We’ve all experienced the painful, raw, red nose that accompanies the stuffiness cold weather usually brings on. While it’s common, it’s also annoying and painful.
Almost everyone has experienced a cold and therefore, the seemingly endless running of your nose. While that’s inevitable, developing a raw nose isn’t. So how do some people get them?
According to Dr. Umair Khan, board-certified dermatologist and Medical Director of Resident Education at The Dermatology Specialists, “When you blow your nose often, the repeated rubbing can irritate and damage the natural skin barrier. Once that barrier is damaged, even gentle wiping can be uncomfortable, so it’s important to see your dermatologist early on. We can help get your allergies, eczema, or any lingering skin infections under control. “
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Other causes? Well, chronic rubbing certainly can result in chapping of the nose. When you’re consistently (sometimes a hundred times a day!) blowing your nose and rubbing off the excess, it can over exfoliate the area, resulting in raw skin cells.
Also, wetness from a runny nose can result in a chapped, red, scaly appearance.
So, first things first: We’ve got to figure out a way to fix the root of the problem and decrease the amount of chapping by decreasing the rubbing or decreasing the runniness of your nose.
The key is to use something mild, but effective.
Something like a mild hydrocortisone can help prevent this, which you can get over the counter. A 1% hydrocortisone used for a week or two can really help with some of the inflammation secondary to chronic running and wetness of the nose.
If the hydrocortisone 1% that you use for a week or two does not work, then go see your dermatologist for something a bit stronger.
Another method is to be aware of what type of tissues you’re using to blow your nose. Toilet paper and paper towels are often convenient, but can make the issue much worse due to the rougher texture.
Opting for tissues that are soft and contain moisturizing ingredients can help prevent extreme cases of a red and raw nose.
If you’re struggling with a painful red nose, using a moisturizer with emollients and ceramides will be your best bet.
Previously, the use of petroleum-based moisturizers were a go-to for such a skin irritation but since we’ve learned these are often goopy and pore-clogging, alternatives with ceramides are a better option to help restore the skin.
Dr. DiCicco agrees, “For skin outside the nose, ointments (Vaseline and Aquaphor) can be good, but for many, they’re too greasy; in that case, stick with the thicker ceramide-rich creams, e.g., La Roche Posay Cicaplast balm and similar. Because the skin is broken, anything scented or containing an ‘active’ ingredient can further irritate the skin.”
Dr. Beau DiCicco explains, “Inside the nostrils, we’re going to start with the above, Vaseline or Aquaphor like crazy. That said, occasionally we’ll add an ointment-based antibiotic (Mupirocin or similar) to mitigate bacteria that may be preventing your skin from healing, or, once in a while, even a light to mid-potency steroid to calm some of that inflammation.
Outside of the nose, thick, ceramide-rich creams and ointments are used when the skin is especially cracked.” It’s best to see a board-certified dermatologist before attempting these rogue. Dr. Beau DiCicco continues,”When washing your face, go with something GENTLE, dry skin is the enemy here. Think as gentle as it gets, i.e., Cetaphil. AND always, always, moisturize after cleansing.”
Click here to book an appointment with Dr. DiCicco.
