Do Nose Piercings Get Infected Easily?
Nose piercing is an increasingly popular trend and can be a beautiful way to express oneself, yet infections often result due to germs and bacteria contaminating open wounds.
An ethical piercer sterilizes their jewelry before giving clear instructions for aftercare. Common causes of nose piercing infections include:
1. Unhygienic Practices
Nose piercings create an open wound inside of the nose, making them susceptible to infection from harmful bacteria and germs that live freely in our environment. Without sterilizing materials used for making the piercing, they could enter our bodies via this open wound – so it’s crucial that any professional studio you visit for nose piercing uses only sterile tools and sterilizes jewelry before inserting it in your nose.
New nose piercings require cleaning twice daily using a gentle cleanser and saline solution, available at most drugstores or you can make your own by mixing one teaspoon of table salt with two cups of water. Soak a cotton ball in this solution, apply it gently over your piercings, and feel for any discomfort (but this should not last too long!). A few slight stings should occur but should not cause significant discomfort.
At first, it is very important not to touch your new piercing with unwashed hands – particularly within the first month. Doing this will not only prevent infections but may also help keep it open if it starts closing up too early. If the piercing doesn’t seem to heal as intended, contact your piercer immediately as this could be due to lack of blood supply to its site.
Normal symptoms for healing nose piercings include pain, swelling and discharge; however if yours appears redder than expected or has thick yellow or green discharge then immediate medical assistance should be sought immediately. Other indicators of infection could be disruptively itchy or painful sensations or sensations as well as feeling hot to the touch.
Another common factor contributing to nose piercing infections is wearing jewelry that’s too long or tight, which can cause it to form a bump and be difficult to remove. To avoid this scenario, wait at least 6 months after healing has concluded before trying to change out jewelry on your own – instead visit your piercer who will choose something suitable to support the healing process while remaining comfortable for wear.
2. Not Following Aftercare Instructions
Nose piercings can add an extra bit of flair and style to your look, while simultaneously being an intense source of pain and discomfort. To maintain an attractive new nose piercing, follow an aftercare routine which includes cleaning it at least twice every day to eliminate bacteria buildup at its site and to keep germs at bay.
If you detect signs of infection such as redness, pain, swelling or pus buildup in your nose it is crucial that you seek medical advice immediately. Left untreated an infection in your nose could spread to other parts of your body resulting in serious health concerns.
Along with using saline solution to clean the piercing, additional measures such as antibacterial ointments or antibiotics may also be beneficial in combatting infection. A tea tree oil solution may also help kill germs while soothing skin around your piercing; just mix two to four drops of pure therapeutic-grade tea tree oil with an appropriate carrier oil such as olive or coconut oil before applying twice daily to the area around it.
Visit a reliable piercer who uses sterile equipment. Not only will this help ensure no infection, but it will also speed up your healing time and decrease any recovery times.
Piercing guns should also be avoided to lower your risk of infection. They’re designed to pierce quickly with one motion and may be difficult to control properly resulting in poor quality piercing jobs and additional tissue trauma. If in doubt about whether your piercer is using an appropriate needle or gun ask them!
3. Neglecting the Piercing
Nose piercings can be quite sensitive, so even minor infections can quickly cause it to swell up considerably and have an unpleasant odor; if these symptoms continue, medical advice should be sought as it could be more serious than just irritation.
Infections typically cause discomfort in the form of throbbing pain and tenderness in an affected area. You may even feel like you have fever; this is actually just your body trying to kill off bacteria that could potentially enter your bloodstream and be harmful.
Ouch! A common sign of nose piercing infection is pus or blood. People often panic at this sign; however, this may just be part of the healing process and should clear up on its own over time if left alone.
As a general guideline, it is advisable to clean your piercings twice each day with a saline solution from either a drugstore or your own creation by mixing salt into some clean sterile water. However, before touching anything to the piercing you should wash your hands first in order to reduce risk of infection and ensure hygiene.
Avoid touching the piercing with dirty fingers, using any cosmetic products nearby such as facial creams, perfumes or makeup that may irritate delicate nasal skin. Furthermore, do not swim until your piercing has completely healed as chlorine and bacteria from swimming pools could cause infections to arise.
Finding and following aftercare instructions provided by a reputable body piercer are two keys to reducing the risk of an infection during nose piercing. Listen to your piercer rather than peers who have had theirs done as everyone’s body differs and what worked for one might not apply to another.
4. Allergies
Nose piercings can make a powerful fashion statement, but it is wise to be vigilant when considering getting one done. Nose piercings are highly susceptible to infection in the first weeks after placement. Infected nose piercings may be painful and unsightly – though most cases can be cleared up by following some home care guidelines.
Nose piercings may produce clear or yellowish drainage that occasionally becomes cloudy or discolored, but any time that it changes color suddenly or becomes thick or oozy it could be an indicator of infection. Furthermore, swelling that’s tender to touch could also indicate infection.
If your nose piercing becomes infected, take immediate steps to treat it immediately. Allowing an infection to fester will only worsen its effects; failing to act may result in symptoms such as fever and an abscess forming that could even require hospitalization!
To treat an infected nose piercing, begin by soaking a cotton ball in salt solution and placing it against the piercing for five minutes. This should soften any crust or discharge around it while helping drain out pus or fluid build-up that has collected. After this treatment step has completed, rinse it off using warm water before patting dry with paper towels.
Clean the piercing with an antibacterial saline solution or rubbing alcohol and use a high-quality, medical-grade product for best results. Essential oils like tea tree oil may also help reduce swelling. To create your own homemade solution with tea tree oil, combine a few drops with coconut or almond oil as a carrier oil and dip cotton swabs in it, applying to the piercing twice daily.
Adherence to aftercare instructions is the best way to protect a nose piercing from becoming infected. Minor infections may be treated at home with home remedies; however, if any improvement doesn’t appear after 2-3 days of therapy then visiting a physician is necessary; they will prescribe antibiotics, clean the piercing correctly, and drain any pus or fluid accumulation from it.
