It’s red, inflamed, and ugly—how do you soothe a raw nose?
We’re in the middle of cold and flu season, which means many of us are dealing with this problem now or will be dealing with it soon.
You can try to cover it up with makeup, but in the meantime, we have some tips to help you heal that irritated skin.
What causes a runny nose?
When you blow your nose repeatedly, it usually leads to a raw, sore and red nose. Every time you use a tissue, rub the skin of your nose. Over time, this causes that red, irritated look.
You may not realize you use tissues as often as you do. Besides, there’s not much else you can do when your nose is running. But if you’re watching, you may realize that you blow and/or rub your nose with a tissue several times—sometimes a hundred times!—a day.
All that friction on your skin leads to excessive peeling. You rub the skin raw. You also disrupt the skin’s outer barrier, which can cause sensitivity and leave the skin vulnerable to bacterial invasion.
Your runny nose is also probably wet. As it is exposed to air, the leather can become dry and cracked. If your cold continues for a week or more, you may even notice scaly skin or a scaly appearance.
It’s not just colds and flu that lead to this problem. If you have allergies, you may experience a raw, red nose year-round.
Talk about discouragement! The rest of your skin looks great, but there’s that red nose that ruins everything. What can you do?
How to relieve a raw nose: 7 tips
1. Pay attention to your tissues
Some tissues are softer than others. It can be tempting to buy the cheap ones, but if you blow your nose a lot, these will cause redness and irritation much faster than lotion-infused soft tissues.
Some people use pre-moistened wipes instead, believing they will be softer and cleaner than dry tissues. But this is usually a bad idea. They often contain fragrances, detergents, and other chemicals that can further irritate skin—especially sensitive skin.
A wet wipe will also leave your skin moist – speeding up the development of dry, cracked skin. Stick to dry tissues that are soft and smooth.
2. Apply moisturizing Balms
Just like you apply lotion after washing your hands (hopefully!), you’ll want to apply a moisturizing, protective balm after blowing your nose. Every time if you can, but as often as possible.
Blowing your nose has a stripping effect on your skin—it strips away all the oils that keep it hydrated. So you need to replace these oils and support the outer seal. Choose a product that locks in moisture while taming inflammation and soothing irritated skin.
We recommend Restorative Skin Balm to quickly heal a raw, red nose. Contains healing ingredients such as calendula, aloe vera, sea buckthorn oil and arnica, which help encourage skin regeneration. It also has carnauba and beeswax to protect the moisture barrier, while vitamin E helps with wound healing.
Castor oil, triglycerides and glycerin provide additional moisture, helping to counteract tissue damage and puffiness. You won’t find any clogging petroleum jelly ingredients — just a clear, unscented solution that can help keep your nose healthy even as you battle that persistent cold.
3. Use a humidifier
A dry, red nose is a sign of moisture loss. During cold and flu season, the air is often cold and dry. It will rob your skin of moisture, exacerbating dryness and resulting in chapped, flaky skin.
If you don’t live in a very humid climate, it may help to use a humidifier, especially at night. Place one in your bedroom as it will draw moisture into the air, making it less likely that air will steal from your skin. You’ll wake up with more hydrated, comfortable skin.
4. Monitor for infection
As long as you apply Restorative Skin Balm regularly, your skin will stay clean and healthy. The product has natural antibacterial ingredients that will help fight infection.
But if you’re not, watch for symptoms like oozing, pus, and a yellowish crust. These signal the presence of bacteria and inflammation. Clean the area gently and apply a topical antibiotic or consult your doctor.
5. Consider flushing the nasal passages
Especially if your runny nose is caused by allergies, a nasal rinse can help. You can try a saline spray rinse, which is simple to use and adds antibacterial action, or use something like a neti pot morning and night. It will flush allergens out of your nasal passages and could help you use fewer tissues.
If you’re dealing with a lot of mucus, these solutions can also help, as they will wash away the excess and could give you a break from blowing. Just make sure you always use distilled water. Never use a faucet as it may contain bacteria that could cause a vaginal infection.
6. Be careful with decongestant sprays
Over-the-counter decongestant sprays can provide relief from stuffiness and blowing, but they can make the skin inside your nose feel worse.
These drugs work by constricting the blood vessels in the nose, which can cause discomfort. It’s also possible to adapt to these medications over time, after which your symptoms could worsen.
So use them only as a last resort and only for a limited time — no more than three days.
7. Drink something steamy
You may have heard that chicken soup can help shorten the duration of a cold. Scientists have found that it may contain several anti-inflammatory substances that relieve the symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections.
A cup of eucalyptus tea can also help fight the bacteria that cause a runny nose. But anything you consume that is hot and steamy is likely to help relax the nasal passages and relieve congestion.
How do you manage a raw, red nose?
Featured image courtesy of Andrea Piacquadio via Pexels.
