This post may contain affiliate links. This means we may earn a small commission if you purchase something from a link. This does not cost you any extra and helps us keep the lights on. Thank you!
The probability of a nipple piercing closing overnight is affected by many factors including how old the piercing is, what jewelry you typically wear in your piercing, and genetics.
Generally, the older the nipple piercing, the longer it can stay open without anything in it. However, you should take into consideration that nipple piercings are generally fast closers. This is because they have a lot of blood flow. So just because your 3 year old helix piercing can stay open a few days without jewelry, doesn’t mean your nipple piercing will.
Jewelry also plays a part in how long a piercing will stay open. Rings, which cause the piercing to heal curved, tend to close up faster than if a straight barbell is usually worn. Gauge also plays a big part. The lower the gauge (bigger the whole), the longer it will take the piercing to close up as it will need to spend more time shrinking before it can begin closing.
Finally, and arguably most important is genetics. Some bodies heal faster than other bodies, whether due to general health and diet or simply genetics. If you’ve had a piercing close up quickly before, it’s likely that all your piercings will close up quickly.
What To Do if Your Nipple Piercing Closes Overnight
If you notice your nipple piercing has closed and you’d like to save it – get to your piercer ASAP. It’s common that people think their piercings have closed because they can’t get their jewelry back in when in fact it has just shrunk. You’ll want to visit your piercer before it closes completely, because once that happens, you’ll have to be re-pierced. If your piercing is still open, your piercer will be able to taper it open with a small gauge and can help you stretch it back out. Most piercers understand that this needs to be done as soon as possible, so they will make room for you in their schedule if at all possible.
How Long Does it Take a Nipple Piercing to Close After Years?
Unfortunately it’s impossible to tell when your nipple piercing will close, even if it’s very old. Nipple piercings are some of the fastest piercings to close up, aside from genital piercings, because there’s so much blood flow in the area. If you want to keep your nipple piercings, its recommended that you never remove your jewelry. If you have to remove them for a medical procedure, you can generally replace your jewelry with glass – although always check with your doctor beforehand.
Conclusion
It’s likely a nipple piercing will close overnight with no jewelry. Your best chance to keep your nipple piercing is if the nipple piercing is very old and you are generally a slow healer. If you’ve found your nipple piercing has closed up, make an appointment with your piercer as soon as possible so it can hopefully be tapered back open and you can avoid being re-pierced. If you have to remove your jewelry, consider if replacing your jewelry with glass alternatives would be an option for you.
