Caring For Your Nose Piercing: 5 Tips For Newbies

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You always wanted a nose piercing. You liked the way they added an element of unique glamour to others' faces, and you wanted to embrace that same look yourself. But now that you have the piercing, you realize you have a few questions — namely, how do you keep such a piercing healthy and clean? The following tips will come in abundantly handy as you adapt to your piercing.

1. Only buy high-quality jewelry.

You'll see nose rings and nose pins for sale at most every flea market and bazaar, but that does not mean you should buy them. Cheap $10 and $20 rings are often made from nickel and other cheap metals that may irritate your skin and increase your risk of infection. It's better to invest in one or two sterling silver and diamond nose pins than to have a whole collection of ones that only serve to make your nose hurt. Visit a higher-end jeweler, and look at their selections. There are some really nice nose pins to be had for $200 or so, and they will save you money in the long run since they won't have you rushing to the doctor for antibiotics.

2.  Only remove the jewelry for cleaning.

It will take about six weeks for your piercing to complete the initial healing phase. During that time, you should clean the piercing as best you can without removing it. After the six weeks have passed, you can remove the jewelry, but you should really only do so for cleaning purposes. Nose piercings close up pretty quickly, so leaving your nose pin out overnight could be all it takes. Make sure you have a subtle, small diamond nose pin you can wear for more dressy occasions so you're not so tempted to take the piercing out completely.

3. Clean with salt water.

There are all sorts of cleaning solutions on the market, and they may be good for other piercings, like those in your ears. But in your nose, where the solution you use to clean can actually be breathed in if you're not careful, you are best off going with plain, old salt water. It will kill bacteria to prevent infection. Make sure you use non-iodized salt (sea salt works well). Many people find that if they apply it to a cotton swab, they can then wipe it on both sides of the piercing easily. This is another good reason to buy only high-quality diamond nose pins — the salt water won't corrode them.

4. Don't sleep on it.

Make sure you get into the habit of either sleeping on your back or on the side of your face opposite the nose pin. You don't want to sleep on the pin since this can push it against the septum of your nose and cause some irritation. Make sure you use smooth, silky pillowcases so that your nose pin does not get stuck on the pillowcase and rip out if you rub it against the pillow at night.

5. Be careful when blowing your nose.

If you need to blow your nose, do so gently. Most people have luck grasping their nose with the tissue just below where the nose pin is placed. Try to blow out of both sides of your nose at once as this decreases the pressure with which you blow, leading to less discomfort when the piercing is healing or when it is feeling sore.

If you adhere to the tips above, you should be able to keep your nose piercing healthy and happy! For additional advice, reach out to your piercer or a jewelry store that sells nose pins. 

6 May 2019