Q: Took my nose ring out for one night and now I can't get the jewelry back in. Is it closing? Is there anything I can do to save it? — Ezra G.

A: Okay, deep breath, don't panic, this is incredibly common and often very fixable, but you want to move fast, because yeah, it's probably starting to shrink. Noses are notorious for this. Nostril piercings can tighten up in a matter of hours, even ones you thought were fully healed, so one night is plenty of time for the channel to narrow.

Here's what to try gently right now:

• Warm it up first. A warm (not hot) compress or a few minutes in a hot shower softens the tissue and opens things up a little

• Lubricate. A dab of sterile saline can help the jewelry slide

• Go in at the original angle with something like a jewelry taper if you have one, and use slow, steady, gentle pressure. Angle is everything, so try to match how it used to sit

• If a stud is really fighting you a smaller gauge piece can sometimes sneak through and act as a place holder until you can get to your piercer. For example, if you typically wear an 18 gauge stud, try a 20 gauge piece instead.

The biggest rule: do not force it. If it's genuinely resistant, shoving metal through will just tear the tissue, make it bleed and swell, and then nothing's going in. That's when you make it worse.

So if those gentle tries don't work, get to a piercer today or tomorrow. They do emergency reinsertions constantly, they've got proper tapers to ease it back open, and they can usually save a piercing that feels like a lost cause from home. Even if it's closed more than you think, a pro can often re-open or cleanly re-pierce it on the spot. Act soon, stay gentle, and there's a really good chance this piercing is totally salvageable. Don't let a stubborn few hours talk you into giving up on it.

One last tip - for a nose ring that is super secure, won't fall out and you can wear 24/7 check out Body Candy's titanium nose hoops -> tap here to check them out

Q: My lip stud backing is rubbing my gums and they look like they're receding. How serious is this? — Ashley M.

A:  I'm going to be honest with you... it's serious enough that I wouldn't wait on it. Not "panic," but definitely "deal with it now rather than later." Here's why, gum recession doesn't grow back. Once the gum pulls away from the tooth, that tissue's gone, so the whole game is stopping it before it goes further. What's happening is that flat metal backing resting and rubbing against your gumline all day, every day. That constant friction is exactly what causes recession, and the fact that you can already see it means it's actively in progress.

So here's what I'd do as soon as possible:

• See your dentist, like, yesterday. They can measure how much recession has happened, tell you how urgent it is, and catch it before it reaches the root. This is the must-do task

• See your piercer about the hardware. Often the fix is switching to a smaller, lower-profile backing or a softer material (like a bioflex/soft disc) that sits against your gums way more gently. Sometimes repositioning or downsizing helps a lot

• Be honest with yourself about the piece. If it keeps worsening even after adjusting, the safe answer may be retiring that piercing. Teeth and gums don't come back, and they're not worth losing over jewelry

I know that last part isn't fun to hear, but you asked how serious it is, and the straight answer is: your gums are telling you something. Get the dentist's read fast, adjust the jewelry with your piercer, and you've got a strong shot at stopping it here before it becomes a bigger deal. Good luck!

Disclaimer: Body Candy is only here to give you fun and helpful advice and information when it comes to getting pierced. Always consult a professional piercer to make sure a new piercing is right for you!