How to Make a Chapped Nose Stop Hurting

Constantly blowing your nose can lead to a chapped, painful nose.

A chapped nose can be quite painful, and frequently occurs when you have been suffering from a cold for any length of time. The constant blowing of your nose and rubbing of tissue against it can cause it to become red, swollen, irritated and painful. This makes it more difficult to wipe your nose when you need to. A chapped nose may also be the result of extremely dry air, such as that encountered in winter. Taking a few basic steps to prevent and treat a chapped nose will go a long way toward giving your nose comfort for the duration of your cold or in an arid environment.

Things You'll Need

• Soft tissues with lotion
• Soft handkerchief
• Hydrocortisone cream
• Petroleum jelly
• Aloe vera gel
• Vitamin E oil
• Humidifier
• Scarf

Instructions

1. Use a soft tissue made with lotion in it. These types of tissues are gentler on the nose than regular tissue, which can be rough and make your nose worse. Alternatively, use a soft handkerchief.

2. Apply a low dose, up to 1 percent, of hydrocortisone cream on the chapped areas a few times per day. Healing the cracked skin will help stop the pain.

3. Use petroleum jelly, aloe vera gel or vitamin E oil on your chapped nose as often as needed, most notably after washing your face or before bedtime. These products will help soothe the irritated skin and allow the chapped skin to heal.

4. Drink plenty of water to keep yourself hydrated. Skin that is well hydrated will be less likely to dry out; dehydrated skin will only contribute to your chapped nose.

5. Run a humidifier to help the air stay comfortable. Dry air makes skin dry out, which could make your chapped nose worse.

6. Wear a scarf around your face, over your nose, when going outside in cold weather. For even better results, apply a topical protective treatment to your chapped nose before covering it up with a scarf.

Tips & Warnings

• For best results, apply any topical treatment after you have blown your nose so you do not just wipe it off with the tissue.

• Avoid washing your face with hot water; hot water will not only cause more pain, but will dry out your skin even more.

References

• University of Michigan: University of Health Service: Colds and Flu: Upper Respiratory Infections
• SteadyHealth.com: Facts About Chapped Nose