How do you treat an infection from a nose piercing that you did yourself at home - You already took out the jewelry?

Answer 1

First, it is never wise to do home piercings. Reputable piercers use sterilized equipment to minimize the risk of infection.

When you get any piercing, you should clean it every single day. The nose, lip, and tongue are at extreme risk for infection. The product SPECTRO JEL is often recommended by proffessional piercers .

When you get an infection with a piercing you should NOT take the piercing out, because then the hole is covered as the outer skin heals, thus trapping ifection inside the hole. (Just a tip for next time. If the hole is still open enough to put the jewelry in, put it back in now.)

Using the SPECTRO JEL , clean the area twice a day.

1. Take a q-tip , and put a glob of spectro jel on it.

2. Run the tap water until its HOT . or very warm at least.

3. Take the q-tip with the Spectro Jel, and get it wet with the warm water . Make sure the spectro jel doesnt completely wash away from the q-tip; you still want it to be there.

4. Take the spectro jel on the q-tip and rub it on the infection

If you have any crust around your piercing area, DO NOT PICK IT OFF. Take another q-tip, and run it under hot water. Take the wet hot q-tip and rub it on the crusty area. Work slowly, over several days, to remove the crust.

In between applications of the Jel, you can take a washcloth with the hottest water you can touch and hold the hot washcloth against the area as a hot compress. Hot compresses bring blood into the area. Blood has macrophages, which are cells that clean up infections in the body. Apply the compress for up to 10 minutes, then remove, pat the area dry and re-apply the Jel or any topical medication your doctor prescribes.

If the infection does not clear up within a couple days, you may need to see a family physician or dermatologist. The normal flora (normal bacteria and yeast) on the skin contains Staph. When the skin layer is broken and becomes infected, Staph is the most common infective bacteria. It grows fast in moist places and is terribly difficult to treat. You will likely need an antibiotic specific to the skin and for Staph infections. Note: Staph is responsible for the "flesh-eating" MRSA infections. Do NOT wait to see a physician!

Once again, NEVER try home piercings. It's just not worth it. What money you save by doing it at home, you will spend triple in medical costs to get the infection cleared. If you need surgery, the cost can be in the thousands of dollars.