Piercing bump vs keloid: Piercing bumps and keloids are different skin conditions that can occur following a piercing.
The keloid can form after the piercing has healed. It is a “ball of flesh” that forms around the area that you have been pierced when the wound has healed poorly. CARE: Thoroughly clean the piercing in the shower with neutral ph soap, gently move the jewel to make the soap penetrate into the piercing channel. Rinse with clean water, moving the jewel to remove soap deposits. Week one, MORNING & EVENING for 1 week: – Yellow betadine to apply with a cotton swab directly on the keloid and leave to act for 5 minutes – rinse with physiological saline. Week two, MORNING & EVENING for 1 week: – clean the secretions with physiological serum then apply 1 minute on a woven/cotton compress to remove make-up.
A keloid is a growth formed by scar tissue and caused by trauma to the skin. The color of these hard scars varies from pink to red. Dr. Ashwani Kumar tells you what a keloid is, piercing bump vs keloid, how to avoid it, and how to get rid of it.
Piercing bump vs keloid
Piercing bump vs keloid: Piercing bumps tend to appear very quickly and do not increase in size, while keloids take time to form and may continue to grow over time. A doctor or dermatologist can advise on the best way to treat keloids.
Piercing is a minor operation consisting of creating an orifice on the body in order to insert jewelry. Soft tissues can be pierced using a specific gun. For cartilage and sensitive areas, the piercer will use a hollow, straight or curved needle to create as little trauma as possible.
Piercings are artificial alterations of the body which, as such, can cause the body to react in different ways. However, you should know that the way you treat your piercing can make all the difference.
The tunnel formed by the piercing needle is called a fistula. It is first covered with granulation tissue — tissue only found in wounds — which is then covered by a skin-like layer formed by nearby cells. Among the body reactions that you will certainly encounter during a piercing are redness and swelling.
These are completely normal phenomena and signs that your body is in healing mode. To avoid too intense reddening, care should be taken not to use too aggressive cleaning products. However, you can apply ice to the piercing to reduce them.
If there is any discharge from the fistula, it may be a sign of an infected piercing and not quite proper care. The piercing can also cause tears in the skin and permanently damage it. As for oral piercings, they can cause dental chipping and promote the loosening of teeth. Piercing can cause many reactions in the body, one of which is keloid.
The latter is an abnormal, inflamed growth growing beyond the area of the injury. It continues to grow in thick lines, bumps or even tumor-like nodules. It doesn’t just develop because of a piercing: it can also appear as a result of an insect bite, acne or even a benign-looking scar. In very rare cases, the keloid can appear spontaneously without any skin trauma.
What is a keloid?
The keloid is one of the “deformities” that can occur following a piercing, but also following a tattoo. It is a formation of scar tissue that builds up and protrudes above the surface level of the skin.
What to know about the keloid?
We can say that a keloid is a wound that never stops healing. It forms as a result of an outgrowth of fibrous tissue, caused by cellular information during proliferation and inflammation during the healing process. In response to the “wound” created by the piercing, skin cells called “fibroblasts” produce excess collagen. The development of the mucous membrane or the skin then takes place in an abnormal way (a bit like a wart).
It would seem that the formation of keloids can also have other causes, such as:
- Poor hygiene
- Poorly performed care
- Prong drilling angle
- Unsuitable or poor quality jewelry
- Pressure on the piercing
- Blows or shocks (catching it in clothes or hair).
Although the cause of keloid formation is not yet fully understood, it seems that several factors contribute to it. These include, for example, abnormal wound healing, poor communication in blood vessels, inflammation, deeper skin injuries or mechanical stress. Keloids cannot be removed permanently, as new scar tissue will continue to grow over them until they dry up completely. The process will lessen over time and the keloid will stop growing, but this can take years.
The formation of the keloid
It appears following an excessive response of the body to injury, trauma or surgery. The keloid takes several months to a year on average to form after the “injury”. It is most common on cartilage piercings because healing and rebuilding at this level happens in layers. However, it can also appear when the piercing is made in soft tissue.
It all starts with a wound slightly above the surface of the skin and colored red, pink, purple or brown. This scar will become darker and darker over time. The appearance of the keloid will depend on the location and also the color of the person’s skin.
Who is most susceptible to keloid?
It would seem that Asians, mestizos and dark-skinned people are more likely to develop it. They are also more common in people under the age of 30. Keloids are most often genetic and hereditary, at least partially. Before getting pierced, ask your close family if they’ve ever had it from a piercing, surgery, acne scar, or chicken pox.
Small in size in general, it can however continue to expand if nothing is done. If it itches, it means that the scarring is active inside and therefore it will continue to grow.
How to recognize a keloid?
