite your attempts to follow all the instructions from the piercer?
Well, there are different reasons why some people are lucky while you remain in the unlucky lot. Below, we look at the biggest causes of infections in the nose piercings.
Unsterilized (Infected) piercing tools
One of the most common reasons for nose piercing infections is the use of unsterilized piercing tools. One of the biggest and the most common culprit is the use of a piercing gun. While there are many piercers who prefer to use a hollow needles with the piercing gun because the hollowness of the needle would be gentler on the nose’s soft tissue, while also reducing significant damage, the piercing gun is the biggest cause of nose infections first because you cannot sterilize the gun fully, and also because regardless of the cleaning and sterilization steps taken, there could be bits of bodily fluids and tissues left on the gun from other customers.
The piercing gun has too many nooks and crannies, and it can never be 100% sterilized. So, to avoid the worst of it – the worst-case scenarios include winding up with HIV or hepatitis should a tainted gun be used. The other risk involved involves the increased risk of scarring for the guns.
So, to avoid the risk of infection and lifelong illnesses, avoid a piercer if they insist on using the piercing gun. If they are not willing to follow your advice or professional steps, then you should move on to someone who can. On the same note, bear in mind that you will spend more money on a good piercer, and this risk is worth it.
Touching
How many times do you touch your face throughout the day and before you go to bed? Well, if you are considering a nose piercing, it’s time to be self-conscious. You have to stop touching your face, especially the freshly-pierced nose, since the nose is extremely sensitive.
So, whether your nose is itchy, stuffy, or runny, you must not touch it, especially not with your dirty hands. Your hands are often dirty, and one innocent touch could increase the risk of infections because the surfaces around your home, office, stores, your phone, keyboards, doors, etc., are all riddled with millions of bacteria. You could easily transfer all that bacteria to your nose, and the next thing you know, you have an infection.
Bacteria in Swimming Pools, Baths, and other Bodies of Water
Generally, if you are having your nose pierced, you need to make sure that you are not planning a trip to the beach or even to the swimming pool. The risk of infection is increased in water bodies, and you need to stay far from water bodies, especially when you have a fresh nose piercing.
Water carries bacteria, and even when you wash you face then pat-dry the face and nose, the bacteria that will make it’s way to the pierced site will not be wiped off or die, but they’ll find the perfect breeding ground deep in the nose piercing, causing an infection. Therefore, you need to avoid all potential breeding grounds of bacteria, including your bathtub.
Note that the swimming pools harbor many germs and varieties of bacteria. The pools could also be a double-whammy for you if you have a new nose piercing because most of the chemicals used in disinfecting the pools, such as chlorine, are irritating to wounds, and they will irritate your nose piercing too. Although the irritation doesn’t necessarily mean an infection, that small irritation would mean a slower healing process for the piercing.
To lower infection and irritation risks, avoid contact with water bodies the first and the second week after the piercing. You may want to stick to your shower, too, during this period.
Wrong jewelry (metal)
The other potentially big cause of infections to your nose piercing would be wearing jewelry (nose ring) made of the wrong metal. By wrong metal, we mean a metal you are allergic to or sensitive to, which results in irritation and infection if the irritated area gets infected by bacteria. Even if you keep your hands from the itchy irritated area, the irritation lengthens the healing time for the piercing, and it also gives bacteria more opportunities for settling in and breeding.
The other causes of infections include:
- Failure to follow the aftercare instructions provided
- Injuries
How do you treat an infected nose piercing?
- Clean the piercing at least twice or thrice every day
- Cleanse the piercing with a sea salt soak
- Get a chamomile compress
- Try diluted tea tree essential oil
- Use a clean, warm compress
- Remove dry debris or dry skin from the affected area
- Do not remove the piercing if the nose is infected. Clean and treat it with the piercing.
- Change jewelry if there is irritation
- If the symptoms continue or worsen for 2 weeks, see a doctor (you will be treated appropriately).
Guys, thanks for reading, For more posts, Please go to our piercing tips section for more or visit our home page for more useful posts.
See you guys in the next post.
Tiger is a fashion&jewelry lover. He is also a fashion jewelry manufacturer that help thousands of small business to grow and also do business with some big fashion jewelry brands. He is a truly metal expert and he will share some information you are looking for.