Those red, tender bumps on your nose are really hard to deal with. Isn’t it? A sudden acne breakout on your nose is certainly unpleasant and can make you stressed about its severity.
Thanks to the age-old Ayurvedic solutions. You can rely on natural remedies to let your nose acne heal faster. But before learning about the different treatments available, let’s first understand its different types, symptoms, and root causes to determine the right option available.
Let’s begin.
Highlights:
- What Do Pimples On Nose Mean?
- What Does Nose Acne Look Like?
- Why Do Pimples On Nose Hurt?
- Types Of Pimples On Nose
- Common Symptoms Of Nose Pimple
- What Causes Pimples On The Nose?
- How To Treat Pimples On The Nose?
- How To Prevent Pimples On The Nose?
- How Long Does It Take For A Nose Pimple To Go Away?
- Can You Pop A Nose Pimple?
What Do Pimples On Nose Mean?
Your skin pores in the nose region generally tend to be larger [1]. This makes them susceptible to the build-up of pollutants, dead skin cells, and products. The accumulation of particles worsen when your skin produces sebum in excessive quantities. This further attracts different bacteria and leads to clogged pores, which eventually results in pimples on your nose.
What Does Nose Acne Look Like?
Acne on the nose appears as red, tender, pus-filled bumps that are painful at times. In rare cases, it might cause itching too.
Why Do Pimples On Nose Hurt?
As discussed above, excessive sebum production in your skin pores attracts bacteria that feed on dead skin cells. This causes inflammation[2], irritation, and redness in the affected skin pores, which makes the pimple tender and painful.
Types Of Pimples On Nose
1. Acne Vulgaris
In this condition, sebum and dead skin cells from your skin clogs pores, eventually resulting in blackheads, whiteheads, and pus-filled bumps. Some deeply clogged pores can turn into cysts and nodules which are much larger bumps that are tender to touch.
2. Acne Rosacea
It primarily causes widespread swelling and redness on the nose region. On the inflamed nose, pimples emerge eventually on the flushed skin. It can further spread from nose to cheeks.[3]
“Both acne vulgaris and acne rosacea have similar symptoms and it is often difficult to identify either of the conditions. In some people, both conditions can occur at the same time,” says Dr. Zeel Gandhi, Chief Ayurvedic Doctor at Vedix.
Common Symptoms Of Nose Pimple
- Pus-filled bumps
- Inflammation in case of cysts, pustules and nodules
- Itching in rare cases
- Irritated skin
- Tenderness with pain
What Causes Pimples On The Nose?
According to Ayurveda, the nose is linked to the small intestine, which is the source of Pitta dosha (digestive fire). The disrupted digestive Pitta can also cause an imbalance in Vata and Kapha doshas in your body. While imbalanced Vata triggers over-accumulation of dead skin cells, imbalanced Kapha and Pitta lead to hormonal fluctuations, which trigger the sebaceous glands to produce sebum in excessive amounts.
Also, the nose is linked to the heart and blood circulatory systems. In a way, pimples on the nose indicate an overly hard-working heart and high blood pressure in your body, thereby indicating vitiation of all three doshas. The inflamed blood vessels due to high blood pressure are the primary causative factor for acne rosacea.
“Pus-filled pimples are formed when Pitta and Kapha are in dominant levels. On the other hand, non-inflammatory or pus-less pimples are formed when Pitta and Vata are in dominant levels,” says Dr. Zeel.
Different factors which trigger raise in Pitta:
- Anger [4]
- Frustration
- Over-competitiveness
- Eating hot, sour, spicy, and salty foods in excessive amounts leads to complications in your digestive system
- Fast-paced lifestyle
- Overexposure to the sun
- Smoking and alcohol consumption
- Sometimes, ingrown hair, hair removal, blowing your nose overly or nose piercing can lead to bacterial infection inside your nose, which leads to the development of pimples inside your nose
The most common type of bacteria which causes acne inside your nasal pores is Propionibacterium acnes.
To initiate treating nose acne with Ayurveda, you need to understand which of your doshas are in a dominant and aggravated state in your body. Based on that, you can use specific herbs in your skincare regimen that pacify the elevated dosha levels and control your nose acne.
How To Treat Pimples On The Nose?
1. Ayurvedic Herbs To Treat Nose Pimples
A. To Balance Pitta-Vata
- Amrita (Giloy) not only helps in reducing black and whiteheads, but also prevents early aging and wrinkles. Take a few giloy leaves and grind them into a fine paste. Apply it on your nose pimples and wash it off after half an hour. Do it on alternative days.
- Padmaka keeps your skin hydrated and controls the sebum production in your skin. Prepare a paste by adding some water to a spoon of padmaka powder. Apply it on your nose pimples regularly.
- Yashtimadhu with its antibacterial properties not only clears your acne but also helps you resolve dark spots on your face. Add a spoon of aloe vera gel to a spoon of yashtimadhu powder to form a paste. Apply a thin coat of paste on your face and wash it off after half an hour with normal water. Do this on alternative days.
- To eliminate your nose acne effectively, treating it with ashoka herb is one of the best ways. Put a small piece of ashoka bark in 2-3 cups of water. Let the water boil until it reduces to 1 cup of ashoka decoction. Let it cool and add 1/2 cup of mustard oil to it and store it in a glass bottle. Apply this solution on your pimples regularly.
- Shatavari helps in balancing your hormonal fluctuations triggered by imbalanced Pitta, thereby relieving you from acne problems. Prepare a paste by adding some milk or honey to a spoon of shatavari powder. Apply it on your pimples and wash it off after half an hour.
