Will Your Nose Piercing Close Overnight If You Take Out Your Jewelry?

PDF download Download Article
Nose piercing healing times, plus what to do if it closes
PDF download Download Article

If you’ve recently gotten a new nose piercing and wondering if you can sleep without your jewelry in you’ve come to the right place. Piercings are wounds, so your body naturally works to shrink and reseal the opening while the piercing is still in the healing process. Because of this, your nose piercing can definitely close if you remove your jewelry too early. We’ve compiled an expert guide on this situation, including why your nose piercing can close overnight, how long it takes for nose piercings to heal, and what to do if your nose piercing closes up, so keep reading!

This article is based on an interview with our body piercing specialist, Karissa Sanford, co-owner of Make Me Holey Body Piercing. Check out the full interview here.

Things You Should Know

  • A nose piercing can close overnight if it's not completely healed yet. If the piercing is new, it can close within minutes or hours.
  • It generally takes 2-6 months for a nose piercing to fully heal, but older piercings can close unexpectedly, too. To make sure your piercing stays open, keep jewelry in it.
  • If your nose piercing closes, visit a professional, who can attempt to reopen it with their tools or re-pierce your nose once it heals.
Section 1 of 3:

Can a nose piercing close overnight?

PDF download Download Article
  1. When you remove the jewelry from an unhealed piercing, the opening shrinks back down, especially if the piercing is newer. Generally, the longer you’ve had the nose piercing, the more likely it is to stay open. A fresh piercing can close in just a few minutes or hours, and if you’ve had the piercing for less than a year, it can close within a few days. Even a piercing that is several years old can close within several weeks. [1]
    • Everyone’s body is different, and each person’s piercings react differently. Some piercings can close within minutes, even if they are several years old! [2]
    • Because the amount of time it takes for a piercing to close can vary, it’s generally best to wear jewelry in your piercing overnight if you want to keep it open. [3]
    2. Advertisement
Section 2 of 3:

Why do unhealed nose piercings close so quickly?

PDF download Download Article
  1. Piercings generally heal in 3 stages. In the first stage, your body attempts to seal the wound shut, and a blood clot forms around the opening. In the second stage, your body creates what's called a fistula, which is a tunnel of scar tissue running from the opening of the piercing to the other side. In the third and final stage, the fistula walls thicken and expand, and the wound (aka your piercing) is healed. Before this thickened, tougher tunnel forms in your nose, your piercing is more susceptible to quickly closing up, which is why it’s extra important not to take your piercing out before it’s healed. Generally, nose piercings take 2 to 6 months to go through the 3 stages and heal completely.
    • If you just got your nose pierced , don’t attempt to change the jewelry for at least 8 weeks, and don’t remove it until the piercing is fully healed. [4]
    • After 2-6 months, check for signs your piercing is fully healed. If 2-3 weeks have passed without any crust or discharge forming on your piercing, it could be fully healed. [5]
    • If you need to remove your piercing before it's fully healed, try out an acrylic retainer to keep the hole open.
Section 3 of 3:

What to Do If Your Nose Piercing Closes

PDF download Download Article
  1. If your nose piercing seems like it has closed, don’t panic! Oftentimes, a professional can use their tools to stretch the area and reopen the hole. This is especially successful if the piercing was mostly healed and stable when you removed your jewelry. Visit a professional piercer to see if they can stretch your piercing back open, without having to re-pierce a new channel.
  2. It’s possible to re-pierce your nose, but it’s important to wait until the wound heals, which takes about 12 weeks. If you try to re-pierce the area too early, you can have problems with healing and scarring. This is why it’s important to see a professional, who can assess whether or not it’s a good idea to re-pierce the area. [6]
  3. Sometimes, people’s bodies react negatively to piercings. You might have an allergic reaction to metals, develop an infection, or develop unwanted bumps like granulomas or keloids. [7] If your body didn’t react well to your piercing, and you’ve decided not to re-pierce the area, try out some fun faux piercings to achieve the same look.
    • For a DIY option, try using adhesive gems from the craft store to mimic the appearance of a stud.
    • You can also purchase clip-on nose rings that attach to your nostril to achieve the appearance of a nose piercing!
    4. Advertisement

Expert Q&A

Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
      Advertisement

      Tips

      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Name
      Please provide your name and last initial
      Submit
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

      You Might Also Like

      How to
      Heal Cartilage Piercing Bumps
      How to
      Remove a Nose Ring
      How to
      Put a Nose Ring Back In
      Nose Rings and Their Sexual Meanings
      How to
      Pierce Your Septum
      Treating Your Infected Nose Piercing at Home (and When to See a Doctor)
      What Does It Mean to Have a Left Nostril Piercing? TikTok, Spirituality, & More
      How to
      Change a Nose Piercing
      How to
      Get Rid of a Nose Piercing Bump ASAP
      How to
      Put a Hoop Nose Ring in
      How to
      Clean Your Nose Piercing
      How to
      Take Your Nose Stud in and out of Your Nose
      How to
      Get a Nose Piercing to Close
      The Best Way to Clean a Septum Piercing & Prevent Infections
      Advertisement

      References

      1. ↑ https://www.today.com/style/how-long-it-takes-piercing-close-what-do-if-it-t182513
      2. ↑ https://safepiercing.org/aftercare/
      3. ↑ https://safepiercing.org/aftercare/
      4. ↑ https://uhs.berkeley.edu/health-topics/body-piercings
      5. ↑ https://www.urbanbodyjewelry.com/pages/nose-piercing-information-aftercare
      6. ↑ https://roguepiercing.co.uk/2021/11/19/repiercing-101/
      7. ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-to-get-rid-of-nose-piercing-bump/

      About This Article

      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 51,581 times.

      Reader Success Stories

      • Birdy C.

        Mar 20

        "Information is clear and helpful."
      Share your story
      If you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission .

      Did this article help you?

      Advertisement