Treating Your Infected Nose Piercing at Home (and When to See a Doctor)

If you notice symptoms, like fever, redness, or tenderness, you may have an infected nose piercing and need to visit your doctor. To treat your infection at home, apply a warm compress to your nose with gentle pressure, so it can relieve some of the swelling. You should also make sure to remove any dried pieces of skin or debris from around the area, as well as wipe away any discharge you notice. As long as your nose piercing is infected, you should wash the area 3 or 4 times a day with either soap and warm water or a sea salt solution, which can serve as a natural antiseptic. Because nose piercings close very quickly, do not remove your piercing unless your doctor recommends it, or your nose could develop an abscess. For more tips from our Medical co-author, including how to prevent your nose piercing from becoming infected, keep reading!