Nose Piercing Bump On Nose, Inside and How to Get Rid

Getting a nose piercing bump is a common concern. Bumps could occur inside the nose, on the piercing or next the piercing. This article will discuss what nose piercing bumps are and what causes them. You will also discover useful tips on how to get rid of such bumps. 

Bump on Nose Piercing

It is very common for small bumps to form on nose piercings. This could be the result of infection. Remember the cartilaginous nature of nasal tissues means that it doesn’t heal as easily as flesh and it is more susceptible to infections.

The bumps on nose piercings commonly form after a few days or months. In some cases, such bumps form because of trauma to the piercing e.g. when it has been tugged or knocked, and if the stud or ring has been removed and re-inserted resulting in damage to the tissues around the wound. They are characteristically raised and red in color as you can see in the picture below:

When bumps occur on your piercing on the nose, it is important to take appropriate measures to ensure that they don’t develop into scar tissues.

In some cases, the cause of the infection leading to the bumps is the choice of the jewelry (nose stud, ring, or screw). You should ensure that you wear only quality titanium, surgical stainless steel, and niobium jewelry. Don’t go for the cheap, free jewelry that some piercing shops might offer as this can easily cause infection.

That said you should avoid changing the jewelry until the piercing has fully healed as this can cause irritation and even infection to the nose piercing, which could be manifested in bumps. Should you however feel that the choice of jewelry could be the cause of bumps on the piercing consider seeing the piercing professional who pierced the nose rather than changing it on your own.

The piercing professional will help you choose the right size and insert it in for free.

Nose piercing bumps could as well be due to granuloma. Granulomas result from overgrown body tissues and are usually not harmful and don’t signify infections. Granulomas are however fragile and could easily bleed if disturbed e.g. when cleaning the piercing. They can also drain a clear fluid. They respond well to hot compresses (see below).

On general scale, bumps on a newly pierced nose clear away on their own after a short while and with small interventions such as hot compresses (more on this later) but should they appear to be persistent and refuse to clear away after a few weeks, you should consider seeking medical attention as ignoring the bump could result into large scars on the piercing.

Your doctor will prescribe some antibiotics and other medications to get rid of any infections.

Nose Piercing Bump Inside

Some people experience nose piercing bumps inside their nose. This may be a sign of infection. Using simple home remedies such as sea salt hot compresses and tea tree oil, among others (see below) can help to get rid of such a bump.

A bump inside the nose may also be an indication that the jewelry used is not of the right size. You should however not change the jewelry on your own if the piercing on the nose has not fully healed. Instead seek the help of a professional piercer.

A bump inside the nose can also occur as a result of irritation resulting from a change of nose jewelry even after the piercing has healed completely. Such a bump will often easily clear with tea tree oil dap or any other remedy.

Bump Next To Nose Piercing

So you have finally made the decision to get your nose pierced but a few days or weeks down the line, the unthinkable has happened; a red, ugly, bump has formed next to the nose piercing. What should you do to get rid of the bump?

This maybe or may not be a result of infection. The first step should be to try a hot sea salt solution compress. If that doesn’t help, you may consider using other remedies such as teat tree oil, chamomile tea etc or using an over-the-counter antibiotic cream or gel.

If the bump remains next to your pierced nose after three weeks of these remedies or keeps growing, consider seeing a doctor.  (See the “How to get rid of nose piercing bump” section below for more information on treating a bump next to a piercing on the nose.

If the bump seems like a scar and doesn’t produce and fluid, it could be a keloid; consider seeking medical attention.

Infected Nose Piercing Bump

Not all  bumps on a pierced nose signify an infection. So how do you tell if what you are experiencing is an infected nose piercing bump?  Well, infected ones tend to look like a small pimple and could have some pus.

Pus is the most certain way of telling that you are dealing with an infection and if a pus-filled bump is left untreated, the infection could progress into an abscess or pustule. This is a hard lump that often forms under the skin as a reaction by the body in an attempt to isolate a chronic infection.

Although nose piercing infections are unlikely to occur if proper aftercare measures are adopted, a tender, pink lump that looks like a pimple is a sign of infection. You should consider seeing your doctor for medical treatment of infected bumps on a pierced nose.

How to Get Rid of Nose Piercing Bump

Here is how to get rid of bumps on a pierced nose with simple home remedies:

Hot compresses: this is one of the easiest ways to get rid of a nose piercing bump at home. A quick way to do this is to soak a clean cotton ball in a hot sea salt solution and pressing it on the bump until the heat dissipates. Repeat the procedure for ten minutes three times a day until the bumps clears away (usually in 4-5 days).

Make sure that the sea salt solution is hot enough for the heat to penetrate the bump but not so hot as to burn the skin. It is advisable to rinse the nose with some warm water after this procedure to prevent salt from drying inside the nostril. This home remedy can get rid of piercing bumps very fast by clearing the underlying infection.

Chamomile tea

Chamomile tea is yet another simple but very effective way to get rid of bumps at home that result when you pierce your nose.

Directions: to a pot of warm water, add one or two chamomile tea bags. Compress the tea bag on the bump until it dissipates all the heat. Re-dip it in the pot and repeat the procedure for about ten minutes three times a day.

Tea tree oil

Applying tea tree oil to the affected area is also a great way to heal a nose piercing bump.

Directions: add a drop of tea tree oil to any skin-friendly oil such as jojoba oil or olive oil before applying it to the bump on the piercing with a cotton ball. Repeat this procedure 2 times only since an overuse of tea tree oil can cause drying of the skin.

Aspirin

Owing to its anti-inflammatory properties, applying aspirin to a piercing is also very effective in getting rid of a bump developing.

Directions: Dissolve an aspirin tablet in a small glass with a little water and shake it thoroughly till it dissolves. Apply the resulting suspension on the piercing every day before bedtime.

Topical antibiotic creams and gels

Applying over-the-counter topical antibiotic gels and creams can also help to get rid of  piercing bumps. They are easily available in most drugstores.

Getting rid of Nose Piercing Bumps,  When to See a Doctor

Nose piercing bumps will in most cases respond well to the above remedies and treatment options, but you should consider seeking the attention of your doctor if:

• You notice scar tissue formations e.g. keloids. These typically require surgical intervention.
• The bump seems persistent and doesn’t clear away after three weeks of home remedies and treatment or even gets worse.
• The  piercing bump produces a thick smelly discharge and is accompanied by other symptoms such as fever and dark streaks around the piercing.