Dr. Ashwani Kumar explains how to recognize this so-called “traumatic” growth which is quite common during cartilage healing.
Unmistakable signs of keloid
When we talk about Piercing bump vs keloid – On the ears, the keloid begins as a small growth at the piercing area. Some can happen very quickly, but most often take several months to develop.
This scar tissue growth can have several textures. They can be soft to the touch or on the contrary rather hard and rubbery. A person who has keloids may experience symptoms such as pain, itching, and tenderness at the scar. The sensation is also quite unpleasant when pressure is applied to it, and the keloid can also be painful at times.
Difference Between Keloid and Other Scars
The hypertrophic scar is also a type of bump formed by excess scar tissue. It is also created during the healing process and appears any time between several weeks to a year after the injury or piercing.
The difference between keloid and hypertrophic scar is essentially the size of these growths. The hypertrophic scar will not exceed the size of the wound, while the keloid can extend far beyond the original wound. If the area around the piercing is painful, oozing or bleeding, it is not a keloid but a sebaceous cyst or an infection.
The sebaceous cyst, although not malignant, will bother you a little, but will go away on its own. It is most often not painful. Rupture or infection is always possible. Your doctor will be able to easily recognize a sebaceous cyst. In some cases, only surgery can remove it along with the sebaceous gland. If the latter is not removed at the same time, the problem will return.
What to do in case of keloid formation?
The growths that appear following a piercing are never “normal” and must be examined by a professional.
For an underdeveloped keloid
If you feel the skin hardening around the piercing, you need to act quickly to prevent a keloid from forming. Get in touch with your piercer or doctor as soon as possible. In the meantime, you can apply cold saline using a sterile, non-woven compress. You can also change the piercing for another in another material or in another size so that the fistula is less stressed.
The ideal is not to touch it any more while waiting and to be careful that it does not undergo more shocks or that the hair does not get caught in it. The keloid can sometimes go away on its own if the piercing is no longer stressed (no pressure or shock), but this is not always the case, especially if it is already well developed.
If nothing helps, the only solution is to contact your professional piercer or a doctor. Your piercer may encourage you to perform a salt bath, which is believed to draw out pus and blood, which will help relieve pressure and aid healing. He will probably prescribe that you clean the area twice a day with a saline solution and use an unscented, antimicrobial, and dye-free soap. By sticking to these techniques, you will have the best chance of healing the irritation in your favor, without it causing more irritation.
Silicone gel or sheets have also proven themselves in continuous application, for 24 hours. It is placed on the scar and the area around it, and even on already healed scars. A gentle massage of the already healed area would also give slight improvements. Surgery and one or more complementary treatments will only be necessary if the keloid is already well formed and extended.
If confused about piercing bumps vs keloids, talk to your doctor.
The different treatments for keloids
Above all, do not pierce the keloid, or you risk inviting infection and causing a new wound which could make things worse. Moreover, there is nothing to evacuate inside. You should see a doctor as soon as you notice thickening, firm mounds, or a tender, raised area at a scar. Follow your doctor’s advice, do not wait to carry out the treatment and continue to take it on a regular basis. Make regular check-ups (usually every 6 to 8 weeks ) to keep the skin soft and flat.
Surgery may be performed to remove the keloid with a scalpel. Surgery can get rid of its unsightly appearance. Results are not guaranteed, however, as the keloid may subsequently reappear. The majority of medical professionals advocate a combination of several treatments for the best results. These are, for example, injections of steroids (cortisone) which will have the effect of inhibiting the production of collagen, the source of the formation of the keloid. It takes an average of 4 injections, each spaced 3 to 4 weeks apart. On average, these injections alone provide a 50-80% reduction in keloids.
The laser does not remove the keloid, but it flattens its surface and makes it less visible. Sessions should be performed every 6 to 8 weeks. They reduce or stop fibroblast cell proliferation signals both in keloids and in thick hypertrophic scars. Other practitioners use cryotherapy on small keloids. In extreme and rarer cases, surgical procedures for clearing obstructions or even radiation may be necessary. If the keloid is removed by surgery, the other treatments remain necessary on an ongoing basis so that it remains at bay or that its development is controlled.
How to avoid keloid formation?
Has anyone in your family developed keloids? You can ask your dermatologist to pierce you in an inconspicuous place for a test. A healthy lifestyle and proper care will reduce the risk of keloid formation.
Irritants such as oils, sweat, dust, perfume, hair spray, and other factors can negatively affect a piercing and cause infection. The keloid will not respond very well to normal cleaning and care, although it is still important to do this properly.
Conclusion
Piercing bump vs keloid: Piercing bumps tend to appear more quickly and do not increase in size, while keloids take time to form and may continue to grow over time.
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