# Can I use hand lotion to moisturize the inside of my nose **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 8, 2012, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-hand-lotion-to-moisturize-the-inside-of-my-nose/637142 "2012-10-08T22:24:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2012, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-hand-lotion-to-moisturize-the-inside-of-my-nose/637142/1 "2012-10-08T22:24:17Z")
I get a lot of bleeding in my nose (not full on nosebleeds, but blood in my snot almost daily) and I think part of that is moisturization. My nose doesn’t seem to hold moisture. My boogers are constantly caked and dried. I have tried products for the nose like ayr or saline and they are better than nothing, but they don’t really work. I use a hand cream at work called [proguard hand cream](http://www.amazon.com/Proguard-Professional-Medicated-Handcream-oz/dp/B0018EJ2BK) which is pretty effective for my hands and probably the best hand cream I’ve used. So I figure why not buy a tube and use it in my nose at home. Are there any risks of this? Proguard is not petroleum based like vaseline, so no risk of lipoid pneumonia. The no 1 ingredient listed is ‘water’ and of the next 4 ingredients, 2 or 3 are water soluble. So you assume the water solubility is good. Plus the fire diamond readings are all 0 for health, etc. The [MSDS](http://www.deconlabs.com/msds/PROGUARD%20MSDS.pdf) says it is 100% non hazardous ingredients. Any harm in this? I assume with all the coke and stuff people put in their noses, this should be pretty tame by comparison. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2012, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-hand-lotion-to-moisturize-the-inside-of-my-nose/637142/2 "2012-10-08T23:12:31Z")
When I lived in Las Vegas, quite a few people put Vaseline or other petroleum jelly inside their noses. I did this, no problems. I’ve also used lip balms inside my nose. I suggest getting several humidifiers for your house, and using one in your bedroom and one in the living room/den, at the very least. We have one humidifier for each bedroom, and it really does help a lot. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2012, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-hand-lotion-to-moisturize-the-inside-of-my-nose/637142/3 "2012-10-08T23:15:03Z")
I do it all the Fall and Winter. It seems to help a lot and I have never noticed a problem with it. I think the water based moisturizers work better than Vaseline based on experience. If you do get a nosebleed, a water based moisturizer doesn’t cause any problems but blood mixed with Vaseline causes the blood to bead and form drops that can come out quickly and catch you off guard. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2012, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-hand-lotion-to-moisturize-the-inside-of-my-nose/637142/4 "2012-10-08T23:39:14Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > When I lived in Las Vegas, quite a few people put Vaseline or other petroleum jelly inside their noses. I did this, no problems. I’ve also used lip balms inside my nose. > > I suggest getting several humidifiers for your house, and using one in your bedroom and one in the living room/den, at the very least. We have one humidifier for each bedroom, and it really does help a lot. I’ve got a device that reads humidity in my room and it is usually reading around 50% all summer, so any higher and I’d be in the high readings which could cause mold. But since winter is going to lower the humidity I’m going to need to buy one. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2012, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-hand-lotion-to-moisturize-the-inside-of-my-nose/637142/5 "2012-10-08T23:54:51Z")
My DH favors Vicks for a similar problem. ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-hand-lotion-to-moisturize-the-inside-of-my-nose/637142/6 "2012-10-09T01:07:55Z")
Hello, my name is Ruby and I’m a Vicks-a-holic. \ You will find that your winter humidity will be vastly lower than summer. I have a portable humidifier in the bedroom that I run just in the winter months and it has solved a lot of those sinus problems. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-hand-lotion-to-moisturize-the-inside-of-my-nose/637142/7 "2012-10-09T08:28:16Z")
+1 for Vaseline, with a Q-Tip applicator. Been doing that for years. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-hand-lotion-to-moisturize-the-inside-of-my-nose/637142/8 "2012-10-09T08:30:26Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > … but blood mixed with Vaseline causes the blood to bead and form drops that can come out quickly and catch you off guard. _ **Say what???** _ ---
**Author:** ![DvorJaques](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3e96dc/32.png) [@DvorJaques](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DvorJaques)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-hand-lotion-to-moisturize-the-inside-of-my-nose/637142/9 "2012-10-09T13:44:46Z")
I suffer from the exact same problem as you. The eventual solution was a combination of using Sinus Rinse 2x day (like a Neti Pot but less waterboardy imo) and using nasal lubricants, not saline but like moisturizer for the nose. I think they’re generally petroleum based. My doctor loved Secaris, but I found Rhinaris worked better, the spray bottle helped get it to the back of my nose where my problem was. I saw an ENT and he was worried about Wegeners Granulomatosis, so it might be an idea to get your nose looked at by a someone, especially if you have any other symptoms. ---