B. To Balance Pitta-Kapha
- Patola helps in eliminating toxins from your skin and prevents clogging of skin pores caused by pollutants and dead cells. Put 1 patola and 2-3 giloy leaves in a grinder and prepare a juice. Apply it on your nose pimples and wash it off after half an hour. Repeat every day.
- Nimba or neem has antibacterial and antiseptic properties which control acne production greatly. Prepare a paste by grinding a handful of neem leaves. Apply it on your acne. Leave it for 45 minutes before rinsing it off.
- Karanja has anti-inflammatory and can heal your acne breakouts faster. Apply karanja oil on your nose pimples using a cotton ball daily.
- Karpoora or camphor is great to treat bacterial infection, tenderness, and pain caused by acne. Put some camphor in a cup of jojoba oil and heat it for 2-3 minutes. After cooling down, store the oil in a glass bottle and apply it regularly on your nose acne.
- Arjuna not only clears the bacterial infection and inflammation caused by acne but also improves your heart’s function, when taken orally. If your Ayurvedic doctor identifies any heart and circulatory disorder which has manifested in the form of your nose acne, then he may prescribe you 4-8 spoons of arjuna kwath. You may need to take it after meals by mixing it with milk or water.
- For topical application, you can prepare a paste by adding some honey and water to a spoon of arjuna powder. Apply it on your face and wash it off after 10 minutes.
C. To Balance Tridoshas
- Triphala not only balances all the tridoshas in your body but also helps in maintaining proper bowel movements, which is very essential for clearing acne. Add a few drops of warm water to ½ spoon of triphala powder to form a paste. Let it cool. You can have it on an empty stomach in the morning. You can also add ½ spoon of honey to it.
- Turmeric has natural antibacterial properties which help in reducing inflammation and redness caused by nose acne. Add a little amount of curd to a spoon of turmeric powder and make a paste. Apply it on your nose pimples and wash it off after half an hour.
Besides the direct application of herbs, you can also seek these dosha-specific herbs in your Ayurvedic skincare products to prevent as well as control nose pimples.
Vedix Tip: To control elevated Pitta levels in your body, you need to include vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, okra, cucumber, mushrooms, coriander, peas, radish, cauliflower, etc. in your diet regularly.
2. Home Remedies
- Add a spoon of lemon juice to half a spoon of honey. Mix well and apply it on your nose. Leave it for half an hour and then wash it off using lukewarm water. Do this on alternative days until your nose acne reduces.
- Add 5-6 drops of tea tree oil to 2-3 spoons of almond or jojoba oil. Mix well and apply it on the pimples and surrounding area on your nose. Wash it off with a neem-based mild cleanser after 10-15 minutes.
- You can apply a peppermint-based mouthwash on your nose pimple using a cotton ball. Wash it off thoroughly after 10-15 minutes.
- You can also apply peppermint-based toothpaste (not gel) on your nose pimple. Leave it overnight and wash it off the next morning.
- To reduce swelling and inflammation caused by acne rosacea, rub the affected nose region with an ice cube for a few minutes. Repeat it every 2-3 hours.
3. Other Treatments
A. Topical Medications
- Benzoyl peroxide for inflammatory acne
- Salicylic acid
- Glycolic acid
B. Oral Medications(Only For Inflammatory Acne)
- Brimonidine
- Metronidazole
- Azelaic acid
- Isotretinoin [5] as the last resort
Apart from acne medications, painkillers such as ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and naproxen sodium may help in reducing tenderness and pain caused by acne. Dermabrasion, microdermabrasion, and laser therapy too can help in removing accumulated dead skin cells.
How To Prevent Pimples On The Nose?
1. Maintain a regular skincare regimen that is suitable for your Ayurvedic skin type. This keeps your doshas in balance, thus keeping your skin healthy. At Vedix, we offer you a customized Ayurvedic skincare kit by analyzing your doshas and skin issues.
2. Cleanse your face at least twice a day with a neem-based herbal cleanser. However, do not overwash or use harsh cleansers on your face.
3. Use rosewater as a toner to remove excess oil and dirt from your skin.
4. Based on your Ayurvedic skin type, pick a moisturizer with dosha balancing herbs and apply it every day. This keeps your skin hydrated and nourished.
5. If you have acne-prone skin, then it is better to apply a clay mask at least once a week. This helps in unclogging your skin pores on the nose.
6. Do not forget to use sunscreen, especially when you step out during day time.
7. Drink adequate water (2-3 liters a day) to keep your skin hydrated from the inside. This in turn prevents the overproduction of sebum.
8. Never use oil-based cosmetics. Prefer using water-based products.
9. Do not forget to remove your make-up before going to sleep.
10. Eat foods that are low in carbohydrates, trans fats, and with a low glycemic index.
How Long Does It Take For A Nose Pimple To Go Away?
Overnight solutions to pimples are simply a myth. Any treatment for nose pimples will take as long as 2-6 weeks to resolve completely. However, smaller pimples can disappear within a few days.
Can You Pop A Nose Pimple?
No. Never pop a nose pimple as it can lead to infection. The infection can further spread to surrounding pores. This will result in more acne breakouts on your nose.
Important Note:
Please consult your doctor or Ayurvedic practitioner before using any of the herbs and treatments for nose acne mentioned in the article.
The Last Word
Nose acne can keep coming back until you address the underlying root cause. Ayurveda helps you manage your nose acne by addressing the root cause of the condition, besides bringing balance to your elevated doshas. Also, remember to follow a proper skincare regimen, eat a healthy diet, and follow healthy lifestyle habits.
At Vedix, we understand your skin needs based on your dosha levels and customize an Ayurvedic skincare regimen that resolves your unique skin problems.
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