Scab in my nose (and health anxiety)

[takethegirloutofwales]

Hi. I’ve had a scab in my nose for months. Really noticed it at the start of lockdown. My nostril felt tight and sticky and when I felt, my septum has what feels like a crusty line in it. Couldn’t let it be of course made it bleed. Stopped quickly but as with most scabs wherever they are I’m a bit of a picker. So I know I’ve not done myself any favours and it’s pretty obvious why it’s not healed. However I thought I’d try and take a look to see what was actually going on up there and it looks like a white patch in my nostril at the moment - no crusty bits just a nostril that looks very sorry for itself. I’ve been using a saline spray to try and keep it moist but wondering if I should see a dr given how long it’s been there. Dr google doesn’t come up with much on ‘white sores on septum’ other than possible staph infection that needs antibiotics. He obviously throws all the different worst case scenarios out there too like nasal cancer. I have pretty bad health anxiety which comes and goes (and it’s quite bad at the moment). However even I think it’s unlikely to be nose cancer - only 400 cases a year in the UK mainly men over 55 - connected to working with various materials, being a smoker etc. I am neither of these - 40 year old female. But would like to be shot of it as it’s really annoying.

I had this for close to a year once... the problem was I kept picking at it as it was so irritating, so it never healed.
I had to make a real conscious effort not to touch it at all, and eventually it cleared up. It really was incredibly frustrating.

I also had one for a really long time. It kept opening when it dried as it was irritating and pulled the skin.
I can’t remember how it eventually healed except it was soooo good.

And did it look white and patchy up there? Should I go to the dr and get some cream or just keep my finger out and persist with the saline. It’s just so horrible to feel ‘something’ in my nose and not dislodge it. It’s gross I hate feeling like a kid picking their nose all the time but I pick at everything whether it’s a cut on my arm or a spot on my chin - like a desire to have permanently smooth surfaces 🤦🏼‍♀️

Keep your finger out! And id potentially drop the saline... scabs need to dry out to heal.

I had this years ago. It was a staph infection. A cream called Naseptin cleared it up.

I get this sometimes. Vaseline on a cotton bud helps mine, they seem to respond a bit like cold sores.

I'd stop the saline. The salt will be irritating and unless it's infected won't be doing any good.

Go to the GP if it doesn't heal in a few days, or sooner if you need to.

Ok stopping the saline. Might try Vaseline though. It does look a bit like a cold sore or ulcer. Either way it a gross

Another vote for Vaseline on a cotton bud here.

It just softens it a little bit and makes you less likely to pick at it. I apply each night and during the day if it's bothering me.

I’ve also had this and it was agony. Eventually went to the GP and got some cream to clear up the infection and the relief was within a day or two. Definitely stop picking the scab off but I would ring your GP given you’ve had it so long.

I get this when I'm run down. I tend to stick Vaseline or some such Up there on a cotton bud.

Ohhhh I had this once...it was addictive to keep hooking the scab out but when I decided to peer at it and get a proper look, I got a terrible fright at the white appearance of it!

Briefly imagined going to GP and confessing to picking at the scab compulsively for months weeks, and decided to put savlon on it morning and night for a while and consciously stop picking the damn thing. It went away on its own.

A few years ago I was prescribed Naseptin cream for somerhing similar, it worked really quickly, I was amazed as I'd put up with it for months. I'd try and get a telephone consultation with your Dr and request some.

Hi @takethegirloutofwales - I wonder if you ever found out what this was - I have the same thing!

This sounds so similar to my nose a couple of weeks ago. It was a horrible, crusty scab and as it blocked half my nostril, of course I picked it!
Then last week what i thiught was a coldsore on my lip, a scab on my chin. Then my neck and jawline became itchy and long story short, I've got a horrible outbreak of impetigo all over the bottom half of my face. It's not serious but it sure ain't pretty, and I'm wearing a mask when I go out. I'm on antibiotics as Fucidin cream didn't work as it was too large an area.
If I were you I'd get to the doctors straightaway, just to stop whatever it is in it's tracks.

Did this go away?