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-hand-lotion-to-moisturize-the-inside-of-my-nose/637142/10 "2012-10-09T15:39:47Z")
Use Neosporin. ---
**Author:** ![redtail23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/3e96dc/32.png) [@redtail23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/redtail23)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-hand-lotion-to-moisturize-the-inside-of-my-nose/637142/11 "2012-10-09T15:51:23Z")
I used to have this problem, plus frequent nosebleeds. Drink more water. A humidifier in your bedroom at night will help. My problem decreased tremendously when I got a CPAP with an attached humidifier. Saline nose spray will help - my SO has much less problem since she started carrying saline rinse around. I’ve used petroleum jelly products and lip balms (usually beeswax or similar), also. IMO, they’re more of a stop-gap measure, though. ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-hand-lotion-to-moisturize-the-inside-of-my-nose/637142/12 "2012-10-09T15:55:31Z")
Thanks for reminding me of when I had to have Cortaid stuck up my nose as a kid. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-hand-lotion-to-moisturize-the-inside-of-my-nose/637142/13 "2012-10-09T21:01:20Z")
It would be awesome if you did this around other people with Boudreaux’s Butt Paste (a diaper-rash preventative). ---
**Author:** ![FasterThanMeerkats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/278dde/32.png) [@FasterThanMeerkats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FasterThanMeerkats)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-hand-lotion-to-moisturize-the-inside-of-my-nose/637142/14 "2012-10-09T21:26:16Z")
Have had cauterization twice five years apart and still get nosebleeds when I get sick or in dry weather. Doc recommends frequent use of vaseline or bacitracin (generic neosporin). ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-hand-lotion-to-moisturize-the-inside-of-my-nose/637142/15 "2012-10-09T21:44:28Z")
> [@FasterThanMeerkats](#): > > …bacitracin (generic neosporin). No, bacitracin is one of the three active ingredients in Johnson & Johnson’s Neosporin brand triple antibiotic ointment. The other two are neomycin and polymyxin B. ---
**Author:** ![tomcar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tomcar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomcar)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-hand-lotion-to-moisturize-the-inside-of-my-nose/637142/16 "2012-10-09T21:44:50Z")
First trim your nose hair. I have found it makes a difference. I use neosporin like someone else has mentioned. ---
**Author:** ![Ella\_Megalast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9d8465/32.png) [@Ella\_Megalast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ella_Megalast)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-hand-lotion-to-moisturize-the-inside-of-my-nose/637142/17 "2012-10-09T22:25:47Z")
BEWARE what you put up your nose: Brain-eating amoeba kills 10: This is on the BBC news \*\*today \*\*about an ameoba possibly caused by nasal rinsing. [http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-19887497](http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-19887497) ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-hand-lotion-to-moisturize-the-inside-of-my-nose/637142/18 "2012-10-09T22:54:05Z")
As far as the people mentioning vaseline and neosporin, I have read not to use petroleum based products because of the risk of lipoid pneumonia (where you inhale oils and they cause lung problems). However in reading up on this condition, the one thing I keep hearing is ‘it is rare’. But it doesn’t say how rare. Do 1/100 people who puts vaseline up their nose get it, or do 1 in a million get it? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-hand-lotion-to-moisturize-the-inside-of-my-nose/637142/19 "2012-10-10T06:58:37Z")
I’d recommend seeing a doctor. I’ve had a similar problem for some time - also including an offensive odour - probably indicating an infection, as the odour went away when I happened to be taking antibiotics (for a different problem), but came back again shortly after. I went to the doc and she prescribed a nasal spray containing corticosteroids, and everything cleared up quite abruptly - the slow drip, the crustiness, the bleeding, the odour - all better. Your problem may have an underlying cause that moisturisers won’t treat (or could possibly make works). ---
**Author:** ![Minnie\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Minnie\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Minnie_Luna)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-hand-lotion-to-moisturize-the-inside-of-my-nose/637142/20 "2012-10-10T13:46:06Z")
When I had my turbinates reduced and deviated septum fixed, the doc recommended putting neosporin on a q-tip and using that to lubricate the dry areas just inside my nose. I currently irrigate daily with saline and use a corticosteroid spray. Every now and then when I get a little dry I will use a neosporin coated q-tip to help. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-hand-lotion-to-moisturize-the-inside-of-my-nose/637142.md?page=2)