Nipple problems

I have had my nipple piercings for close to a year. They still haven't healed but more concerning the area right around the ring kinda bulges out on both sides. Kinda like the nipple has grown out and around the ring

Not sure quite what this is, and the piercer hasn't been much help. Anyone else seen or have had this?

[RoguePhoenix]

It sounds like you could possibly have Bumps on your piercings.

What kind of aftercare are you doing?

[N8_mod]

soaking in sea salt, cleaning and turning, bout twice a day

[RoguePhoenix]

Keep that up. Also try chamomille compresses. Just steep a chamomille tea bag and then apply the tea bag directly to the piercing. When the tea bag cools off, dunk it in the hot water again.

These compresses work wonders for my Bumps.

[N8_mod]

Ok. One more question. Should I aim the tea bag more toward the sides of the piercing or just straight on to the nipple.

[Illyria Jade_mod]

as long as it touches both ends of the piercing, it doesn't matter. i also like soaps with tea tree oil in them, they help my bump a lot. or putting a couple drops of tea tree oil in your sea salt soak.

[RoguePhoenix]

Oh duh!! I always forget to tell people about TT Oil since my soap already has it in there. :lol:

[Kelt9]

Looks like my unhappy nip may be developing a small lump... possibly a keloid. I have to say after just one good soaking with the tea tree oil and chamomile it went down quite a bit. I'll have to get my piercer to look at it and see what she thinks. (I'm lucky enough that she used to be a nurse.)

I've researched keloids a bit since then and some sources, mostly medical, say they never go away. Others from pierced people say that tea tree oil helped theirs go away entirely. I'm wondering which is correct. :?

[Illyria Jade_mod]

keliods can only be removed with surgery
if the size on your bump decreased with the compress, then it's the BUMP. see the forum at the top of the boards, the Notorious Bump. it has hints and tips and whatnot for you. :)

[Kelt9]

Hmm. Might be a hypertrophic scar then. I sure hope so. I'd hate to have something that can only be removed by surgery. Knowing me, I'd probably cut the thing off myself. :shock:

[iamblackbird]

If it's a keloid, then it'd just grow back.

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CUT IT OFF YOURSELF!

[Kelt9]

Yeah, that's what I've read about them. I believe they freeze them off but there's always a chance they'll grow back even if done properly.

[solnyez]

As Ria said, it sounds more like the bump. In which case it's moot to talk about cutting it off or freezing it off or whatever. Keep tending to it with hot compresses and soaks.

[Illyria Jade_mod]

even hypertrophic scarring wouldn't go down with a mere hot compress. it's the bump, i promise. i've seen a million of these, and it's almost never hypertropic or keloid scarring.

[Kelt9]

I agree, solnyez. I will try to be more mindful in the future that tone isn't communicated on a message board.... and will consult my piercer and keep tending to the bump.

[N8_mod]

How many times can i use these compresses a day?

By the way, not much of a change yet, but it's only been 3 or 4 days.

[RoguePhoenix]

One to two times a day should be fine.

[Illyria Jade_mod]

and you can do regular hot compresses (wash cloth with water as warm as you can stand, until it cools, then rewarm) as many times a day as you want.

[iamblackbird]

Provided that your skin doesn't dry out, you should be fine to do multiple compresses with warm water.