Keloid scar after piercing: what to know

A keloid forms when scar tissue keeps building after skin injury and grows beyond the piercing hole. It can be smooth, firm, itchy, tender, or darker than surrounding skin. Ear cartilage, earlobes, and other pierced areas can also develop irritation from pressure, jewellery, or repeated handling.

A keloid is a condition, not simply a sign that the piercing is infected. Pus, warmth, spreading redness, or throbbing pain points toward a possible infection and needs different care.

Avoid squeezing the bump, rotating jewellery unnecessarily, or applying harsh home remedies. Follow professional advice about jewellery removal, because removing it during an active infection can sometimes trap drainage. Keep the area clean and avoid new piercing through or beside a keloid until assessed.

After the skin has healed, treatment may include silicone, steroid injection into the skin, laser treatment, freezing treatment, or surgery. Keloid removal surgery requires a recurrence-prevention plan and is not a reason to pierce the area again without specialist advice.

Seek prompt medical care for spreading redness, increasing warmth, pus, fever, severe pain, or jewellery becoming embedded. Arrange a dermatology review if a firm bump continues to enlarge, bleeds, restricts jewellery use, or causes persistent itch or tenderness.

Ask whether the bump is a keloid, hypertrophic scar, irritation, or infection; whether jewellery should stay in place; and which treatment protects the piercing site from further trauma. Mention previous keloids before any new piercing.