What causes cartilage piercing bump? A critical look at the cartilage piercing bump, on back of ear, infection, bleeding, pop, size normal, tea tree oil and how to get rid of it.
Cartilage Piercing Bump Causes
Earlobe piercings are very much common, but an ever increasing number of people are equally showing much interest in the cartilage piercings. The cartilage is the upper part of the ear and is one of the areas where the piercings may be very dangerous and eventually cause infections.
It is not easy to deal with a cartilage piercing bump since it is not very much responsive to the antibiotics. A cartilage piercing has higher chances of getting infections – the infection rate for the cartilage piercings is normally 40%, whereas it’s about 20% for the body piercing. There are several ways that you can apply so that you can deal with the cartilage bump.
There are several number of reasons on why you can be able to get cartilage piercing bump, and some of them are as indicated below.
- Unhygienic Procedures
This is the biggest cause of the infections. You can visit a piercer who normally uses unsterilized equipment, like the gun and also the needle. Getting the piercings done by use of unsterilized equipment is a sure way of obtaining an infection due to the bacteria which can transfer from individual to another.
If the unsterilized equipment is used during the piercing, then it lays the ground for the bacteria to grow and eventually leading to the infection. This leads to a cartilage piercing bump to happen.
- Wearing Inexpensive or Inappropriate Jewelry
This will also cause infections and also the development of the cartilage piercing bump. Wearing of the jewelry that is made of a material that the body is allergic to will also lead to the infections. Nickel is often the culprit.
You better wearing the jewelry that is made of gold, stainless steel, or even the titanium. Wearing of inexpensive jewelry which is made of very cheap metals can also lead to bumps to happen near the piercings. Beware of jewelry that is made of the cheap nickel, due to the fact that it is known to lead to infections.
- Not Maintaining Personal Hygiene
This might be as likely very dangerous. You require to pay a lot of attention so as to keep the pierced area very clean and also dry while still healing. Also, ensure that the hair doesn’t in any way touch the piercing as it can laed to the infections. This is one of the reasons for the happening of bumps after the piercing.
Their area which is near to the piercing is to be cleaned very well so that it is safe from the infections. Also, keeping of the hair away from touching the pierced skin spot will assist greatly to prevent any kind of infections
In addition to this, you might end up having a cartilage piercing bump due to physical injuries, over cleaning of the area, and also the use of a piercing gun. Regularly touching of the jewelry may also laed to an infection
Symptoms of Cartilage Piercing Infection
Going through a cartilage piercing bump is normally an indicator that a person has developed an infection, but there are many other symptoms that can be able to appear after a period of about 4 weeks of the cartilage piercing. You can also experience very severe pain on touching of the pierced skin area.
Other symptoms are the redness of the skin that is around the piercing that has tenderness and also pain that is on the cartilage. You should also ensure to check for the indicated symptoms so as to get the infection treated while it’s still in its early stages:
- Discharge of the yellow or even the green pus especially from the affected skin area
- Hotness emanating on the area that is around the piercing
- Fever in more serious cases, more especially if the Pseudomonas aeruginosa is very much responsible for the infection
- Prolonged bleeding which is followed by a crush that is formed on the piercing
The indicated are some of the common indications of an infected cartilage, so go to see the doctor when you see any of them.
Cartilage Piercing Bump on Back of Ear
Cartilage piercing bump is normally brought about primarily by the pathogens known as the Staphylococcus Aureus as well as the Pseudomonas Aeruginosa. Following is a brief study of the symptoms that could brought about by bumps that are at the back of the ear and also the infection.
Redness
One of the symptoms of infected cartilage piercing is indicated by the skin that is around the piercings which is turning red or even a colour which is different from that of a skin.
Pain
If the piercing becomes very much painful to touch, then you should be much aware that would be an infection indication especially when the signs of reddening or even aching are present.
Oozing
It is very normal to have a kind of oozing after the piercing. Some individuals say that it might be normal to have the white or even the very pale yellow discharges. Well, although that may not always be true. But, if you observe a green or even brown pus-like discharge or even leaking from the ear cartilage piercing then there is something that is not right. High chances are that it is infection indications.
