After get a nose piercing, the next facing issue is how to take care of the wound, directly how to clean the piercing wound. One of the best things for healing or irritated piercings is a saline soak.
A warm, mild saltwater solution irrigates, cleanses, and allows the cells to rejuvenate. Saline soaks keep the wound clean and can help with wound healing.
What to Clean Nose Piercings With
Use non-iodized, fine-grain sea salt for your soaks.Do not use coarse kosher salt or rock salt either, because their large crystals do not dissolve readily. Lastly, do not use Epsom salt; it is magnesium sulfate, which does not share the same properties as sodium chloride.
Sea salt has a long history of use as a curative.Many piercers sell or supply sea salt, so you might be able to get it at the studio when you go in for your piercing. Otherwise, look in the spice section, near the table salt, or in the natural foods aisle of your regular grocery store. It is routinely available in health food stores, or you can order it over the Internet from piercing supply vendors or food and spice websites. Natural sea salt is superior because it usually contains trace elements that are beneficial for health and healing.
An excellent-if more expensive-option is normal saline. It is isotonic (it matches the saline concentration of human blood ), which is what the sea salt and water recipe is intended to emulate. Normal saline is widely used in the medical field. It is a mild but effective cleaning agent and will not harm normal tissue, unlike many stronger antiseptics. This product is sold in drug stores and can be warmed for soaks.
Can You Use Contact Solution to Clean A Piercing
The saline products sold for contact lenses and ear or nasal irrigation sometimes contain additives that may not be suited to healing piercings. To be safe, a prepared saline solution should be used only if the label confirms that the container holds “isotonic saline” or 0.9 percent sterile saline without additives (meaning that it is, in fact, normal saline).
How to Make a Saline Solution Yourself
If you are making your own saline solution, the proper ratio is 1/4 teaspoon( not tablespoon) of fine-grain, non-iodized sea salt to 1 cup (8 fluid ounces/250ml) of clean warm water.
The correct proportions are critical. If the solution is too strong (hypertonic, or containing more salt than your blood), it can irritate your skin. If your soaks cause your skin to become dry, use a mixture of 1/8 teaspoon sea salt per cup of water. Premixing a large batch may be convenient, but it is safest to make a fresh solution every time you soak, as a stored supply can become contaminated.
How to Soak Your Nose Piercing
Pour normal saline into a clean container and warm it in a microwave or mix up the sea salt with warm water. The solution should be the temperature of a drinkable hot beverage. Distilled water is best, and bottled water is a second choice; depending on your local water quality, you may need to avoid tap water unless it is filtered or first brought to a full boil for a minute or longer and then allowed to cool sufficiently before use. Even if you believe your water supply is clean, should you experience difficulty healing, use cleaner water for your saline soaks and final rinses.
Soak your piercing in saline solution for five to ten minutes at least once or twice daily, optimally prior to showering (which will rinse away the salt crystals and piercing secretions) if you’re not on your way to the shower, follow your saline treatment with a thorough clear water rinse to remove any residue and debris from the wound, as dried salt crystals and piercing crusties are sharp and can cause damage.
Dry with clean paper products. Cotton swabs or sterile gauze squares are helpful. They can also be used to remove any stubborn matter that remains following a soak. Additional soaks to remove matter can last just a minute or two, but the brief duration won’t produce all of the benefits.
Depending on the location of your piercing, a mug, glass, or shallow bowl can be an appropriate soaking vessel.Just lean forward and seal the container of solution over the area to create a vacuum. Keep a clean cloth or paper towel handy in case of leaks.
Saturate a sterile gauze pad in saline solution to form a small compress for hard-to-soak spots. Disposable cups are a safe (if not environmentally friendly) option; you can also use clean kitchenware. Before use, clean reusable soaking containers in hot soapy water or in a dishwasher.
Depending on the location of the piercing, the soaking process can be challenging or awkward. The process can be time-consuming and seem like more trouble than it’s worth. Still, keeping up with soaks for at least the first few weeks will give your piercing maximum support during the early healing stages.
Summary
The saline soaking is a good way to help cleaning the nose piercing and help with piercing healing.
If you want to read more about nose piercing types, please read this blog All Types of Nose Piercings You Should Know in 2022.