I am not an animal!

January 26, 2010 3:08 AM

What am I supposed to do about my peeling nose?

I have a raging cold and due to excessive nose blowing, the skin at the tip of my nose and by my right nostril is really raw. I'm not talking normal, winter sniffles redness. A layer of skin has actually peeled off. This makes me feel, quite frankly, extremely disgusting.

I've been applying Neosporin occasionally and I find that it eases the soreness a bit, but it doesn't make me the ick-factor go down.

Is there anything I can do or do I just shut up and deal?

posted by apophenia to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (19 answers total)

vitamin E cream? it is my cure-all. you can find it in the first-aid section of the drugstore.
posted by janepanic at 3:41 AM on January 26, 2010

Best answer: I feel your pain. Really you just have to give it time to heal. A thin coating of something like chapstick or vaseline will keep it from getting infected, but you have to keep it free of gunk to help the skin heal most of the time. Some aloe cream will help with redness and pain, though, and smell pretty nice, in my opinion. Try your very hardest not to rub your nose. Maybe you should be trying other methods for degunking your nose, instead. Steam, sinus decongestants, lots of tea, a humidifier and sleeping at the right angle so your nose drains in the night (ew...), all of these things are hands-free and could give your nose a break.
posted by Mizu at 4:26 AM on January 26, 2010

I often get this (but not quite as extreme). Keep applying moisturizing cream after blowing. Give it time.
posted by molecicco at 4:32 AM on January 26, 2010

Those tissues with lotion are also much easier on your nose than the regular kind.
Neti pots are also good for clearing out the junk in your nose.
posted by emeiji at 5:23 AM on January 26, 2010

The bridge of my nose and eyebrows get very itchy during cold, dry winters. Hot showers make it worse. Shorter showers and touches of Aveeno every morning help control it. I definitely recommend a daily regiment of moisturizer, at least. It will likely help you out.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 5:46 AM on January 26, 2010

Try using cloth handkerchiefs rather than tissue. It is much much nicer than tissues, even the ones with lotion.
posted by sulaine at 6:00 AM on January 26, 2010

When this happens to me, I put chapstick on the area, and that seems to keep the pain down, and helps it from drying out even more.
posted by Tooty McTootsalot at 6:04 AM on January 26, 2010

Best answer: I do the chapstick thing too. Also when I'm sick and blowing my nose a lot, as a preventative measure, I will carry chapstick in my pocket and apply a small amount to my nose after each blowing. This helps it not get to the point where you're at now.
posted by MaryDellamorte at 6:22 AM on January 26, 2010 [1 favorite]

I second the vitamin E. Apply liberally at night. I do also recommend regular gentle face washing in the morning and then coating with moisturizer. Vit E is oily (good oily) but if I don't face wash I'm prone to breakouts in the surrounding but not chapped skin area.
posted by countrymod at 6:23 AM on January 26, 2010

My greatuncle claims that Preparation H is a cureall for that. I've never tried, so I can't really recommend it, but he was quite insistent.
posted by electroboy at 6:29 AM on January 26, 2010

Cloth hankies and chapstick. You can mark a particular tube of it as your nose tube. :)
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 7:27 AM on January 26, 2010

This happens to me whenever I get a cold. I use Blistex or Burt's Bee's lip balm (the normal, minty kind). Both of them burn like hell the first few times you apply them, but get the job done much faster than regular Chapstick or Vaseline.
posted by coppermoss at 8:20 AM on January 26, 2010

Vitamin E oil applied directly to the afflicted area does wonders. I try to stay away from creams or anything that contains chemicals or fragrance when dealing with irritated skin. Jojoba oil is great too.

To help clear up your congestion, try guaifenesin tablets. Guaifenesin dries up mucus like nobody's business. You can find it at most drugstores and Amazon.

Hope you're feeling better soon.
posted by LuckySeven~ at 10:03 AM on January 26, 2010 [1 favorite]

N-thing Vaseline and Chapstick. They work to lubricate your nose against the next rub, too.
posted by ThatRandomGuy at 10:33 AM on January 26, 2010

Response by poster: My nose thanks all of you so, so, so very much.
posted by apophenia at 10:48 AM on January 26, 2010

Yep - chapstick. It helps. I just got over a cold, and am stuck with the same problem. Don't worry, it isn't nearly as noticeable to others as it is to you!
posted by Cygnet at 10:49 AM on January 26, 2010

have to heartily second emeiji on the tissues with lotion—i discovered puffs with lotion a few years ago and have never had chapped, raw, peeling nostrils since. they never even get dry anymore! i picked up a neti pot last year and that made a dramatic difference in the two colds i've had since then, far less congestion and blowing than usual. i highly recommend the tissues with lotion + neti pot combo.
posted by lia at 12:14 PM on January 26, 2010

Last time I went to a Dr for my allergies (which have the same effect as your cold) she suggested chapstick. Which I found amusing since I'd been doing it for years already. Just to add that official seal of approval.
posted by shelleycat at 2:06 PM on January 26, 2010

Ha, I get this often! Chapstick is great.
posted by divabat at 2:27 PM on January 28, 2010