Some docs recommend heavier ointments, and among them, a topical
nasal antibiotic called
Mupirocin or
Bactroban is remarkably effective in preventing bleeding. However, since it's an antibiotic, doctors don't want to prescribe it for long-term use.
Anyhow, for the nose-bleed crowd--as you point out--there are at-home measures the patient can take. It can also be worth asking the doctor if you've got an overgrown Kiesselbach's Plexus and if so, could it be cauterized.