Keloids are the excess growth of scar tissue at the site of a healed skin injury.
Keloids usually are not medically dangerous, but they may affect appearance. In some cases, they may become smaller, flatter, and less noticeable over a period of several years. (Source: …
Safepiercing Inbox Question:
I’m submitting my question because my message is way too long for an ask, and I figured a picture of the piercing in question would help some. So. Hi.
I plan on seeing the guy who pierced my rook tomorrow (and yes, he is an experienced piercer working at a local tattoo/pierce shop whom I trust wholeheartedly), but I figured a second (or, well, first) opinion wouldn’t hurt.
On the “top” of the rook, the obviously visible part of the piercing, a small bump formed. I do know it’s a typical (albeit sad) thing to happen with cartilage piercings and I wouldn’t be surprised if it was because of bad cleaning on my part, but I also wonder if the jewelry I used was part of the problem—I was pierced with a curved barbell. If the bump is from pressure of the piercing (more often than not the ball of the bar pressed down against my ear, right where the bump has grown) would having the piercer switch out the jewelry with a hoop work out better? I’ve had the piercing for exactly eight weeks, the estimated healing time if I’m correct, but the swelling hasn’t gone down like my tragus piercing previously had. (My tragus, same ear, was pierced in late July and by mid September I noticed that the swelling was gone so I assumed the same thing would happen with the rook)
Again, it may very well be a combination of my own cleaning habits and the pressure from the jewelry, but I thought asking wouldn’t hurt.
The first photo is from when I initially had my rook done (for comparison purposes, I suppose), and the second is how it looks now. The bar isn’t short by any means, but with the swelling it is a rather tight fit so it’s another reason why I’m thinking a hoop might be better suited.
Any thoughts or answers are much appreciated. I know this is a rather long submission, so if you’d prefer to inbox me a response, that’s cool too. Whatever works. Also, any thoughts on a conch piercing being done with a hoop versus a bar?
- Well, first off that jewelry is way too long for the size of your rook. It looks like maybe a 3/8” or 7/16” long curved barbell to me. Typically 5/16” is a good fit for most new rooks. With excessively long jewelry like that you’re going to have pressure and snagging problems pretty frequently I imagine.
- It’s also hard to tell from that picture but it looks like the bottom hole exits almost on the ridge of the rook itself rather than underneath the fold. If that’s where it’s actually placed the jewelry will naturally add pressure to the tissue. I would guess pressure is one of the main problems since the lump seems to be focused on the front of the piercing. The scar seems to be almost bracing in one direction which makes me think there is outward pressure.
- That kind of bump can also be a sign of allergic reaction. Do you know what grade of material it happens to be, or who the manufacturer is? If it’s a cheap grade of steel rather than F-138 implant grade steel, or F-136 implant grade titanium you might be having a sensitivity or allergic reaction from the jewelry material.
- My first suggestion would definitely be a better fitting piece of jewelry. Try something shorter. You still want a little wiggle room to avoid pinching, but you can downsize the length of your jewelry by at least 2 millimeters. High grade jewelry would also be a smart move. Try something from one of our APP corporate sponsors. Some of the names you can look for are LeRoi, Industrial Strength, Anatometal, and Neometal. You’ll still want a curved barbell. Rings or hoop style jewelry will just stick out and cause even more irritation.
- If your regular piercer can’t seem to help you with the new jewelry you need there’s never any harm in getting a second opinion from another experienced piercer.
- You can also check out these APP informational brochures for troubleshooting and aftercare info.
- Good luck with it, let us know how things work out for you and we’ll do a follow up post.
- Ryan Ouellette, APP outreach
The small bumps that sometimes form on nostril piercings can be caused by numerous things.
- The piercing is done at an incorrect angle. You can usually spot this easily by looking at the end of the jewelry. If it is not sitting perfectly flush and flat against your nostril, then the angle of…
- Q: Hi can you tell me some information about Nipple Piercing? like the pain, the care, and how easily it can get infected? or any other information i should know about it?
Most piercings, when done well, are pretty easy. Expect a bit of a pinch but if you choose a skilled piercer it…
The bump. It’s a pain in the ass and virtually every pierced person will have experienced them at some point. They are often caused by a mix of placement problems, jewellery not fitting just right, knocking it, bashing it, or sometimes, just plain bad luck! However, there are some lucky-as-balls people who have never experienced it!
Certain piercings are more prone to scarring than others, often ones with low bloodflow, such as cartilage. Also, cartilage piercings are easiest to bash about and knock, as well as getting hair caught in them. Nostrils are a common place to have bumps, too!
So, how do you identify a hypertrophic scar?
Wikipedia states thus:
A hypertrophic scar is a cutaneous condition characterized by deposits of excessive amounts of collagen which gives rise to a raised scar, but not to the degree observed with keloids.[1] Like keloids, they form most often at the sites of pimples, body piercings, cuts and burns. They often contain nerves and blood vessels.
They are not to be confused with keloids, which are darker in colour, spread far beyond the bounds of the piercing site with no real specific form, often tender, painful and itchy, they are red or much darker than the normal skin tone, they carry a lot of collagen, and they can often develop months or years after the piercing.
Help! I’ve got a scar!
Step one, don’t panic. They take a long time to treat, but the sooner you spot and identify them, the sooner you can begin treatment, of which there many different types. Not every treatment will work on every scar, but keep persevering. If you’re sure a certain treatment isn’t working, then move onto the next one.
These treatments are listed from the most common and safest, to the most extreme.
Treatment one: The chamomile salt soak.
Salt soaks are awesome, and everyone knows that. However, the addition of chamomile tea soothes and calms the affected area further, which can greatly reduce scar reduction
Pointers: Make sure you use chamomile tea with no added extras! If you have a ragweed allergy, avoid this method!
The compression and soothing nature of this method should help the bump break down and go. This is the most common and often most effective method.
Treatment two: The breathable tape compress
I’ve never tried this method, but I have heard good things about it. Elayne Angel discusses this method in ‘The Piercing Bible’. It is an example of compression therapy.
Pointers: Use this only on healed piercings, as the adhesive could irritate a healing one.
Treatment three: Salt soaks with topical treatment.
Once again, this treatment is outlined in Elayne Angel’s Piercing Bible. I have used this method with success in the past.
Pointers: PLUG YOUR EAR CANAL! Hydrogen peroxide can cause deafness/hearing damage if it enters the ear canal, so plug it before using H2O2 to keep yourself safe. Only use one of them at a time!
Treatment four: Topical application of hyrocortisone cream.
Treatment five: Hydrogen Peroxide application.
This treatment is outlined in Compunction’s Healing Guide.
once you've determined WHY your piercing grew the big lump of tissue, you can take to removing it. i've found holding a q-tip wet with hydrogen peroxide directly on the bump to be very effective. re-wet the q-tip as necessary to keep the bump soaking for five minutes several times a day for a few weeks. hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) eats away at new tissue, which makes it completely inappropriate for the cleaning of a piercing, but quite suitable for destruction of scar tissue. it will fizz & burn, & eventually your scar tissue will probably scab over. keep up the treatments, & you should see results.
Remember, Hydrogen Peroxide can and will deafen you if you use it without caution. This treatment isn’t always recommended, so caution should be used at all times, and you must understand this risks of this treatment.
If none of these methods work, then you can ask to be referred to a dermatologist, who should be able to provide a more aggressive treatment.
Any bump questions, and we’re always open for business, so ask!
