Keloid on tragus?

Ramza

Hi guys, got my tragus done recently (about month and a half ago), all going grand until this thing showed up on it about 2 weeks ago!





It was grand until about then, I've been cleaning with SSS twice a day morning and night, sleeping on my other side and being extra careful not to bump it etc, I'm meticulous with the cleaning so I'm afraid that this thing wont go away I'm just wondering why it developed if I'm looking after it so well The metal as far as I know is fine, I got my lobes and eyebrow done in the same place and those healed fine so I don't think I am allergic to the material or anything. Any ideas? I just hope this goes away. It does ooze a teeny bit clear/yellowish liquid sometimes when I clean it, I just get it off with a q tip, does this mean anything? Please tell me this goes away as I'm annoyed with it!

Thanks guys for anyone who reads this

Atavan-Halen

It's more than likely hypertrophic scarring which is quite common on cartilage piercings. I've gotten one on every cartilage piercing I've had. Continue on with the SSS until it heals a bit then afterwards do some chamomile tea bag soaks. Boil a mug of chamomile tea then while the tea bag is still warm, compress it onto the piercing for 5-10 mins. Drinking the tea is optional!

Another method is tea tree oil but only use it as a very last resort as its very harsh on the skin and I'd only recommend it for fully healed piercings. Add literally one or two drops to a mug of boiling water and use it in the same way as sea salt soaks.

Ramza

Thank you very much for your reply, will this thing disappear if I continue with the cleaning thoroughly?

RhoDoDenDron

Never Tea Tree, it's considered too harsh for piercings. It makes the bump goes away but at the expense of doing damage to the piercing channel.

As regards the bump, they're quite common and should go away if cleaned properly. Take multivitamin tablets too if you feel your immune system may be down.

Also, a lot of people don't know this but it's better to under-clean than to over-clean. If you miss a clean, don't worry about it. Twice is fine but any more than that is too much, and of course try to touch it with your hands as little as humanly possible.

Good luck

garv123

I was at the doctor and asked about mine when I had the scarring and asked her if I should take it out or what,

She told me SSS was pointless because it was over healed as is and said taking it out would make it worse and she wrote me a prescription for a cream. Cant remember what it was called, Its used for acne scarring too. Was gone in 2 days after sss was no good after a month.

Tiriel

I got one on mine too - what got rid was simply putting a camomile tea bag in hot water and putting it against it. Don't burn yourself - but it should be fairly hot.

Whatever it does - it's magic Got one on every new piercing, usually just when you think it's healing up - but the camomile tea bag gets rid of it within a week tops.

Ramza

Hi guys just a quick bump (if that's okay!), excuse the pun :P

Got myself some chamomile tea bags, been doing it for the last day, just some questions :

I've been doing two SSS a day as per usual, then two tea bag compresses along with those, but at separate times, so 4 cleaning procedures a day, is this harsh for my ear? I was thinking it might cause my piercing damage?

Can I combine my SSS and chamomile treatment in one? Excuse my ignorance, but it's the actual chamomile itself that helps with the scar/bump, correct? If I steeped a tea bag in a SSS solution, and held the glass over my ear as usual, would it not be a SSS and chamomile all in one? Or is there something beneficial from compressing the actual tea bag against the piercing site?

How much pain should I experience? I've been afraid to press the tea bag too hard, but earlier I pressed a good bit, most pain I experienced was just a little and it went after a few seconds, and I could tell it was from the scar/bump. Piercing itself seems to be healing just fine, not getting bumped or knocked, not touching it at all, and SSSing it meticulously. The bump/scar is just ugly as hell, and ruins the overall piercing imo, I want this damn thing gone! :P

Thanks for reading if anyone has

Tiriel

I would just use the tea bags and then if there is any 'stuff' around it afterwards, just wipe with a q-tip very gently. Twice a day is more than enough - possible even too much - maybe once would do.

Over cleaning can cause more problems - if it needs it by all means, but I'd do it once and see how it goes. Be gentle.

As for pain - it should be fairly hot and ya, the bump is more sensitive than the skin around it. I think it's really the heat that helps draw out any badness.. but I'm not 100% on the scientific reasons of how it works - I just know it worked for me I hated the look of the keloid - drove me mad - but thankfully this got rid

innad

I wish I had known about the chamomile tea years ago! It has worked wonders on my pesky conch piercing. Thank you!

Ramza

Using the tea bag method this last week, once a day, and STILL can't see any improvement :mad: I'm being extremely careful as always, not sleeping on it or bumping or touching etc, and it's not the metal because as I said before, my other piercings used the exact same and they healed just fine So annoyed right now

garv123

Ramza wrote: »

Using the tea bag method this last week, once a day, and STILL can't see any improvement :mad: I'm being extremely careful as always, not sleeping on it or bumping or touching etc, and it's not the metal because as I said before, my other piercings used the exact same and they healed just fine So annoyed right now

As i said, its most likely hypertrophic scarring (over healing) and cleaning it more will not make it go away.. The doctor eve told me to stop cleaning mine, or not to take it out because it would heal more and get worse.

You can go and ask a pharmacist for hypertrophic or acne scarring cream and it will be gone in no time.

Ramza

Apparently changing the jewelry to a stud/barbell would benefit me? From what I've gathered online.

