Download How to Clean Your Nose Piercing

How to Clean Your Nose Piercing
Two Parts:
Cleaning Your Nose Piercing
Knowing What to Avoid
It is very important to keep your nose piercing clean, otherwise healing could be
delayed or you might develop an infection. Luckily, cleaning your nose piercing
requires very little time and effort - so there's really no excuses! See Step 1 below to
get started.
1
Part
Cleaning Your Nose Piercing
1.
1
Clean your piercing twice a day. Nose piercings should be cleaned twice a day once in the morning and once in the evening - until they are fully healed. Cleaning
your piercing too little may cause it to become dirty and infected while over-cleaning
your piercing can lead to irritation and delayed healing.
2.
2
Prepare a salt solution. The simplest way to clean your piercing it to use a salt
solution. To make a salt solution, mix 1/4 teaspoon of non-iodized sea salt in 8 oz. (1
cup) of warm water. Alternatively, you can buy a packaged sterile saline solution at
the chemist's.
3.
3
Wash your hands. Before you touch your piercing, it is essential that you thoroughly
wash your hands with antibacterial soap. Otherwise, bacteria from your hands could
come in contact with the piercing (which is essentially an open wound) and cause an
infection.
4.
4
Soak a cotton ball in the salt solution. Grab a clean cotton ball and dip it into the
salt solution. Gently press the cotton ball against your nose piercing and hold it there
for 3 or 4 minutes. Be careful when removing the cotton ball in case it gets caught in
the nose ring or stud.
5.
5
Pat the area dry with some clean tissue. After cleaning, gently pat the area around
your piercing dry with a clean cotton ball, a tissue or some paper towel. Avoid using
a towel to do this, as towels can harbour bacteria and snag on the ring or stud.
6.
6
Use a cotton bud to remove any crusting. You should also clean the underside of
the piercing to remove any crusting, otherwise it could tear the skin and cause the
piercing to become inflamed.

You can do this by soaking a clean cotton bud in the salt solution and using it to rub
around the back of the stud or ring inside the nostril.

7.
Don't rub too hard, as you might push the stud out of your nose.
7
Use a little lavender oil to promote healing. Lavender oil lubricates the piercing,
reducing tenderness and promoting healing. After cleaning, apply a little lavender oil
to the piercing using a cotton bud.

Twist the stud or rotate the ring to get the oil inside the piercing, then wipe away any
excess with a clean tissue (otherwise it could irritate the skin).

Lavender oil can be found at health food stores, at the supermarket or at the
chemist's. Make sure the bottle is labelled "BP" or "medicinal grade".[1]
2
Part
Knowing What to Avoid
1.
1
Avoid using harsh antiseptic products. Harsh antiseptic products such as
Bactine, Bacitracin, hydrogen peroxide, alcohol or tea tree oil should not be used to
clean nose piercings, as these can irritate and/or damage the skin, and prolong
healing.
2.
2
Avoid using make-up to cover the piercing. Do not allow make-up to come in
contact with the piercing, as it can clog it up and lead to infection. This also goes for
sun-tan lotion and any other cosmetic products.[2]
3.
3
Do not remove the nose ring or stud until the piercing is fully healed. Nose
piercings can close up within a few hours if the stud or ring is removed.

Forcing the stud back into the piercing after it has started to close can cause pain,
inflammation, and infection.

Therefore, it's important to avoid removing the stud or ring from the piercing until it is
fully healed, which can take 12 to 24 weeks.
4.
4
Avoid baths, hot tubs and pools. You should avoid submerging your piercing in a
pool, bath or hot tub water, as these often harbour harmful bacteria which could lead
to infection. But if necessary, you can cover your nose piercing with a waterproof
wound-sealant bandage (available in drug stores) to protect it.[3]
5.
5
Avoid sleeping on a dirty pillowcase. Dirty pillowcases are another potential
source of bacteria, so it's important to change your pillowcase regularly.
6.
6
Avoid touching the piercing unnecessarily. Avoid touching or playing with your
piercing - you should only touch it when you're cleaning it, after you have washed
your hands. It is not necessary to twist or rotate the stud/ring during the healing
process.