I've had my piercing for 7yrs now. It only got infected once, and that was due to a particularly bad cold that turned into a sinus infection. To let it heal, I didn't wear the anything for about 3months, it healed up superficially, but i just re-pierced with a 19guage needle & everything was okay. Since then even if i leave out the pin for 3-4days (I take it out when I work with a certain team) it doesn't close.
1. DO NOT play with it. just don't do it
2. use PLAIN dial soap, it's not to harsh, and gently cleans the area---do NOT use any of those antibacterial soaps.
3. when changing jewelry out, i soak mine in peroxide or drop it in boiling water.
4. you CAN get real jewelry, not the fake stuff. I get a lot of mine from the middle east, real 18K/21K gold w/ real gems. My fave is a cz in 21k gold though, it's flat enough that there isn't too much bling so most people don't notice it
If there's a desi area in your town, you can check out what selection they have
5. I prefer the screw backs or the ones that close similar to regular earrings. The L's are quite easy to pull out should they get caught on a sweater, your hair, towel. I don't like the barbels because I feel like the gauge is too small, but I also have several of those as well. I prefer the ones that lie flat against my nose as opposed to the one that are raised.
Whatever you do, do not buy the ones that corkscrew, they are a pain to put in, they never lie flat, always rotating, and even harder to get out.
6. I work in a very professional environment, and I leave mine in at work (except for when I rotate with a certain team)--looks better than the very obvious gaping hole in the side of my nose that is there when I take it out.
hope that helps
once i used some tweezers to pick my nose, but mostly a little saline & q-tip. I never had such horrible boogers until I had my nose pierced, even when you blow your nose, some of it get stuck there.