Bad smell
Another symptom of an infected cartilage piercing is the bad smell can come from the piercing without having to take the jewelry out necessarily.
Cartilage Piercing Bump Normal Size
Bumps are normally formed by a tear that is in the healing tissue which is around the piercing. The tear can be brought about by the aggressive handling of the piercing especially through the clothing tugs, aggressive cleaning, etc.
From the research bumps are very normal and much common. Even with the best available cleaning bumps can still form. The cartilage piercing bump attempts to get rid of the piercing that is moving out of the tissue as it is considered a foreign object
Cartilage Piercing Bump Bleeding
Piercings that are done by the piercing gun are able to damage the soft tissue that is between the cartilage and the back part of the skin. Also, the piercing guns can lead to the piece of cartilage to be pushed out, therefore leaving a very shapeless lump on the piercing site.
Piercing jewelry leads to an irritation or even friction on the skin and causes a pus-filled blisters or even the bumps. Blisters are required to be drained, but if you are using the studs which fit very tightly on the skin, then the drainage of the fluids can get blocked and thus aggravate the infection.
If the piercing is made up of an allergenic material, then it is snagged and then pulled or even slept on, it may lead to the boils. Sometimes, the piercings might migrate from the original skin area and lead to the skin irritation as well as the bumps. The use of an incorrect type of the disinfectant solutions or even their overuse might also lead to the bumps.
Soon after the piercing, during the healing period, it is very much common to have the boils in that area. They might be very painful and might also have blood or even the pus.
As a part of the healing process, the body normally produces a new type of collagen. Formation of the excessive amounts of collagen, leading to a scar called the hypertrophic scarring. Wearing of the wrong type of piercing jewelry, or even application of pressure on the piercing skin area can cause hypertrophic scarring, therefore forming a cartilage piercing bump in that area.
Overgrowth of the collagen especially in the wound part causes the formation of the keloid scars. They may happen on body piercings and thus unlike hypertrophic scars, might grow beyond the region of the wound.
The following are the accompanying symptoms;
- Pus in the bumps
- Bleeding
- Inflammation
- Migration of the piercing
- Bacterial infection
- Irritation of the skin
Cartilage Piercing Bump Hurts
Avoid having tight necklines that can be able to pull on the ear. Avoid to swim in pools. Avoid also to submerge the piercing in the bath as it is able to harbor bacteria. Avoid sleeping on top of the piercing. Avoid playing with the piercing or even touching it except when cleaning. Protect the new piercing from being bumped against as it hurts.
Cartilage Piercing Bump Care
Since it is an infection, if it is not treated very well and in time, it can spread to any other parts of the body and thus lead to adverse effects. The below are some of the things that can occur if the bump continues to be untreated:
- Boils
- Hypertonic scarring
- Deformation of the ears
- Keloid formation
Use of a breathable tape is normally recommended for fully healed bumps. For the partially healed bumps, it might also increase infection
Cartilage Piercing Bump Pop
If you have a bump especially at the skin area of the body piercing, then draining it should not be done by yourself. A bump, more especially if the skin area turns red, swollen or even being painful, or sometimes drains pus, then it could be an indication of a staphylococcus infection or any other bacteria.
See the doctor urgently; he can choose to pop the cartilage piercing bump and even test the fluid so as to determine the type of bacteria that is present. In the meantime, she can begin to put on an oral antibiotic.
Any other time that you create a wound in the skin area such as a body piercing, then you run the risk of having an infection. The risk then increases if the equipment that was used to create the opening isn’t scrupulously well cleaned and sterilized in between the uses.
If the bump which is around a body piercing produces a lot of pain, oozing or even a foul odor, then you might be having an infection. The risk also increases if the signs persist or if the redness spreads of redness or even turns dark purple and a person develops a fever.
