Q: Is this a keloid?
A: Keloids are usually the result of genetics, and diagnosis is far beyond the scope of body piercers. However, most bumps on piercings are not keloids, and can be fixed without the need for medical intervention.

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Q: What is this bump? How do I make it go away? Will it go away?
A: Bumps that appear on piercings are the result of irritation of some sort. This irritation is often caused by one or more of several factors:

 

Poor placement or angle
Trauma such as a snag or sleeping on the piercing, or changing jewelry too soon

Jewelry that is irritating due to size, style, or material

Excess moisture, especially in navel piercings and behind earlobes
Improper aftercare

 

Once you’ve determined the source of the irritation, remedying the bump is a matter of getting rid of the irritation. Generally, if addressed early enough, the bump will resolve in time. Something key to remember is that the irritation is what is causing the bump, so if you do not address the source of the irritation, the bump will not go away. If you have had the bump(s) for several months or years, they can persist after retiring the piercing altogether. In that case, they may need to be addressed by a medical professional. 

 

Q: Can I use [product] to get rid of bumps?

A: Because piercing bumps are caused by something irritating the piercing, there is no topical solution that will remedy a bump, and most often things like tea tree oil, aspirin paste, peroxide, etc will make the issue worse. Most often, time, proper care, and proper jewelry will be all you need to remedy a bump.

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For instance, if your irritation bump is caused by jewelry that doesn’t fit correctly, it will not go away until that is fixed, as no amount of tea tree oil or sea salt soaking will change the fact that your jewelry isn’t fitting right.

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Q: Are the bumps normal?
A: No, however they are common. Plenty of people heal piercings every day without issue. If your piercer dismisses your concerns about bumps as a “normal part of healing”, it is time to find a new piercer.

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Q: I am prone to keloids. Can I still get a piercing?

A: You can, however if you are predisposed to keloids, it will be a risk whenever you injure your skin, whether by getting a piercing or just a common cut or scrape. 

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Q: What do I do if my bump was caused by something physical like a snag, pressure from a mask or being slept on, etc.?

A: When a bump forms because of some form of trauma, the only thing you can do is give it time to recover. Be as careful with it as you can so it doesn't become even more irritated. If the bump is large enough that the jewelry is pressing into the bump or your skin, you should see a piercer to determine if you need a longer piece of jewelry.

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As with all piercing bumps, there isn't anything you can put on the bump to make it go away that won't potentially irritate it more. You just need to give it time and be careful with it.

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In some cases the injury may be too much for your piercing to recover from and removal may be your only option. If you are concerned this is the case, you should find a knowledgeable piercer that can evaluate it in person

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Q: My nostril piercing was recently snagged, bumped, hit and/or otherwise traumatized and now I have a bump. What should I do?

 

See the answer to the question above. 

 

Q: My nostril piercing was done with a ring. Could that be causing the irritation bump?

 

Yes, and it probably is. 

 

As discussed in part 2 of the FAQ, rings are not a good option for most new piercings, including nostrils. Rings get bumped/snagged more easily, they move around more and if you sleep on them they put a lot of extra pressure on the piercing. 

 

Also, if the diameter of the ring is too small, it will pull at the edges of the piercing causing irritation.

 

The best thing you can do is have your jewelry changed to a high-quality, implant-grade flatback labret stud. This type of jewelry will move around less and will be less likely to irritate the piercing.

 

Q: My nostril piercing was less than 6 months old before I changed it to a ring, could that be the cause of the bump?

 

Yes, and it probably is - for all the same reasons listed in the above question.

You should not put a ring in a nostril piercing for at least 6 months - some piercers suggest waiting even longer. If your piercing isn’t fully-healed after 6 months, you need to wait longer to put a ring in it. 

 

If you changed your jewelry too soon, you should change it to a high-quality, implant-grade flatback labret stud until it is fully-healed. 

 

Q: I am wearing a seam ring, continuous ring or clicker/hinge ring in my unhealed nostril piercing. Could that be the cause of the bump?

 

Yes, it could.

 

These types of rings should not be worn in unhealed piercing. When the seam(s) on the rings rotate into the piercing, they can irritate or damage the delicate healing tissue. That can cause an irritation bump to form. 

 

The only exception is if the ring has some sort of decoration on it that would prevent the seam from rotating into the piercing. 

 

Q: I am wearing a nostril screw or L - bend jewelry in my nostril piercing. Could that be causing the bump?

 

Yes, it could. 

 

Nostril screws must be custom-bent to fit each person’s nose. If the nostril screw you are wearing was pre-bent, there is almost no chance it is fitting your piercing correctly. If it it is too tight, or too loose, it will irritate the piercing. 

 

L-bend jewelry also needs to be custom-bent. That style of jewelry can fall out easily, which will be very irritating to a new piercing. 

 

If you are wearing L-bend jewelry or a nostril screw that was not custom-bent to fit your nose, you should change it back to a flatback labret stud until it is fully-healed. 

 

Q: I got pierced with a flatback labret stud, but never got a shorter piece put in. Could that be causing the irritation bump?

 

Yes, it could.

 

If there is too much extra room on your jewelry, it will move around a lot and irritate your piercing. It is also more likely to get snagged if the jewelry is too long. 

 

Q: What else causes irritation bumps on nostril piercings?

 

The other most common cause of bumps on nostril piercings is the angle of the piercing being incorrect.

 

Generally, the piercing should be done perpendicular to the nostril. If it is too parallel to the ground; angled too far downward, too much backward and/or too much forward, there will be constant pressure on the tissue. This pressure can cause an irritation bump.

 

When the irritation bump appears mostly on one side of the piercing (instead of all away around the hole), that is almost always an indication of a problem with the angle.It will occasionally be the result of a jewelry not fitting properly. 

 

If the angle of the piercing is wrong, removal is almost always the best/only option.