Have you gotten your nose pierced lately? If you have, you may want to check out the signs of an infected nose piercing looks like. Learn how to treat the infected nose piercing, when is the time to see doctor. Also, we also talk about how to prevent and take care the nose piercing getting infection.
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How to Identify If Your Nose Piercing is infected?
3 Signs of Infected Nose Piercing
Regardless of the position, a piercing is still an open wound, and nose piercings are no exception. Nose piercings can either be done on the septum or at the high nostril mark. Each spot has attributes that are specific to the piercing area. In general, however, there are basic signs that a facial or body piercing may be possibly infected.
Sign 1: Swelling
The first sign is increased swelling on or around the area. Swelling is usually a sign that the body is fighting an infection. There may also be discolorations around the area. You may notice a darkening (if you have a deeper skin tone) or sudden reddening (for fairer complexions). The reddening is localized and is usually very specific to the space adjacent to the piercing.
Sign 2: Discharge
The next sign of a moderate or severe infection has a discharge. The body produces different kinds of discharge, depending on the situation. A clear discharge usually is nothing to be worried about. However, when the discharge starts turning into other colors like green, yellow, and even dark brown, there is something wrong. Brown discharges from wounds, particularly, might mean that there are some busted capillaries, and you are bleeding from that particular wound. Piercings should not exude such fluids at all, even if the piercing is only a few weeks old.
In some cases, people who have gotten piercings may also notice a persistent warmth around the piercing itself. Persistent warmth takes place when there is an additional supply of blood in the area. What does this mean? Additional blood supply might mean that the body is fighting off an infection. It is sending more blood to an infected area to ensure that there are sufficient antibodies and white blood cells to combat it. Usually, swelling, persistent warmth, and unusual discharges arrive together when there is a severe infection.
Sign 3: Sick
And finally, we have the most dread symptoms. In rare circumstances, some piercing fans develop high-grade fevers and feel nauseated a few days or weeks after they have gotten new piercings. High-grade fever is associated with bacterial infections.
How to Treat Your Nose Piercing Infection at Home?
How to treat your infected nose piercing?
It is common for all kinds of fresh piercings to exhibit signs of mild infection. If you have never gotten pierced before, certain things will happen regardless of how well you take care of your piercing. Among the things that you will notice on the piercing site after the procedure is some throbbing, heat, pain, and sometimes a small amount of blood. A clear discharge that dries to crystals that stick to the vicinity of the piercing is also common. These are all regular events.
What should you do when you spot signs of infection on the piercing site?
What do you do if there is a painful bump forming over the piercing?
Cleanse the area with a saline solution
You can also use any commercial cleansing solution that your professional piercer recommended to you. Bumps can mean anything from slight inflammation to keloid formation over the piercing. To be on the healthier side, we will treat it as a possible sign of infection. If the pain persists, be sure to give your GP a quick call to make sure.
For immediate relief of a swollen area, you may use either a cold compress or a warm compress. Warm compresses are more commonly used in this case. It is said that adding warmth to a swollen area speeds up blood circulation and removes toxins and excess fluids in the affected area.
How to Clean and Take Care of a Nose Piercing
Cleaning a nose piercing two to three times per day is imperative if you want to maintain your piercing health. While it is highly unlikely that your piercer did not give you any specific instructions on how to clean your nose piercing, we’re going to assume that you don’t know so that we can outline the steps.
DO: Using commerical saline soluation
The most common solution for washing different kinds of piercings is a commercial saline solution. Get a clean cloth and dip the end into a cup containing the saline solution. Work carefully on the area surrounding the nose piercing if there is any blood or crusting, dab on the crusting to remove it.
DON’T: Rub or scrub the piercing
Do not, under any circumstance, rub or scrub your piercing. It will cause you immediate, regrettable pain. Also, rubbing the affected area will increase the likelihood of irritation, which may become a precursor for other problems.
We also advise you not to use antiseptic agents like Betadine, rubbing alcohol, chlorhexidine, and hydrogen peroxide. It’s not that they don’t work, but these antiseptic agents all tend to dry skin. They are not appropriate for healing deeper open wounds like on your nose right now.
Related post: Dos and Donts for Nose Piercing and Aftercare
How to Prevent a Nose Piercing from Becoming Infected?
The top advice we can give to people who want to prevent infections on any of their piercings is to avoid touching their piercings. Don’t play with the post or barbell, either. Leave your piercing alone and mind it when you need to clean it. Our hands are always coming into contact with pathogens, and bringing your fingers close to the piercing only increases the risk for infection.
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When is the Time to See Your Doctor?Â
When to see doctor if your nose piercing is infected?
If your piercing feels any different and exhibits any severe signs of infection, consult with your physician ASAP. It never hurts to consult with a GP quickly, so it’s best to make sure. If you developed a high-grade fever day after getting a piercing, that is a severe symptom. Visit your ER ASAP.
How Long Does Nose Piercing Take to Heal?
Nose piercings heal differently depending on where the piercing is located. Generally, the healing process requires a handful of months before the ‘seasoning’ stage, where the piercing finally becomes fully healed.
