These often are what we refer to as a cartilage bump or nose piercing bump. If untreated they may be prone to infection. They may occur from allergies, genetics, poor aftercare, irritation, trauma, or sometimes just bad luck. With treatment, they may disappear completely.
Piercing bumps are part of the body's natural response to injury, and they do not typically require treatment. However, people can take steps to keep the area clean, prevent infection, and allow the piercing to heal. These include: keeping piercing jewelry in, without changing or removing it, for at least 6 weeks.
Trapped fluid under the skin can cause a bump, but heat and pressure will help gradually drain it. A simple warm water compress can be made by soaking a clean washcloth in hot water, applying it to the piercing, and holding it there with gentle pressure for a few minutes.
Some pain and redness are part of the normal healing process for pierced ears. It can be easy to confuse those with signs of infection. If there's a bump on the back of the ear piercing, it's not necessarily infected. Small bumps called granulomas can sometimes form around the piercing.
Some signs of an infection include: The bump appears shortly after a piercing, or after changing the jewelry. The bump is tender, painful, or red. The bump is very swollen or oozes pus.
If a keloid develops around your ear piercing after the piercing has healed, contact a healthcare provider. They may recommend that you take your earring out right away and wear a pressure earring. Or they may recommend that you keep your earring in until they're able to conduct a physical examination of your ear.
REDUCES PIERCING BUMPS – Sometimes abnormal bumps appear after a piercing. Tea tree oil is an effective way to dehydrate and eliminate those bumps. HELPS SCARS AND SWELLING – Tea tree oil is a natural antiseptic and also moisturizes the skin which will help reduce any scarring and swelling.
Check if you have an infected piercing
If you've had an ear or nose cartilage piercing, small lumps can sometimes form around the piercing. The lumps, called granulomas, are trapped fluid. You can treat them by soaking a pad in warm water then holding the pad against them once a day.
If you find a keloid has become very tender it may be infected. There will usually be some inflammation or the skin will be warm to the touch. If this happens it's a good idea to see a doctor. Some keloid infections can develop into pockets of pus.
Lumps can form on the earlobe following a piercing. This is caused by the body making too much scar tissue, known as keloids, which spread out from the original wound, causing a small mass or bump to appear which is bigger than the original piercing.
Piercing bumps are small, sensitive bumps that develop around the opening of a piercing. They are particularly common with cartilage piercings (such as the nose or upper ear) and piercings that are brand new. You can recognize a piercing bump by its redness, swelling, irritation, soreness, and general sensitivity.
That little bump could be a pustule, which looks like a little pimple or blister — and just like with a pimple or blister, you shouldn't try to pop it. Pustules are a sign of an infection, and they can be filled with blood and even pus.
1/8 TEASPOON of SEA SALT
Drench a cotton ball in the salt solution and hold it on the piercing for 3-5 minutes. Afterwards, use a Q-tip or another cotton ball to remove any dried matter from around the piercing. Repeat this process 2-3 times a day for the first 2 weeks and then once a day for the following 4 weeks.
Summary. Piercing bumps and keloids are scars that can develop in response to a skin injury. Piercing bumps may blend with your natural skin tone, shrink, or even disappear in time without any treatment at all. Keloids can develop from any scar, including a piercing wound, and become darker over time.
When a keloid first appears, it's often red, pink, or slightly darker than your natural skin tone. As it grows, it may darken. Some become lighter in the center and darker at the edges.
Begin as a raised pink, red, or purple scar.
A keloid is usually a raised scar with a flat surface. The color tends to darken with time. It usually ends up being darker than the person's skin, with the border being darker than the center.
To avoid red lumps, NEVER fiddle with the piercing or knock it. If you do acquire a lump then leaving it completely alone is the best option, not cleaning it multiple times a day which just aggravates it even further. OVER CLEANING WILL CAUSE INFECTION !
If your cartilage piercing bump doesn't improve after a few days, you should go see your doctor, who will prescribe antibiotics to clear your infection. Your doctor may also prescribe topical creams for pain relief or decide to remove your bump surgically.
The first question you're likely to ask when a new piercing becomes unusually painful or swollen is “is my piercing infected?” But more often than not, any discomfort is down to irritation or an allergic reaction rather than an infection. And it's important you know the difference so you can get the treatment you need.
First wash your hands with soap and water. Then prepare a saltwater solution of 1 cup (0.24 liters) water with about 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Stir until the salt dissolves. Leaving the piercing jewelry in place, soak a cotton ball in the solution and place it on the affected area.
However, because piercings mean putting jewelry inside the “wound”, sometimes the body produces too much collagen too quickly, which leads to hypertrophic scarring. Those scars are often confused with keloids, as they both look similar.
Piercing bumps start as red or pink raised areas in the first month or two after injury but can flatten and lighten in color as time goes on. The scar tissue that forms over a skin piercing or in other areas of hypertrophic scarring is usually limited to the original injured area and does not spread.