So you’ve got nose piercings. You love how it looks and feels, and you get a lot of compliments.
But there’s one big problem: you’ve got a new job, and the workplace policy is against visible piercings.
You might be thinking of taking the stud off during office time. But what if the hole gets closed after long days in the office?
How long does it take for a nose piercing to close? Can it close if you take the nose stud or hoop off for a few hours?
We know you have so many questions, and we are here to give you all answers.
Why Do Nose Piercings Close So Quickly?
How long does it take for a nose piercing hole to close?
If you’ve ever had your nose pierced, you know the hole can close up surprisingly quickly.
But why does this happen?
It turns out it’s all thanks to our body’s natural healing process. When we get a cut or a puncture wound, our body immediately starts working to repair the damage.
The process involves sending cells to the injured site to close the hole.
In the case of a nose piercing, the hole is usually only a few millimeters wide, so it doesn’t take long for the body to close it up.
If you remove the jewelry before the piercing is completely healed, the mucous membrane inside the nostrils seals the wound quickly.
However, the outside hole will stay open for a long time because the nose exterior does not have any protective lining like the mucous membrane.
Also, all our bodies heal differently, with some people’s bodies healing faster than others.
If you have a fast-healing body, it’s more likely that your piercing will close up quickly. A healed piercing won’t close so quickly. Why?
Piercing your nose means creating a small tunnel called a fistula through the skin.
If you don’t remove the nose jewelry, new cells grow around the fistula during the healing process.
Eventually, these cells line and seal the open ends of the fistula. When this happens, the hole will not get closed quickly, even if you remove the jewelry.
How Long Does It Take for a Nose Piercing to Close? The Influencing Factors
How long does it take a nose piercing to close? Of course, you want a definite answer to this question.
But you should know there is no fixed time because the closing depends on several factors.
Learn about these aspects in detail, so you will know why the closing time varies from person to person and based on the piercing type.
The kind of nose piercing
The healing process and time period varies from one type of nose piercing to another.
For example, a nostril piercing will heal much quicker than a rhino piercing, affecting their closing time.
Septum and bridge piercings will close the fastest of all types because the body has to heal fewer issues in these cases.
On the other hand, rhino piercing involves making a hole in the tip of your nose, a plump area with lots of tissue, so this piercing may take a little longer to close up.
Nostril and nasallang piercings will close up quicker than rhino piercings but slower than bridge and septum piercings.
The age of the piercing
So, how long does it take for a nose piercing to close? Apart from the piercing type, the age of your piercing will play a significant role in the closing time.
If you have a new nose piercing, it’s more likely to close quicker than an older one.
This is because the piercing is fresh and the skin is still healing.
After removing the jewelry, new tissue will regrow inside the hole and fill it up.
The process is usually quicker for unhealed piercings. The nose ring or stud holds the skin shape by preventing the tissue from regenerating inside the hole.
As the piercing heals, the skin around it will start to toughen up. The older the piercing, the more time the skin has had to toughen up.
An older piercing is less likely to close than a new one. However, most nose piercings close up eventually, even if it takes several years.
Irritated vs non-irritated piercing
One of the most common reasons for a nose piercing to close is an infection.
If your piercing becomes infected, your body will likely try to heal the condition quickly by closing up the piercing.
So, don’t do anything that will cause swelling or discharge from the piercing.
Keep it clean and avoid touching it with dirty hands. If you get an infection, see a doctor immediately for proper treatment.
Cartilage piercings close faster
Many people believe that all surface piercings close quicker than piercings in other body parts.
That’s not true.
Nostril and cartilage piercings heal faster than any other nose piercings.
The lack of blood vessels in the cartilage makes the body heal faster than other parts.
If you remove the piercing jewelry from there, the body will quickly heal it with scar tissue.
The same goes for nostril piercings because they go through the soft cartilage outside the nasal cavity.
Not all piercings close up
How long does it take for a nose piercing to close? Hope you’ve got the gist of it.
However, not all piercings close up, even if you want that.
The earlobe and belly button are two of those places where the body forms a mature fistula for healing.
The fistula could shrink over time, but may never be fully closed.
Other possible reasons
Sometimes nose piercings close simply because they weren’t done correctly in the first place.
If an inexperienced piercer did your piercing or if the jewelry was inserted incorrectly, it can cause your piercing to close soon after removing the stud.
In these cases, you’ll need to see a professional piercer to have your piercing fixed.
