Will My Nose Piercing Close Up Overnight? An Expert Answer (2024)

Written byKarissa Sanford|Edited byAnnabelle Reyes

Last Updated: August 5, 2023Fact Checked

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

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1. Yes, a nose piercing can close overnight if it is not fully healed. 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]

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See Also
Body Piercing Healing Times | Kaiser PermanenteHow to Cover an Ear Piercing for Swimming: 3 Best MethodsNose Piercing | 5 Things To Know Before Getting a Nose RingNose Piercing: Risks, Aftercare, and Safety

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1. Piercings are wounds, so your body works to close them quickly. 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.

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   If your nose piercing starts to close, see a professional to reopen it. 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.

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   If the piercing is completely closed, see a professional to re-pierce it. 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]

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   If you don't want to re-pierce your nose, try faux piercing jewelry. 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!

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