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What Are the Best Tips for Nose Piercing Aftercare?

Kelly Ferguson
Kelly Ferguson

When getting a nose piercing, the most important goal is to take care of the piercing properly while it is healing. Following proper nose piercing aftercare can mean the difference between a healthy, attractive new piercing and a painful, infected one which will likely lead to scarring on the nose or the surrounding skin. The primary aim in aftercare of any piercing, including nose piercings, is to keep the area clean and germ-free.

Do not touch the piercing until it is healed for anything except the aftercare cleaning routine. Touching the fresh piercing with dirty hands or objects throughout the day, even just to adjust the jewelry, can greatly increase the likelihood of transferring dirt and germs to the piercing site and can cause irritation and infection. Before beginning the aftercare cleaning routine, make sure to wash hands and all objects that will come in contact with the piercing in hot water with antibacterial soap.

Proper aftercare is essential for a nose piercing to properly heal.
Proper aftercare is essential for a nose piercing to properly heal.

Clean the fresh piercing at least twice a day, but be careful not to wash it too often, as this can be detrimental to the healing process. In most cases, a good piercing shop should provide detailed aftercare instructions. Follow these to the letter, because they will explain how often to clean the piercing, what cleaning solutions to use, and how long after the the piercing is performed that the aftercare instructions should be followed. It is important to use the cleanser recommended by the piercer, because many types of cleanser will be too harsh for the piercing to heal properly, and the piercer will have experience with which ones work best.

Sea salt may be mixed with warm water to create a solution that is used to soak a nose piercing.
Sea salt may be mixed with warm water to create a solution that is used to soak a nose piercing.

If in doubt, stick to a warm sea salt and water solution and gently flush the piercing area, soaking the area for at least 30 seconds at a time if possible. The salt has antibacterial properties that will help the wound heal, and the warm water will dilute the salt and make rinsing more comfortable and less harsh. Cleaning the area should not cause additional pain. If the nose piercing aftercare is very uncomfortable, return to the piercer and ask him or her to examine the piercing to make sure it is healthy, and ask for help with proper cleaning techniques.

Makeup should not be applied to a pierced area until it is fully healed.
Makeup should not be applied to a pierced area until it is fully healed.

Do not apply makeup or other products such as facial cleansers or moisturizers to the pierced area until it has fully healed. Also, it is very important to not change the jewelry too soon without the help of a professional piercer who can determine if the piercing is healed and healthy enough to handle a change of jewelry. Plan on keeping up the nose piercing aftercare and leaving in the same jewelry for at least several weeks but up to several months or a year depending on the area of the nose that has been pierced.

Discussion Comments

burcinc

I had a nose piercing in high school but my piercer was not a professional and did not give me any aftercare instructions. I pulled out my nose ring and put in a new one only after two weeks and kept changing them after that. Every time I changed my nose ring, my nose would bleed. It never properly healed. Eventually, I took the nose ring out and let it heal. Now, I have a purple spot under my skin that never goes away. It looks very bad.

I wish I had gone to a professional and I wish I had taken care of my piercing better. I didn't know that it takes about six weeks for the piercing to heal and that I'm not supposed to change the nose ring during this time.

turquoise

@ZipLine-- Are you doing sea salt soaks for your nostril piercing aftercare? Those are excellent. They help prevent infection and reduce inflammation. You can do them twice a day. Use boiled water that has cooled down a little bit.

If there is a foul smelling discharge from your piercing, it's infected. If you notice anything like that, see a doctor immediately because you may need antibiotics. The bump sounds like scar tissue but it could be filled with pus too. You should probably show it to your doctor just in case.

If you want to keep the piercing, do not remove the ring unless you're allergic to it. Otherwise the piercing will close immediately. If there is an infection, it can still be treated with the nose ring on.

ZipLine

I don't think that my nose piercing is healing well. It's red, painful and feels very hot. There is also a huge bump inside my nose right where the piercing is. I don't know what I'm doing wrong, I clean it once a day. My piercer just said to leave it alone.

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    • Proper aftercare is essential for a nose piercing to properly heal.
      By: olly
      Proper aftercare is essential for a nose piercing to properly heal.
    • Sea salt may be mixed with warm water to create a solution that is used to soak a nose piercing.
      By: natashamam35
      Sea salt may be mixed with warm water to create a solution that is used to soak a nose piercing.
    • Makeup should not be applied to a pierced area until it is fully healed.
      By: Andrey Burmakin
      Makeup should not be applied to a pierced area until it is fully healed.
    • Wash hands and all objects that will come in contact with the piercing.
      By: Lasse Kristensen
      Wash hands and all objects that will come in contact with the piercing.
    • It's important not to touch a nasal piercing until after it has healed.
      By: gemenacom
      It's important not to touch a nasal piercing until after it has healed.