How to Care for a Nose Piercing

There was a time when a nose piercing was daring and risqué, but now you see nose rings and studs on the faces of teenagers as well as their mothers. If you now have a piercing of your own, learning how to care for your nose piercing properly will ensure quick and painless healing.

Things You'll Need

• Small cooking pot
• Sea salt
• Cotton balls
• Cotton swabs
• Lavender essential oil

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Instructions

• 1

  Choose ring jewelry for a nose piercing, as studs are easily caught in hair and on clothing which can aggravate the tissue and delay healing. A ring is smooth on all sides and far easier to care for. After a few months when the piercing is fully healed, you can swap out the jewelry.

• 2

  Heat a cup of water on the stove and add 1 Tbsp. of sea salt. Allow the salt to dissolve completely and bring the water to a boil. Remove from heat and allow to cool to a comfortable temperature.

• 3

  Dip two cotton balls into the water and shake out the excess fluid. Place one cotton ball inside of your nostril so that it touches the piercing and hold the other on the outside of your nose. Leave the warm cotton balls in place until they cool and then repeat with two fresh, clean cotton balls.

• 4

  Wet the tip of a cotton swab in the warm salt water and hold onto the nose ring gently. Carefully wipe any hardened crust off of the piercing with the cotton swab.

• 5

  Soak a clean cotton swab in lavender essential oil and cover the jewelry. Move the jewelry through the piercing and coat again with lavender. Repeat a few times and then allow the oil to dry naturally.

• 6

  Reuse the salt and water solution as long as you always dip clean cotton into the water. Use the cooled water to clean any crusting from your nose piercing during the day; however, heat the water and repeat all the care steps twice daily until the piercing is fully healed.