Ramza

So I have a story for you guys, tell me what your opinion on this is

I went back to the piercer, and the lady there (not the same person who pierced it) took a look at my tragus. She said I had a "bacteria bubble" that had now turned into a keloid. She insisted that changing to a barbell would help, so she took me into the room, laid me down, and changed the jewelry. Without my consent (not that she needed it, but it would have been nice if she asked!), proceeded to burst this "bubble". And it hurt, a hell of a lot. She went furious with q tips and cleaned up what came out (mainly a tonne of blood, and some puss), she was very rough if I may say so, doubt it helped my problem. After cleaning it all, she showed me my ear. She asked me what I cleaned wit h, and when I told her SSS, she said that I used too much salt and that the salt "drew out" this bubble. She sold me some "special solution" with tea tree, lavender and Vitamin E in, apparently it "helps with those kind of things"

This is what I was greeted with after her vicious scrubbing at my ear

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/513/o6xd.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/834/o9ed.jpg/

Sorry for blurry pics, but basically it's all bloody around the piercing site, and the bubble still seems to be there but just in a bloody, smaller form I feel like such an idiot for doing what I've just done, but I didn't know she was going to be so harsh on me. I'm worried I've gone and ruined my piercing, but what do you guys think?

Should I stick to SSS with less salt? (I was using 1/4 tea spoon in a glass of water. The glass I use is an old nutella jar, so just like this :P http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/502963d2eab8eaa73c000001-590/turn-used-nutella-jars-into-perfect-glass-tumblers.jpg), or should I use this special solution she gave me? She also recommended aspirin paste to help wit the bubble. Please tell me this piercing is savable

Tiriel

It will be fine

The salty solution should taste like tears - no saltier. I think just leave it alone to heal - do a soak and a very gentle wipe - don't touch at all other than that. I think a bar bell will help it heal faster - they don't normally pierce with a ring to start with - I was told I could change to a ring AFTER mine had healed.

Hope it's better soon - it will get better - don't stress

Ramza

That annoying bubble still seems to be there though GRR ahh, I'm such a perfectionist, this is REALY driving me crazy!

RhoDoDenDron

Oh dear. No offence, but she sounds horrible. Vitamin E is good, but DO NOT use tea tree. It's far too harsh for healing piercings. Asprin paste is fine but use it sparingly. Bursting the bubble is also not good, you that's just treating the effect, not the cause, and will just leave you with more potential scarring.

I would recommend sticking to SSS with less water, and try heating for a bit in the microwave so that's it's nice and hot, probably as hot as you can bear. Barbells are better than rings, so she was right about that much.

I'd say it's savable, just give it time. You may have to just take it out, give it a few weeks and have it re-pierced. I don't know where you're based but I would advise consulting with a more reputable piercer, I don't like the sound of that woman at all, and that brings the reputation of that whole studio into question, harsh as that may sound.

Ramza

RhoDoDenDron wrote: »

Oh dear. No offence, but she sounds horrible. Vitamin E is good, but DO NOT use tea tree. It's far too harsh for healing piercings. Asprin paste is fine but use it sparingly. Bursting the bubble is also not good, you that's just treating the effect, not the cause, and will just leave you with more potential scarring.

I would recommend sticking to SSS with less water, and try heating for a bit in the microwave so that's it's nice and hot, probably as hot as you can bear. Barbells are better than rings, so she was right about that much.

I'd say it's savable, just give it time. You may have to just take it out, give it a few weeks and have it re-pierced. I don't know where you're based but I would advise consulting with a more reputable piercer, I don't like the sound of that woman at all, and that brings the reputation of that whole studio into question, harsh as that may sound.

Microwave? May I ask why I would need to put it in the microwave if I can let the water cool, or if it's already at a bearable temperature?

I think the place is a bit dodgy, when she asked who pierced it and I told her, she rolled her eyes and kinda laughed, as if it was some joke that I had a messed up ear pierced by someone who wasn't capable for the job, given her reaction. I would be willing to travel to dublin to get it pierced by the best I can get, if it happens to come to that. What's the best place to go, where it will actually be done properly? :eek:

RhoDoDenDron

If you mix it with boiling water then it's fine to let it cool. I usually buy contact lens solution, which is sterile saline, and heat it up myself.

In Dublin, I'd recommend either Zulu, Wildcat or Snakebite. All three are totally respectable and reliable, with Zulu being my personal favourite.

Star Lord

RhoDoDenDron wrote: »

If you mix it with boiling water then it's fine to let it cool. I usually buy contact lens solution, which is sterile saline, and heat it up myself.

In Dublin, I'd recommend either Zulu, Wildcat or Snakebite. All three are totally respectable and reliable, with Zulu being my personal favourite.

The saline is no longer sterile once you open the bottle. Using the boiling water way is easier to ensure that it's sterile.
If it's canned contact lens solution, check that there's nothing in it but water and salt.

Ramza

Update :

Piercing itself seems to be healing no problem (feels and looks great right now, apart from the bubble), but this thing still wont go away. Been alternating between SSS and chamomile tea bag compress for the last weeks, still no improvement. It tends to go down a BIT now and then, and change colour to a less shade of red, then the next morning it will be back. it's annoying me no end. Should I try aspirin paste? I know tea tree oil is bad but I'm on the verge of trying anything that will shift this damn thing

garv123

If you listened to me 4 weeks ago this thread would be dead and buried