what does an infected nose piercing look like

adminWq October 22, 2024October 22, 2024 infected nose piercing

In this article read all about infected nose piercing. If the nose piercing has become infected, it not only looks unattractive but also hurts, festers, and may bleed. But how can a nose piercing become infected? How do you know that you have an infection and what can you do to heal the wound? And how can you prevent the nose piercing from becoming infected again? You can find answers to these questions here.

What can cause a nose piercing to become infected?

Inflammation of the nose piercing can occur not only directly after piercing but also at any time later and can have many causes.

However, the likelihood of infection is greatest during the healing period. As this is quite long the piercing channel is still sore. This gives pathogens plenty of time and makes it particularly easy to penetrate the wound on the nose and cause an infection. The piercing jewelry is also still in direct contact with tissue. And blood during the healing phase naturally moves a little. Which further irritates the wound and encourages the penetration of germs. Possible reasons for pathogens to penetrate and cause an infection in the nose piercing that has not yet healed could be:

that the piercer did not work sterilely (enough) when piercing
that the piercing was not adequately cleaned and disinfected during the healing period
that a lot of movement or scratching on the still sore piercing causes

Other causes of inflammation of the nose piercing during healing could be:

that the piercing was not done optimally
that an allergic reaction to the material of the piercing jewelry occurs
that there is a pre-existing condition that delays or even prevents healing

A nose piercing that has already healed, however, does not become infected just like that, because the piercing channel, which is now surrounded by healthy skin, does not normally offer germs any opportunity to get into the tissue and blood. If a nose piercing that has already healed becomes infected, a new wound must have formed beforehand, for example, if the skin tears again. A small injury is enough, however.

Another possible reason for a healed navel piercing to become infected is

that an allergic reaction may occur when changing piercing jewelry, especially when changing the material.

What symptoms indicate an infection of the nose piercing?

Symptoms of an infected piercing can be:

redness
warming
Pains
swelling
hardening
suppuration, bleeding

The first sign of complications with a nose piercing is redness. This at least indicates that the wound or skin is irritated. This does not necessarily mean that the nose piercing is becoming infected, but it can be a warning sign and should therefore be monitored closely. If you also feel it warming up, an infection is very likely. It is almost certainly infected if the piercing hurts when you touch the jewelry or the surrounding skin, or even if it hurts on its own. The situation becomes threatening if swelling or hardening occurs, or if the piercing festers or even bleeds because these symptoms make it clear that the body is defending itself against the piercing.

What should you do if your nose piercing is infected?

DOS	Don’ts
leave jewelry in	remove jewelry
disinfect	touch
cool	pushing around
to the piercer	Apply cream/ointment
Find the cause	wait too long

If you have an infected nose piercing, you should not remove the jewelry, otherwise the infection could become encapsulated. You should also not play around with the piercing or press on it to squeeze out pus, for example. All of this will only irritate the skin further and introduce more germs. As a first aid measure, the nose piercing should only be disinfected carefully, of course with clean hands and utensils such as cotton swabs or cotton pads. If necessary, it can also be cooled slightly. Under no circumstances should creams or ointments be applied, as they could block the piercing channel.

However, since disinfection alone cannot cure the infection, a visit to the piercer or doctor is unavoidable, because an infected navel piercing is not to be taken lightly and professional help is urgently required. The faster you act, the better. Under no circumstances should you wait too long. The piercer and doctor can treat the inflammation properly and recommend the right tips and medication for further care at home. You can get this from the piercer quickest and can also have it changed sterilely at the same time. The local antibiotic Tyrosur is also often recommended, which kills the germs and thus heals the inflammation.

How can irritation and inflammation be prevented?

The most effective preventive measure against nose piercing jewelry becoming infected is regular and correct care, especially during the healing phase. The freshly pierced piercing should be cleaned of wound secretions. And scabs as instructed by the piercer, e.g. with a little warm water or, better yet, with disinfectant, as this also means that the recommended disinfection is already done. In addition, you should avoid solariums and swimming pools or lakes/seas as long as the nose piercing has not yet healed, as there are many germs here that could infect the wound.

You can also make sure to use high-quality jewelry made of compatible materials to prevent the nose piercing from becoming infected. When changing jewelry, disinfection is essential, even if the piercing channel has healed.