Can You Close Your Nose Piercing, And Will You Have A Scar? An Expert Explains

A nose piercing is a fun form of self-expression. But, as with many forms of self-expression, our needs and tastes change, and facial piercings often don't stand the test of time. Fortunately, nose piercings aren't permanent, and if you don't want jewelry on your face anymore, all you need to do is stop wearing it. However, if you're ready to part ways with your nose ring, there are some things to keep in mind before you take out your piercing.

The primary concern when taking out a nose piercing is whether the hole will close up. You may be sick of your nose jewelry, but a strange hole in your nostril may be a less desirable option. The other question with closing up a piercing is scarring. Even if a piercing closes up, you may still have some kind of permanent marking on your skin. Usually, you don't have much to worry about — most piercings close up after you take the jewelry out and any scarring will be minor. To find out more about closing up a nose piercing, we spoke to Anke Labaere, a piercing artist at Inksane Piercing in Belgium.

Before you think about taking out your nose piercing, you should first understand how your piercing was made. Yes, you had a hole poked through your skin with a needle, but the real structure of the piercing comes from the healing process. Labaere explains that after the skin is pierced, your body will try to close the hole by forming scar tissue. According to Anke Labaere, "Only when a tunnel of scar tissue is made around the piercing jewelry, can you say your piercing is fully healed."

Labaere says that this healing process usually takes about six to nine months. If you change your mind about your nose piercing within the healing time frame, you're in luck. In that case, all you need to do is take the piercing out and wait for the scar tissue to cover the hole. On the other hand, if your nose piercing is older and has already fully healed, the closing process is a little more complicated.

According to Anke Labaere, even if the piercing is already healed, the scar tissue can still shrink and eventually close the piercing hole, although it will take longer to close than a newer piercing. When it comes to closing up a nose piercing, time is not your friend. Labaere warns that the older your piercing, the slower the closing process, stating, "If you had your nose piercing for 10 years, it's possible that it will never fully close again."

So, what about scarring? If you were hoping to close up a hole in your skin with no remaining evidence, you won't like the answer. Taking out your piercing is not the same as getting in a time machine, and you should expect to have a small scar where your piercing was located. Labaere notes that scars from older piercings will be more visible.

If your nose piercing is multiple years old, you're looking at a slow closing process and a potentially noticeable scar. But that doesn't mean you should give up on taking out your piercing. It's your face, and if you don't want the piercing anymore, there's nothing wrong with having a scar. It might take some patience, but eventually, your nose piercing will close — or at the very least shrink — and you'll get to experiment with new ways of adorning your beautiful face.