Infection in a nose piercing can occur when the fresh piercing is exposed to bacteria. This can come from poor after-care techniques; inappropriate body jewelry materials; or by being exposed to dirty, bacteria-harboring conditions. After-care should consist of daily washing with a mild soap and soaking in a dilute saline solution. Topical ointments, wound-care creams, "piercing solutions" containing benzalkonium chloride and bandages should be avoided.
Jewelry can also cause an infection in a nose piercing. Appropriate materials for body jewelry include gold, stainless steel, platinum, titanium, niobium or glass. Other materials, such as acrylic and plastic, are meant as novelty pieces and should not be worn for extended periods of time or during healing; these materials can harbor bacteria and lead to an infection.
Symptoms of an infected nose stud piercing include heat, tenderness, extreme redness and swelling. The wound may begin to ooze rust or green-colored lymph as the body attempts to drain the infected area. Treatment for an infected nose stud piercing should be handled by a medical professional; the infection may require drainage and antibiotics.
Scarring is another common danger of a nose piercing. Visiting a piercer who uses proper piercing techniques and quality jewelry can minimize the chances of a scar, since proper piercing aims to minimize trauma to the pierced area, but anyone who is being pierced should know that it is possible to develop a permanent, sometimes severe, scar.
The amount of scarring will depend on the skin type of the person being pierced. Light skin may not show a scar, where dark skin may cause scarring to seem more prominent. Scars may appear before or after the jewelry is removed and will vary from person to person.
Treating scars can be attempted with over-the-counter scar remedies, or by more aggressive treatments--such as laser scar removal performed by a dermatologist.
Metal allergies can cause irritation in even the most benignly healed piercings, and nose stud piercings are no exception. While a piercer can take every effort to use a nonreactive metal in a healing piercing, sometimes the temptation of jewelry made from mixed metals or inappropriate materials can be too great. An allergy to the jewelry and materials used can cause irritation and swelling.
For many people, a jewelry allergy is synonymous with a nickel allergy. Nickel is used in gold, silver and stainless steel jewelry as a strengthener. This element can cause irritation of the skin. Appropriate, nonreactive materials include titanium; niobium; high-quality, nickel-free stainless steel; and glass. These materials will not cause a nickel allergy and changing to one of these options may stop irritation in a nose stud piercing.