Vaping has become increasingly popular. The number of people who regularly vape has increased quickly from 7 million in 2011 to over 45 million today.
Among the most known vaping devices are dab pens. They are used for vaping high THC concentrates.
Most dab pen users have claimed that the devices cause dryness in their nose or burns and sometimes it causes rare nose bleeding. This article reveals what causes the burns and how you can avoid them.
What causes dab pens to burn your nose.
When you have a burn in your nose, doctors can mistake you for a regular cocaine user. But once you tell them that you vape, they will recommend that you stop exhaling the vapor through your nose and use your mouth instead. The burns can also create a constant unpleasant smell.
Why should you exhale the vapor through your mouth?
Some dabbing concentrates carry chemicals that can be harmful to your nose. How these chemicals can affect your nose, eventually, is yet to be proven.
One of the chemicals known for causing burns to the nose is propylene glycol (PG). PG is a dehydrating chemical. Traces of this chemical in your vapor can suck moisture from the overly sensitive skin in your nostrils; thus, causing dryness. The dryness develops into burns.
People who used to exhale the dab pen vapor through the nose but now do it through the mouth can attest that the burns reduced or completely vanished within a few months or weeks.
Can the burns shift to my throat?
Being a dehydrating chemical, PG can cause dryness in your throat, but it will not cause severe burns as in the nostrils. Some doctors recommend that you regularly dab lesser amounts of Vaseline on the inside of your nose to help prevent the burns.
If your nose does not get any better using any of the ways recommended above, you should visit a general practitioner (GP). He/ She will examine your nose and refer you to an Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) specialist who will examine you further.
Should I give up on using dab pens if the nose burns persist?
Statistics show that most people who use dab pens do it to stop traditional smoking. Dab pens are a better alternative to traditional smoking because their safety profile is better. Therefore, you should not give up on using dab pens because they burnt your nose. This especially applies to those who used dab pens to quit traditional smoking.
Instead of quitting dab pens, there are ways you can prevent the burns on your nose while using the dab pens. The best way is to buy a high-quality dab pen and dab concentrate.
What to look for in a dab pen before buying it?
Before buying any vape pen you should always do your research. Check out testimonials, ratings, and reviews from earlier buyers of the dab pen. If there is any reported case of nose burns caused by a specific dab pen, you should avoid it.
A certified dab pen has undergone various tests and met the set manufacturing standards in your area. Always buy a certified dab pen.
Which dab concentrate will help prevent nose burns?
Dab concentrates are the main carriers of the chemicals, such as PG, that can burn your nose. You can ensure your dab concentrate does not have any of these harmful chemicals by examining the following.
- Is the dab concentrate third-party lab tested? (third-party lab test reports help reveal each constituent of a dab concentrate and the amount of each additive. The reports for the specific dab pen batch should be available for the buyer.
If among the constituents is a dehydrating chemical do not use the dab concentrate.)
- Is the dab pen concentrate known for causing nose burns? (you can examine these by doing your research before buying the concentrate. Testimonials from earlier buyers/ users are also key in this examination. You should always read or watch them on the internet.
Why do dab pens burn my nose? Concluding thoughts.
Not all people who use dab pens get nose burns. Whether dab pens burn your nose or not, can depend on the type of dab pen and dab concentrate. Some dab pens and dab concentrates will add dehydrating chemicals to the vapor they deliver to your mouth which will burn your nose. You should always ensure you buy a high-quality dab pen and high-quality dab concentrates because prevention is better than cure.
