Are you thinking of getting your nose poked? This is how you avoid infection.

• An infected nose piercing can cause pain, pus, and an abnormal odor at the piercing site.
• You can use home remedies like a sea salt solution or a warm compress to fight the infection.
• To avoid infection, do not use skin care products until the piercing has healed and avoid swimming.
• For more tips, see the Insider Health Reference Library.

Although nose piercings are common, there is still a risk of infection, especially if the piercing is new and is still healing.

It is important that you treat an infected nose piercing as soon as you notice it. Otherwise, it could get worse, spread, and cost you unnecessary time, money, and doctor visits.

This is how you can tell if your nose piercing is infected and how to treat it if necessary.

Is my nose piercing infected?

If you've just pierced your nose, it's normal to experience swelling, tenderness, and redness, says Jeannette Graf, MD, certified dermatologist and assistant professor of dermatology at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine .

Any symptoms beyond that should be closely monitored for infection. Graf says that the signs of an infected nose piercing are similar to those of other infected piercings and can include:

• More pain than usual
• loss
• Unusual smell
• Pus leaking from the puncture site (white pus is usually a sign of a very mild infection, while green or yellow pus is a more serious infection)

Even just one of these symptoms can indicate an infection, says R. Peter Manes, MD, FACS , a rhinologist at Yale Medicine .

If you have a fever or severe pain, it is recommended to see a doctor as soon as possible.

How do you treat an infected nose piercing?

If your infection doesn't cause severe, persistent, or worsening pain, the first thing you can try is treating it at home using the following remedies:

• Warm compresses : Using a warm compress on the infected area can help reduce swelling. Using a clean cloth, soak it in warm water and gently apply it to the area.
• Sea salt solutions : Salt solutions are a natural antiseptic, says Graf. You can make it yourself by mixing about 1/8 teaspoon of salt into a cup of warm water.

If the infection doesn't respond to home remedies, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics , and if the infection results in an abscess, a swollen collection of infected pus, your doctor will likely need to drain it .

If you don't treat a severe piercing infection, Manes said the infection could spread to nearby areas of the face and, in rare cases, lead to a life-threatening condition called sepsis .

How to take care of your nose piercing to avoid infection

It is important to take care of your new nose piercing to avoid infection, especially if the piercing is new and fresh.

Piercers often give specific aftercare instructions to their clients. You can also follow these tips from Graf to avoid infection:

1. Only go to reputable piercing stores that use sterile techniques and hypoallergenic jewelry.
2. Clean the piercing in the morning and before bed with clean hands with soap or saline solution.
3. Avoid applying skin care products like sunscreens, creams, and serums around the piercing until it has completely healed, as these products can irritate the piercing.
4. Avoid touching or playing with the piercing as your hands can carry bacteria and cause infection.
5. Avoid swimming in natural water and pools until your piercing has healed, as the water can harbor bacteria.

It is very important to follow the steps above while the piercing is fresh and not fully healed. After that, you can become more relaxed with him.

"If your nose piercing has healed completely after several months, you can stop it as often as you like and even clean it with a mild, fragrance-free soap from time to time," says Graf.

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A new nose piercing can take four to six months to heal completely, says Graf. It depends on the person and the care with which the follow-up routine is followed.

Any piercing, including nose piercings, can become infected, causing discomfort in mild cases and fever, abscesses, and spread to other areas in severe cases.

This is why it is so important to take good care of your new piercing as soon as you leave the studio.

If you suspect an infection and it doesn't seem too severe, try cleaning the area with a saline solution and reducing the inflammation with a warm compress.

However, if the infection doesn't heal or gets worse after a week of home treatment, Manes says you should make an appointment with your doctor to have it checked out.

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