Infected Nose Piercing....help! - Beauty & Cosmetics Message Board

artsykid · 10-29-2004, 05:46 PM

Hey guys, I hpoe this is the right board to post this on. I got my nose pierced back in April and it keeps getting infected. It comes and goes and comes and goes. The reason why I am scared is cause I read something online the other day that said if your nose piercing gets infected it can possibly spread to your brain and you can die. Im like...what the???? I know so many people who have their noses pierced...I mean can that really be true? Anyway....Im sure some of you guys have piercings so I just need advice on what to use. Ive tried tea tree oil, sea salt, bactine ( that was bad, i know), and antibacterial soap but that dries out the whole area around it. I love my piercing and I dont want to have to remove it. And I cant anyway cause if I take it out while its infected the hole can close up and the infection can get caught inside. If anyone has any advice....please please help- it would be greatly appreciated. Take Care.

armadillo pie · 10-30-2004, 11:15 AM

I had my nose piereced many years ago while I was travelling along the western seacoast in India. There the guy took a pen marked the spot on my nose where he was going to pierce, took my nose ring ( which was a small gold hoop), open it up, and in a matter of seconds and shock on my part, jab it into my nose! I almost passes out, but my nose was pierced! Anyway, I was told to go into the ocean each day and let the sea water act as an antisceptint. It worked and it healed after a few weeks. When I changed my nose ring, I thought I bought a solid gold one but it must have been plated cause I got a terrible infection. Rubbing Alcohol really helped clear it up and I bought another nose ring that I made sure was solid gold.
Check the nose ring you are wearing, even though it may have been sold as gold, it may not be and that would cause infection. Also try the alcohol several times a day. My guess is the infection is due to the metal. Keep it clean daily. I do not wear mine anymore, but after that infection I did not have another one and I wore it for years.

mel1977 · 11-02-2004, 12:52 AM

you may have an allergy to the metal-I can't wear gold anymore, but Sterling Silver is okay (unless the gold is treated). Also, cleanse the ring hole with hydrogen peroxide and be sure to rinse it with water afterwards. You can soak the ring in the peroxide as well. You can also get some neosporin and apply it to the ring hole as well, maybe leave on overnight. Hope some of this helps-if it doesn't get better, go to your doctor.

JanieOlegre · 11-02-2004, 06:54 PM

Yeah, you might want to try changing it with a different type of metal. Be careful though.. I got a nasty infection and I tried changing it and within a few seconds of switching the jewelry the inside layer of skin closed up! Keep using that antibacterial soap... I use one with a moisturizer in it and it doesn't dry my skin. I'm really really doubtful of that infection thing... I mean that would have to be one nasty infection.

artsykid · 11-03-2004, 03:48 PM

Thanks for the replies....my jewelry is surgical steel so I dont think that can be causing it....but good news! I went and got some sea salt and some stuff at Whole Foods called Nutribiotic and its finally starting to get a little better. I am still using the antibiotic soap but only in the shower. I think the problem was that I was cleaning it WAY too much and it actually irritated the piercing and kept it from healing itself. I got some soap with Vitamin E in it so it doesnt dry it out. If the infection comes back yet again I think I will go see my Dr.