keloids & piercings!

[so jems like]

So, I got my second ear lobe piercing about 4-5 months ago. I took it out for about a few days and when I tried putting an earring back in I realized it closed up in the back. Of course I tried pushing the earring back in because that's what I used to do with my first piercings and I usually got it to go through. But, I realized that my second piercing was definitely closed up and it hurt to poke the hole back. So sadly I have accepted the fact that my piercing closed up. :blush: I could always get it repierced if I want too. But, aside from this .. Today I realized that behind the second piercing, there's a bump. I'm afraid it's a keloid. I learned about keloids after I got my cartilage pierced and now I'm afraid I have it on my lobes. I googled it and got a lot of disturbing images and now I'm afraid that this bump is going to grow to be really big. From the front it looks fine. The hole is really small so it doesn't even look like I have a piercing there anymore. But, the bump in the back is worrying me. Does anyone have any knowledge of keloids?? I'll probably go to my piercer if the bump does get worse and seems to grow, but I felt like posting this because it's really worrying me ..

I feel like I worry about the smallest things :doh:
But, hopefully the bump will get smaller and be nothing.
I'm trying to clean it with sterile saline solution and the ear care that I got when I got it pierced and I applied a little bit of pressure on it and tried massaging it but I don't know if that's a good idea.

[eeyorelover]

Keloids are far more likely in people with high pigmented skin like African Americans.
They also appear to be shiny and discolored and not like normal skin even when first forming.
If you are really concerned you can dab on some tea tree oil where the lump is because it treats keloids in the early stages.
I seriously doubt that this is what you have. Just try not to poke around at your ear until it's fully healed and you should be fine :)
xxx
Sandy

[so jems like]

Thanks!
Are keloids rare ?? Well, my bump is still small and it's not growing or anything so I don't think it's keloids anymore .. Maybe it's just scarring & I searched online and it said that the oil and lotion and stuff can help it. I think I'll go to the tattoo/piercing parlor tomorrow just to make sure..

[fairyloveheart]

i had a bump behind my tragis piercing in my ear, it was sore and went away after a few months....

[Cathy V]

Its very common to get these small lumps after piercing. It sounds like the body has decided it didnt want the hole there and so has tried to heal it. I doubt if its anything serious, but theres always a chance of infection with these things. It might be better to see a doctor rather than go to the piercer, do the piercers have any medical knowledge?

[eeyorelover]

Yes keloids are rare. They are basically a fibrous scar tissue from some sort of injury to the skin - can be something as small as a pimple or razor bump - that are made up of collagen and usually itch or are painful!
The difference between a keloid and a regular scar is that a keloid is a raised lump and can continue to fill with collagen where a regular scar with remain the same size.
No one knows why some people get them and some don't.
Many scientists believe that the propencity to get keloids is hereditary.
But the darker you are the more likely you are to get them.

Here is the good news.
If you have already had piercings and didn't develop a keloid, the chances of you getting one from another piercing or any other means is slim to none!!
xxx
Sandy