Red Raw Nose From Colds: Tissues, Balm and When to Worry
Blowing a cold-hit nose many times a day can leave the skin around the nostrils sore, so care for the rawness like any chafed skin. This guide covers only the outer rim and wings of the nose, not what goes inside it.
The short version
- Outside only: the rim and wings of the nostril. Nothing goes inside.
- Tissues: soft ones, dabbed rather than wiped.
- Balm: thick, plain and fragrance-free, on the outer rim, mostly at night.
- Never: home oils, ghee drops or strong menthol rubs inside the nose or onto cracked skin.
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Why does the skin around the nose get raw in a cold?
A cold keeps the nose producing mucus for days, and every blow adds moisture and friction to the same small patch of skin, hour after hour, so the rim takes the most wear. Repeated wiping adds friction on top of that. The skin around the nostrils is delicate, so it can dry, chafe and sting. Rough paper makes it worse. So does rubbing the same spot again and again. Gentler is better.
None of that calls for a stronger remedy. The usual approach is gentler handling and a plain barrier that keeps moisture in.
How should you blow and dab to cause less rawness?
- Use soft tissues, or a clean, damp, soft cloth on the rim, instead of rough paper.
- Dab, do not wipe. Press gently and lift away. Less rubbing, less rawness.
- Blow gently, one side at a time. Forceful blowing pushes more moisture and friction onto the rim.
- Use a fresh, dry part of the tissue each time rather than rubbing the same patch again.
- Wash and dry your hands before touching the balm, since fingers that have been in tissues or bags can carry germs to the rim.
- Ask a pharmacist about a saline nose spray or rinse. The NHS sinusitis page describes cleaning the nose with a salt water solution, and the saline rinse guide covers the home method. Inside the nose is a pharmacist question, not a rim question.
Which balm goes on the outside, and when?
Use a thick, plain balm on the outer rim only. Night is a good time, because the rawness often feels worst then and you are not blowing. Warm a pea-size amount between your fingers first, so it spreads thin rather than sitting in a lump. Warm, not hot. Keep balm off the inside of the nostril. Skip scented or menthol versions, which can sting cracked skin. A plain balm does its job without fragrance, menthol or extra ingredients that can sting skin already sore from the cold, which is why the simplest choice is usually the right one. Keep it plain.
A general routine for dry skin is in the moisturising guide. If the rim cracks, bleeds or stays sore after a few days of plain balm and gentler dabbing, a pharmacist can check it. That is more than ordinary chafing, and it is worth one question at the counter.
What should never go inside the nose or onto cracked skin?
Home oils, ghee drops and strong menthol rubs are common home fixes. The inside of the nose is a different question from the rim, and it needs its own answer. The ghee drops article and the nasya oil article cover that question in full. The NHS advises that decongestant sprays should not be used for more than a week, since they can make symptoms worse. If something stings when you apply it, wash it off and stop.
Two balms, two places
Keep one plain balm by the bed for the worst of the night, and a small tube in your bag for the commute. Wash your hands before each use, and apply only to the outer rim.
When is a raw nose more than skin?
Most raw noses settle with gentle care. Some signs call for a doctor. The NHS lists pain, swelling and tenderness around the cheeks, eyes or forehead, green or yellow mucus from the nose, and a high temperature as signs of sinusitis. Face pain and a high temperature are both on that list, so a GP check is worth it when they come together. The NHS suggests seeing a GP if you do not get better after 7 days of treatment from a pharmacy or GP, or after 3 weeks of treating symptoms yourself. Separately, a high temperature for more than 3 days, or cold symptoms that are not better after 10 days, also call for a GP visit. If you are unsure whether the sniffles are a cold or an allergy, the cold versus allergy guide sets them apart.
For babies and young children, follow the baby blocked-nose guide and check with a pharmacist or doctor before any product goes near the nose. For adults, the NHS suggests sitting in a bathroom with a hot shower running to ease a blocked nose. Do not let children breathe steam from a bowl of hot water, because of the risk of scalding. See a doctor if the skin cracks and bleeds, a painful red area spreads around the nose, or a fever comes with face pain.
Raw nose from colds, answered
How do I stop a raw nose from colds?
Dab, don’t wipe. Then use soft tissues and a thick plain balm on the outer rim, so you blow less and the skin gets a barrier to rest under. Keep all of it off the inside of the nostril, and ask a pharmacist about any saline product for the nose.
What is the best balm for a raw nose?
A thick, plain, fragrance-free balm. That is the usual choice for the outer rim, and the label matters more than the brand. Check for added menthol or fragrance, and ask a pharmacist if the skin cracks or bleeds, or if a painful patch spreads beyond the rim.
Can you put petroleum jelly inside the nose?
Keep it to the outer rim. Anything for inside the nose should be chosen with a pharmacist or doctor, not from a kitchen remedy or a tip passed around the family.
Is ghee good for a dry or raw nose?
Not on the rim, and not inside the nose as a home fix. The ghee drops article gives the verdict on the inside-the-nose question, and the rim advice above still applies to the skin around the nostril.
Does saline help a raw nose?
The NHS describes cleaning the nose with a salt water solution as a self-care step for sinusitis. It does not say it helps a raw rim, so ask a pharmacist before using a saline product, follow the pack, and see the saline rinse guide for the home method.
When is a cold a reason to see a doctor?
When it lasts. The NHS suggests a GP visit for a high temperature lasting more than 3 days, cold symptoms not better after 10 days, or a cough lasting more than 3 weeks.
Can a raw nose mean sinusitis?
Not by itself. The NHS links sinusitis to pain around the cheeks, eyes or forehead, green or yellow mucus and a high temperature, and gives GP timings for it, so check those before you assume a plain cold.
Is steam good for a blocked nose?
The NHS suggests adults sit in a bathroom with a hot shower running for a blocked nose. Do not let children breathe steam from a bowl of hot water, because of the risk of scalding, and step away if the steam makes your nose sting.
Are decongestant sprays safe to use every day?
Not for long. The NHS says decongestant sprays should not be used for more than a week, because they can make symptoms worse. For a raw rim, plain balm and gentle dabbing are the gentler starting point.
More on skin and seasonal care in Skin & Beauty.