Take Care Of Your Nose Piercing With These 5 Simple Steps

For those interested in dipping their toes (or should we say nose) into the realm of body modification, nose piercings can be a perfect choice. Stylish and relatively simple in terms of procedure nose studs and rings have gained quite a large following in recent years, thanks to social media. Even if you already have other piercings, you may still want to get your nose done too. 

After all, it sits between two of your face's most prominent features; your eyes, and mouth. Thus, adorning your nose with a lovely piece of jewelry can add some fun interest to your appearance. Fortunately, a nose piercing tends to be less painful and more straightforward than other body mods though it obviously depends on whether you're opting for a nostril, septum, or rhino piercing. 

It also heals relatively quickly (anywhere from two to nine months, depending on your piercing placement and the type of jewelry used). Nevertheless, they can get infected, leading to pain and problems such as scarring. Choosing a great studio and an even better piercer is essential. But after it's done, the fate of your piercing is in your hands, and it largely depends on aftercare.

As you likely already know, a piercing creates an open wound. Because one in the general area of your nostrils or septum sits close to veins and your sinus cavity, keeping it clean and infection-free should be your top priority. It may be tempting to play with your jewelry, but resist the urge! If you do need to adjust it, make sure you wash your hands well before touching the piercing. 

Additionally, you'll want to avoid other potentially problematic substances coming into contact with it, so no swimming in pools or soaking in hot tubs, baths, or saunas. Thankfully, surgeon Stephen Warren, MD, confirmed with Healthline that showering is perfectly okay. Though you should play with your jewelry as little as possible, there is one occasion when you must get hands-on — when cleaning it. 

The first step is thorough hand washing, taking care to clean around and under your fingernails in particular. Next, prepare your materials, which typically include a saline solution and a wipe or piece of gauze. Saline solutions for cleaning piercings can be found online or in stores, or you can make your own with a simple online recipe.

When ready, clean your piercing by saturating the area with a saline solution. Don't wipe it with a cotton swab or a cloth whose fibers could get stuck on your jewelry and tug it. Instead, gently pour on the solution or apply it with a wipe. Many piercers recommend against turning or twisting the jewelry while doing this, but yours should send you home with specific instructions. Don't forget to clean both the inside and outside of the piercing, which is especially important for nostril piercings. 

Remove any crusty buildup or drainage carefully with a wipe or gauze. Finally, pat it dry and then leave it alone. Most shops advise cleaning your new nose jewelry twice daily for the first few weeks. Pain and tenderness are par for the course, but anything beyond minor discomfort, along with redness, swelling, or excessive discharge, necessitates a trip to the doctor. As board-certified dermatologist Rachel Nazarian, MD, clarified to Byrdie, "The surrounding skin area might be slightly pink following the piercing, but not exquisitely painful or tender." 

There are so many awesome nose studs and rings out there, but you should wait to switch up your look until your piercing has fully healed. The time it takes for a full nose piercing recovery varies from person to person. But you'll know once all discomfort and discharge have subsided. Taking good care of your piercing during those first few weeks is super important, so don't skimp on it.