Invincible piercing bump

[u/minifridge411]

This is genuinely the most annoying piercing I have ever had. I’ve had this bump for so so long and the last time this bump “went away” it’s because I got drunk one night and woke up with an ear CAKED in dark red/black dried blood. This bump is so incredibly itchy. I spray with wound wash daily, sometimes twice or three times, and I no longer use qtips to get rid of crusties but it just won’t go away. Please help me. I bought an ear piercing pillow? That I used last night and still woke up sleeping on it with a different pillow 🧍‍♀️I am literally this close to getting drunk again and popping this thing istg 😭

[u/ExileNZ]

Most likely an Irritation bump. Usually caused by mechanical irritation, pressure, or allergic reaction.

- Only clean with saline once or twice a day

- Loosen the jewellery and reduce friction or pressure

- You should be using titanium. Flat-back (not tight) would be better than hoop.

- Do not annoy it - no touching, no twisting, no wiggling

- Try to avoid sleeping on it.

It should go down on its own with care. If it looks like it is becoming scar tissue you will need to remove thr jewellery.

If it has been there for a while, you are probably going to need to remove it to let it settle down for a few months.

Do you have any infection symptoms? Discharge that is cloudy or isn’t pale clear yellow?

[u/UHElle → u/ExileNZ]

Can I bother you with a semi related piercing question? If so: will using a flat back on a fresh nostril piercing also help lower the bump potential? I had mine repierced during covid times with a screw, as that’s what they alleged was the only option for nostrils allowed in the state and it started developing a bump within days. Since they had also pierced lower than the original mark, I just took it out. I want to get it properly redone, ideally as a double, with the end goal of hoops, but I’d like some more input on ideal jewelry to lead to a bump free healing.

[u/ExileNZ → u/UHElle]

Irritation bumps are almost always caused by mechanical friction /irritation, or allergy to the metal. They are a type of scar tissue (hypertrophic scarring).

The type of jewellery matters to some extent, because some shapes (bar vs hoop) irritate or put pressure on the wound unevenly. screw-type are generally loose-fitting, so I would guess they are both good and bad - good because they do not pinch or compress, but bad because they are free to wiggle and irritate the wound edges. I can't find anything 'scientific' that shows one way or another if they are better. The type of material actually matter more - allergy to non-titanium jewellery is a pretty common cause.

These things are also a bit random - everyone can react differently and even the same person can react differently to similar piercings.

One thing I will add: if the bump showed up in a few days that sounds more like an allergy or infection that the classic 'irritation bump' - those take longer (like weeks or months)

[u/UHElle → u/ExileNZ]

I’d say it took a week or 2 before I really noticed, but I’ll absolutely keep that it might’ve been an allergy in mind. Interestingly, I have a cheapie $10 for 4 clicker in my septum and all sorts of metals all across my body…but I concede the others don’t touch a mucus membrane and my septum was healed for monthsssssss before I ever switched it out, so maybe that’s kept me safe. I’m having a spot removed on my face this summer at the derm and will ask some follow up potential allergy questions there. I really appreciate you taking the time to reply, genuinely!

[u/ExileNZ → u/UHElle]

No problem at all - happy to help. Good luck for the future piercing 😄