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Infected Nose Piercing Causes: Signs, Abscess, Cleaning, Aftercare, Products

How do you know if your nose piercing is infected? Get insights on the signs a healing nose piercing, how to heal a nose piercing fast. Know more about nose piercing infection that won’t go away and more about nose piercing keeps getting infected, how to clean an infected nose piercing and aftercare products.

How do you Know if your Nose Piercing is Infected – Signs

Infected Nose Piercing Causes

Nose piercing infections are caused by bacteria, fungi and other micro-organisms. Infections usually result from poor nose piercing care. There are various factors that contributes to an infection, they include the following:

  1. Unsterilized piercing tools

Unsterilized piercing needle may contain bacteria that can cause an infection. You are supposed to ensure that all the piercing equipment’s are thoroughly sterilized using alcohol. The areas around the nose should also be cleaned using antiseptic detergent to kill the bacteria before the session.

  1. Touching the piercing with contaminated hands

Hands are constantly contaminated with different germs, touching the pierced area before washing them may transfer the germs to the pierced area.
You are supposed to resist the temptations of touching the piercing with dirty hands. You are only supposed to touch the piercing during cleaning time only and after washing hands using anti-bacterial soap and running water.

  1. Using public swimming pools and hot tubs

You may notice infected nose piercing bump a few days after swimming in contaminated public pools or using hot tubs. Such facilities may harbor different bacteria, fungi and other pathogenic micro-organisms that can cause an infection. Cover your piercing with a water proof bandage if you have to use such facilities.

  1. Using wrong piercing jewelry

Selection of a wrong jewelry may cause allergic reaction that may trigger an infection. It may delay the healing process, cause migration or rejection of your piercing. The material used to make the jewelry or the size may cause a reaction with your body. You need to select high quality jewelry.

  1. Injuries to the piercing

An injury may cause trauma to your piercing that may delay the healing process. You are supposed to be very careful when participating in sporting activities that may injure your piercing.

How to Clean an Infected Nose Piercing

It is important to keep your nose piercing clean. You are supposed to follow the aftercare instructions provided by your professional piercer strictly to prevent infections, migration rejection and to reduce the healing period. However, if your piercing is already infected, there are various cleaning tips you can use to control the infection. They include the following:

  1. Wash your hands thoroughly

Your hands should be clean before touching your nose piercing. Wash them thoroughly using antibacterial soap and running water. Dry them using a clean paper towels. It helps to prevent the transfer of germs from your hands to the pierced area.

  1. Prepare your cleaning solution

Prepare a salt solution by mixing a ¼ teaspoonful of sea salt in a cup of warm water and stir well to mix. You can also buy a readymade salt solution from a drug store or chemist. You are only supposed to use non-iodized salt when preparing the solution.
The salt solution is effective on how to clean an infected nose piercing fast. It helps in killing the micro-organisms that causes infection.
Alternatively, you can prepare an anti-septic solution by adding some antibacterial soap solution in water before cleaning. This solution also helps in killing the various bacteria that causes an infection on your piercing.

  1. Soak a cotton swab, Q-tip or sterile gauze in the cleaning solution

After soaking the cotton swab or Q-tip in the cleaning solution, dab it around the pierced area for a few minutes. Ensure the debris and dirty that accumulates around the piercings are well soaked before removing then to avoid bleeding. This may require more time to clean.

  1. Remove all the crusting

Ensure the crusting that accumulates around the jewelry are removed. Clean both the outer surface and inner surface of your nose. You are always supposed to be gentle while removing the crusting.

  1. Rinse your piercing

Using clean and warm water, rinse your nose to ensure that all the soap or salt residues are removed. Salt crystals may cause irritation when left on the piercing.

  1. Pat the pierced area dry

Use a clean paper towel to pat your piercing and the areas around dry. Avoid bath towel as it may harbor bacteria that causes infection. Towels may also snag on the ring to cause bleeding and irritation.  These tips will help you to know what to do if your nose piercing gets infected.
While cleaning your nose piercing, there is also a number of thing you should avoid in order to promote faster healing process. Some of the poor cleaning techniques and practices may predispose your piercing to infections that may delay the healing process. They include the following:

Nose Piercing Healing Signs and Stages

Nose piercing healing process varies from one person to the other. Some people may take 1-3 month to heal completely while others it may take up to a year. Good nose piercing care aids in promoting the healing process by preventing infections that may delay healing. Injuries can cause trauma to your piercing which may also delay the healing process.
When the piercing becomes dry and accompanied with some itching, it may be the first sign of healing. However, not all itching indicates a healing process. Itching is also a sign of an infection.
You need to be keen enough in observing the other signs of an infection such as redness, swelling and tenderness. The healing process undergoes through several stages as described below:
Inflammatory phase or stage 1
The first days from the piercing session is known as inflammatory phase. You may experience nose piercing pain in this phase. During this stage, the piercing is still fresh and you may experience normal bleeding, swelling and tenderness. The blood platelets and plasma penetrates the wound to form a clot that stops bleeding.
Proliferative phase or stage 2
This process may take several weeks or month. The body produces collagen or proteins to heal the wound. The edges of your piercing starts to heal during this stage. New skin cells will start to form on the edges toward the inner parts. The initial healing process will be complete toward the end of this phase.
Maturation phase or stage 3
This is the last stage of your healing process. The opening of your piercing will appear to be smother than before. You may notice presence of white discharge that are produced by oil glands to moisturize the piercing. However the healing process will depend on the way you perform your nose piercing care. Other factors such as skills and experience of the piercers can determine the healing process.

Nose Piercing Aftercare Products or Solutions

After piercing, there are various products that you need in performing the nose piercing care. Most of the products are found in piercing and tattoo shops. You may also find them from the supermarket. Such products are used in cleaning and to prevent infections from the affected area. They include the following:
Cleaning solutions
There are various antibacterial body piercing aftercare products that helps in the healing process of your condition. These solutions can be purchased from piercing shops, they are available in different brand names such as PurSan, Hypo care, NutriBiotic, Almay Clearly Natural and other color-free and fragrance-free antibacterial soaps.
The cleaning solution are added in warm water before rinsing the affected area. You are supposed to use such products to clean your piercing twice daily. Avoid using harsh chemical soaps that contain Triclosan as an active ingredient. They may cause irritation, bleeding and even trigger the development of bumps under the piercing.
Sea salt soak
Sea salt solution is recommended for new and infected nose piercing. It helps in killing bacteria as well as reducing swelling, tenderness and redness on the affected area. To use this product, you simply dissolve ¼ teaspoonful of sea salt in warm water.
Stir well to mix and use a cotton ball or swab to apply on the pierced area. After cleaning, rinse the affected area thoroughly using clean water and pat it dry using a paper towel.
The salt solution helps to initiate the healing process by stimulating the flow of blood on the affected area. You can soak the affected area in salt solution for some time before the normal cleaning. You should avoid using iodized salt or a strong salt solution for nose piercing care as it may cause irritations.

How to Take Care of a Nose Piercing, Aftercare Instructions

Therefore there are various aftercare instructions that you are supposed to follow strictly to avoid infections, rejection, migration and scarring. They include the following:

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