You require antibiotics together with draining by the doctor so as to treat an infection. Sending of the fluid for evaluation for the type of bacteria it has is very much vital if the infection is not improving. A culture and also the sensitivity of the fluid also determines the type of bacteria that is present and also which antibiotics area able to effectively treat it.
Treating Inflammation
A reddened bump doesn’t imply infection. In some other cases, inflammation is able to develop at the area from the irritation from the piercing rather than an infection. With an inflammation, the redness is normally localized, improving with time, don’t spread and don’t have a foul smell.
Draining an inflamed cartilage piercing bump fluid won’t help at all, because it doesn’t have the infected material. Injecting of the bump with cortisone normally assists to reduce the inflammation, although you may require more than a single treatment, depending on the size of the inflamed skin area.
Potential Complications
Trying to pop an infected skin area yourself might make an infection to be worse, more especially if you make use of a contaminated object and introduce even much more bacteria into the wound. A serious infection that usually enters the blood stream might be much fatal.
Let the doctor determine whether a bump that usually develops at the skin area of the body piercing requires any draining. Only a medical professional should perform the procedure.
Cartilage Piercing Bump Tea Tree Oil
Pure tea tree oil is a naturally potent anti-bacterial treatment. It is normally applied in treatment of the acne and all other forms of mild infection.
If you have an intention of using this method of treatment, then you should make sure that you use about 100% of the pure tea tree oil. Any other type of ingredients might worsen the problem and can then irritate the skin even more.
All you are required to do is use the oil directly to the affected skin area by use of a cotton swab.
If the skin is much sensitive, then you should dilute the oil using water.
How to Get Rid of Cartilage Piercing Bump
Salt Water Soak
This is one of the most versatile solutions that is used to any piercing related problems.
Saline solution is a very powerful stuff. It’s easy to make.
All you are required to do is stir a quarter of a teaspoon of sea salt or even the rock salt into a glass that has warm water.
You then take a clean cotton pad and then soak it in the salty liquid.
Use the salty liquid to the piercing and let the salt work as required.
Not much else is needed to be done.
Chamomile Salt Soak
Most of the people have applied the use of chamomile so as to soothe and also relax the body and also the mind before sleeping.
Chamomile is a very versatile herb. The soothing properties that it has are not limited to the mind and also the muscles. It is also much soothing and very much calming to the skin.
Simply brew a cup of chamomile. Except that you will not add a sweetener as you normally would. Instead you will add a quarter of the teaspoon of the sea salt to sooth the skin and also fight infection as the same time.
Apply the brew to the skin by use of a cotton swab about three times a day. You will begin to observe the results within a number of weeks.
Aspirin
Aspirin is indicated for its health benefits. It is equally said that it can be applied to treat keloids.
A simple yet much effective treatment that you should try
- All you are required to do is crush up the aspirin tablet. Mix it in with a very small amount of water so as to form a thick paste.
- Use the paste to the cartilage piercing bump on the piercing.
- Then just wash it off by use of a sea salt soak.
The anti-inflammatory properties that are in the aspirin should have the keloid reduce in size in no time.
Honey
Honey is a very powerful antiseptic. Infections don’t normally stand any chance once you add some honey to it. It is also perfect for use on the sensitive skin because of the fact that it is natural and also gentle.
All you are required to do here is use a dab of honey to the bump about 3 times a day.
You might even try to add some amount of honey to the chamomile and also sea salt brew.
Lemon Juice
This is nature’s way of keeping everything very fresh
- Not every other person has success with use of the method, but some other people swear by it.
- Squeeze the juice of one half of a lemon into a cup. Dilute it using 50% water.
- Use it to the piercing by use of a q-tip.
- Monitor the results over a period of two or three weeks. If you see any difference, then keep it up. If not, then you should try something else.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Application of the solution is indicated to dissolve the dead cells that are present and assist so as to reduce the infection.
Dip an ear bud in the hydrogen peroxide and also slightly move the jewelry so that it is able to be applied to the base part of the skin. Also, depending on the given skin sensitivity, apply the method in one week.