How To Clean Your Nose Piercing With Salt Water

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Nose piercings are a great way to express your sense of style and individuality. 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!

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.^[1] 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 from a store.^[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. ^[6] 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 harbor bacteria and snag on the ring or stud.
- If you see any crusting develop over the piercing, resist the urge to remove it. The crust is your body's way of protecting the piercing.^[7]
6
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 lint-free cloth.
- 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 labeled "BP" or "medicinal grade".
- Avoid using any material with fibers that can get caught in the piercing. This includes cotton swabs, cotton balls, tissues, and toilet paper.^[8]

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.^[9]
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.^[10]
3
Do not remove the nose ring or stud until the piercing is fully healed. ^[11] 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.^[12]
4

Avoid baths, hot tubs and pools. You should avoid submerging your piercing in a pool, bath or hot tub water, as these often harbor 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.^[13]
5
Avoid sleeping on a dirty pillowcase. ^[14] Dirty pillowcases are another potential source of bacteria, so it's important to change your pillowcase regularly.
- A useful trick to avoid having to constantly clean your pillowcase is to cover the pillow with a clean t-shirt one night. the second night, turn the pillow around, the third night turn the t-shirt inside out and cover the pillow in it again, the fourth night turn the pillow around again. This way, a single clean t-shirt (this may also be done with a pillow cover) can provide you a clean pillow for 4 days.
6

Avoid touching the piercing unnecessarily. ^[15] 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.^[16]

Add New Question

Question

How can I convince my parents to let me get a nose piercing?

Roger Rodriguez, also known as Roger Rabb!t, is the Owner of Ancient Adornments Body Piercing, a piercing studio based in the Los Angeles, California area. With over 25 years of piercing experience, Roger has become the co-owner of several piercing studios such as ENVY Body Piercing and Rebel Rebel Ear Piercing and teaches the craft of body piercing at Ancient Adornments. He is a member of the Association of Professional Piercers (APP).

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Expert Answer

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The more informed you are as a young adult, the better your chances are that your parents will recognize that you've done your research and be open to letting you get it done. Consider visiting the website safepiercing.org or going elsewhere online to research reputable studios and your state's legal parameters on getting a piercing as a minor.
Question

How am I supposed to clean out any boogers that get caught or stuck on the piercing inside the nostril?

Just use some tweezers. Be careful because you don't want to pull out the piercing.
Question

What can I do if my nose haven't healed, and I start my new job which requires no nose piercings?

Go back to your piercer and ask them to put a clear stud in to hold the space.
Question

Can I go swimming in a lake with a new piercing even if the water is cold?

No. Do not submerge your piercing in a hot tub, bath, creek, lake, pool, etc. The bacteria in the water can cause an infection. Let the piercing heal for 12-24 weeks before you submerge it in any kind of water.
Question

Can I take my nose jewelry out at bedtime?

No. A piercing that has not healed will close up quickly if jewelry is removed. Nose piercings are especially prone to closing or healing over. No jewelry should be removed from a new piercing overnight, and it is not recommended to remove the jewelry overnight after the healing period.
Question

How can I take caution when showering with my new nose piercing?

Try using a sterilized band aid for a short time. Take it off when you get out and dry it really well, and then you should be good. The band aide will act as a protective layer so your piercing doesn't get caught on anything, and should keep it free of any harmful soaps that could potentially dry it out and cause irritation.
Question

How would I clean the inside of my nose piercing?

Soak a q-tip in a saline solution, and gently put it in your nostril. Wipe the sides your nostril to clean any crusties.
Question

Can I use hand sanitizer to clean my nose piercing?

No! Hand sanitizer contains alcohol, which will dry out your piercing and cause irritation.
Question

How do I wash my face with the piercing in?

You wash your face as you normally would, but just avoid your nose. Don't go near it, and don't get any soap or face wash in it either. You can follow up with toner and moisturizer as you normally would, but once again, take care to avoid the nose.
Question

Is it normal for a piercing to secrete pus for a year?

No, it should be healed within six months. Pay a visit to your piercer who may refer you to a doctor if the piercing is infected and isn't healing.

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Never stick your fingers up your nose if they are dirty, as this can cause an infection.
Have a nice hot shower as this can loosen any crust that is around the piercing.
Don't clean your piercing more than three times a day. This can cause the piercing to dry out and cause an infection.

Don't pick at any scabs (no matter how tempting it is) as you can get infections.
Always use a new clean cotton swab when cleaning the inside of your nostril, so you don't end up spreading germs from one place to another.
Don't use silver sleepers in place of the jewelry. The sleepers are dangerous as they can oxidize the wound and cause a permanent black mark in your nose called a argyria. They can also create allergic reactions.
See your doctor if there's a solid bump developing around your piercing. While some piercing studios recommend applying aspirin paste to these bumps, it's best to check with a doctor first. Keep in mind that aspirin may irritate your skin and make the bump worse. Additionally, long-term scarring can occur if the bump isn't properly treated.^[17]

Things You'll Need

Antibacterial soap
Saline Solution or sea salt
Lavender oil
Lint-free cloth
A clean plastic mug
Warm water

About This Article

Article SummaryX

To clean your nose piercing, prepare a salt solution by stirring a 1/4 teaspoon of salt into a glass of warm water. Then, soak a cotton ball in the solution and press it against your nose piercing for 3-4 minutes. When you're finished, pat your piercing dry with a clean tissue. You'll also want to clean the part of your nose piercing that's inside your nose by gently rubbing it with a cotton swab soaked in the salt solution. After you've cleaned your nose piercing, you can apply a little bit of lavender oil to help it heal faster. For tips on how to keep your nose piercing clean and infection-free, read on!

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