What are keloids?

Answer 1

The often misunderstood"Keloid".

Well here's the skinny on "what it is" and "how it happens". A keloid is a grouping of disorganized skin cells formed in locations of injury where the surface tissue has been damaged or cut. Often referred to as "scar tissue", this tissue because of it's disorganised structure doesn't stretch ( if it does, it doesn't stretch as far as the surrounding normal tissue ). Deep burns, deep cuts and other more invasive injuries will form keloids to fill in the area of damage to protect the bodies inner workings.

Body piercings do not form keloids because the body is guarded from the outside by the jewellery in the piercing, so the body forms a "fistula*" (*a tube of skin ) this is actual organised skin cells that have the ability to stretch unlike scar tissue. Lumps and bumps beside the piercings are quite often called Keloids but this is a mistake made by most inexperienced body piercers ( generally due to a lack of further training and self education ). These bumps are another animal all together known as a "Hypertrophic Reaction".

Hypertrophic Reactions are just what the name infers a "reaction" generally a hypertrophic reaction can occur with any organs in or on the human body ( skin is an organ ). When they occur with a piercing, it's due to the application of an irritant ( generally the cleaner or disinfectant that has been recommended to clean and heal the piercing ). The application of this or the over use of these agents cause irritation to the new "fistula" the body is forming and thus the "reaction" occurs. A bump generally reddish in color will form near or at the entry or exit point of the piercing.

The client will at discovery of this bump, unknowingly apply even more cleaner or aftercare solution or spray and thus annoy the tissue even more. Simply ceasing the application of products and irrigating the piercing daily under running water has been found effective is 99% of the clients who have formed "hypertrophic reactions". The time period to see a change in this reaction can be from a few days to a couple of weeks. I hope you have found the above enlightening and informative and is based on over 16 years of experience professionally providing several thousand piercings over that time period.