What to Do When a Nose Piercing Closes Accidentally
How long does it take for a nose piercing to close? Well, you already know from our discussion about the factors that affect the healing process and the estimated closing period for different types of piercings.
But what happens when it closes accidentally?
You may reopen the piercing
When the piercing is not fully closed, you may reopen it by stretching it in warm water.
The best way to do that is to take a hot shower. After that, dry the site gently with a towel or tissue and try to insert the jewelry.
Never apply force if you can’t slide the jewelry. Forcing may open up the wound, cause an infection and scar the site for life.
Go to your piercer and ask if they can re-insert the jewelry. If that’s not possible, choose a professional re-piercing service.
Re-piercing at the same spot? Think twice
Most of us will choose to re-pierce if it closes for some reason. But it could trigger some medical complications in some cases.
If your pierced spot is already scarred before taking out the jewelry, don’t re-pierce at the same site.
Scarring in that place indicates the body rejecting either the piercing or the jewelry.
The tissue in such a place is weaker and more sensitive than healthy tissue.
So, re-piercing in that same spot can trigger the rejection again and cause irritation, infection and even more complicated problems.
The closed piercing may leave a scar
This only happens when you neglect the aftercare or use cheap jewelry. Both these things can cause allergic reactions and infections, leading the body to produce scar tissue.
But a piercing healed with proper aftercare has a low chance of leaving a scar when closed.
There might still be a black spot due to long-term jewelry usage, but it’s unlikely to be prominent.
How to Prevent Your Nose Piercing from Closing
The only way to keep your piercing open is to wear jewelry. The truth is all nose piercings get closed sooner or later, even the ones that have healed a long time ago.
If you can’t wear jewelry for an extended period, follow these tips to prevent the nose piercing from closing.
Do not remove the jewelry in the first six months
This tip may seem like a no-brainer, but leaving your jewelry in for at least the first six months is important.
During this time, your piercing is healing and the hole is getting used to the jewelry.
If you remove it too soon, the gap may close and you’ll have to start the process again.
Move the jewelry from time to time
If your piercing starts to close, you should move the jewelry around to keep the hole open.
Gently twist the jewelry or move it up and down. Use vaseline or lubrication if necessary.
If not required, don’t remove the jewelry even if the piercing is healed. It will help to keep the hole open and prevent it from closing.
Focus on aftercare
Aftercare means keeping the piercing clean and free from infection. Regular cleaning with a saline solution can reduce the swelling and kill any bacteria that may be present.
You should also avoid touching the piercing with dirty hands.
Even if your piercing has healed, keeping the area clean is important. It will help prevent infection and keep your piercing looking its best.
Avoid piercings that are too big or too small
If the piercing is too big, it can stress the healing process unnecessarily.
The jewelry may feel too tight if the hole is too small, causing swelling, irritation and discharge.
All these things may lead to quickly closing the hole as soon as you remove the jewelry.
Final Words
How long does it take for a nose piercing to close? We hope you’ve already got the answer to your query.
If you need to remove the jewelry and keep it that way for a long time, follow the tips mentioned above.
Since there’s no way to keep the hole open without jewelry, keep re-inserting the hoop or stud from time to time.
Also, remember not to remove the jewelry before the piercing has healed. An open wound will close faster than you could think.
However, we’re not medically qualified, so you should always consult your piercer or a doctor for advice or if any complication arises.
FAQs about How Long It Takes for a Nose Piercing to Close
How long does a nose piercing hole take to close up?
If the piercing is fresh, it starts healing within a few minutes and can close up in a couple of hours. It may take several days if the unhealed piercing is a few months old. However, a completely healed piercing may take a few years to close up.
Does a nose piercing close fully?
Once you remove the jewelry, all types of nose piercings will close up sooner or later. However, there might be a scar if you wear the jewelry for a long time. The scar will be less prominent if you remove the stud within a week of piercing.
How do I get a nose piercing to close?
After taking off the jewelry, lightly dab a skin cleanser on both sides of the pierced hole. Don’t use any harsh chemicals like rubbing alcohol. Continue the cleaning routine for at least a week and then leave it as it is to let the hole close naturally. Consult with a doctor in case of any medical issues.
Can you reopen a nose piercing?
Washing with lukewarm water can help you reopen a piercing about to close. If it does not work, your piercer may help re-piercing and re-inserting the jewelry.