Take it from Marisa Garshick, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City: “Overly blowing your nose can result in irritant contact dermatitis due to vigorous rubbing, contact with mucus, and friction from tissue use, which disrupts the skin barrier.” This erosion of the skin barrier can leave the entire nose area red, flaky, and sensitive to the touch. Of course, with it being flu season and significantly colder outside in most places, runny noses are incredibly common, so it can be hard for people to avoid using tissues for sanitary reasons. The good news is there are ways to help prevent your nose from getting overly raw—as well as easy treatments that can help soothe redness and soreness in a matter of days (sometimes less than that). Keep reading for professional insight on how to combat and calm an irritated nose. When it comes to treating a nose that’s already in a worse-for-wear state, pros say it’s best to streamline your routine and load up on moisturizing products that help speed up healing. Apply some aloe vera gel to soothe irritated skin after each nose blow. Dr. Garshick says it may also be helpful to use a topical steroid cream, like over-the-counter cortisone, to reduce inflammation. “Once the skin barrier is disrupted, there is a risk of infection, so it’s important to monitor for signs including but not limited to crusting, pus, and tenderness,” she adds.
