What should you know about impetigo in nostril?

A bacterial infection at the nostril entrance may cause a tender red spot, a small blister, a shallow sore, or sticky yellow crust. It can feel irritated when the person wipes or blows the nose. The skin just outside the nostril is easier to inspect; deeper soreness or crusting inside the nose has other possible causes, including irritation from dryness, rubbing, or an eczema flare. A healthcare professional can distinguish these possibilities and check whether infection extends onto the surrounding skin.

Avoid scraping crusts or inserting cotton buds, fingers, or unprescribed creams into the nostril. More information about [Crusting Skin](/symptoms/skin-crusting/) may help you describe what you are seeing, while [Atopic Dermatitis](/conditions/atopic-dermatitis/) explains a different source of irritation.

Wash your hands before and after touching the nose. Clean only the outer area gently with lukewarm water, then pat dry. Use a separate towel and face cloth, avoid sharing pillows or cosmetics, and wash items that contact discharge. Try to prevent rubbing, nose-picking, and close contact with others until a clinician gives guidance. If a child has the sore, keep nails short and supervise handwashing.

Do not use leftover antibiotics or place a cream inside the nostril unless it was prescribed for that exact site. Depending on the examination, a clinician may recommend [Topical Antibiotic Therapy](/treatments/medical-dermatology/topical-antibiotic-therapy/) or [Antibiotics For Skin Infection](/treatments/medical-dermatology/antibiotic-therapy-for-skin-infection/). Follow the directions and ask what to do if the medicine causes marked burning or swelling.

Arrange prompt medical assessment for a sore or crust that is spreading around the nose, repeatedly returning, or not settling with gentle care. Seek urgent help for rapidly increasing facial swelling, redness moving toward the eye, severe pain, vision changes, fever, confusion, or a person who appears very unwell. Breathing difficulty or swelling of the lips or tongue is an emergency. These warning signs require attention regardless of whether the original spot is impetigo.

Ask whether the sore is on the nostril skin or inside the nasal passage, which treatment is safe at that location, and how to apply it without causing injury. Ask how long to use it, whether close contacts need advice, and which symptoms mean the infection is spreading. Tell the clinician about recurrent crusting, nosebleeds, eczema, allergies, fever, or medicines already tried.