I “accidentally” put Vicks vapor rub on my nose piercing bump, what will happen?

[Anonymous]

So I was just asleep, and I started to cough a little and it caused me to wake up. I had a headache as well so I reached for my Vicks in the dark and applied it to my chest, forehead and nose. It’s like second nature to me. Unfortunately I forgot about my nose piercing and the new bump that recently got there. The jewelry is a bit too big now hence the irritation bump. It didn’t burn or anything. But I wiped it off. My latino family swears it fixes everything lol, they literally rub this in their eye haha. I won’t lie, I was hesitant to wipe it off since I wanted to see if it’d actually work to get rid of the bump. Has anyone ever been risky and tried it?

[Oliverlogan263]

Applying Vicks VapoRub to a nose piercing bump is generally not recommended for a few reasons:

• The ingredients in VapoRub are not meant for open wounds. They could potentially irritate the irritated piercing site further and cause more inflammation.

• VapoRub contains menthol and camphor which can be drying and irritating to sensitive skin. This could prolong the healing of the piercing bump.

• Oily or greasy substances like VapoRub can clog the pores and trap bacteria at the piercing site, potentially causing infection.

• Since you already wiped it off, the main risk has passed. But I would avoid applying VapoRub again to the piercing bump going forward.

• Instead, focus on proper aftercare for the piercing:

- Saline soaked gauze or saline spray 2 times a day to keep it clean.

- Avoid touching or moving the jewelry.

- Consider downsizing the jewelry to a smaller gauge to minimize irritation.

- Speak to your piercer about options to heal the bump. They may recommend a titanium flat back labret stud or time to fully heal.

• Most important - do not use any home remedies, essential oils, creams or other substances on the piercing site. Stick to sterile saline solution only.

So in summary, while applying VapoRub one time has likely not caused major issues, I do not recommend continuing this practice or applying it again to the nose piercing bump. Focus on saline cleaning and speaking with your piercer for the best chance of healing the piercing properly. Let me know if you have any other questions!

[EmmaMary]

It will probably grow to the size of Pinocchio's.

[EmmaMary]

Thank you for the MHO.

[DrKrieger]

You get a super power

[Anonymous]

Nothing bad will happen.