help me its so gross?

Question

okay i have my belly button peirced i got it done 1 years ago and about a week ago right above my peircing there is this big bump of skin with a scab on it its not a zit but its growing.and its really sharp at the end its gross. does anyone know what it is?

Answer 1

It's called a keloid. You need to have that jewelry removed immediately and start cleaning the hole daily with saline or H2Ocean solution. This thing won't go away while the jewelry is in there. The piercing WILL close up as the keloid heals, but keloids are bad news, they can grow ENORMOUS.

I had to have my nose piercing removed because of a keloid that had almost closed up my entire nostril. If in doubt, see your doctor.

http://www.medicinenet.com/keloid/article.htm

Answer 2

You don't give a lot of info, and it could be a lot of different things.

Squealy gave good advice if it is a keloid. (but again, if it's got a scab, that's an unlikely option)

It could be a boil. It could be a different type of scar tissue.It could be an infection.

Infection: Is it red, swollen, sore? Does it have green (not yellowish-white) discharge? If all those are yes, go to your doctor. Do not remove the piercing (if it is an infection removing the piercing can trap it inside your body and cause worse problems) The hot compress I've described below will also help with a minor infection. But based on the info you've provided, it doesn't sound like an infection.

Boil: Does it look like a zit? Does it seem like there may be fluid inside? If so, try a hot compress a few times a day. (1/8tsp sea salt mixed into 8 oz of water, as hot as is comfortable - you don't need a burn on top of it all. Dip a piece of sterile gauze in the mixture and hold it gently on top of the bump for about 10 mins. This will encourage any fluid inside to come out) If this is the case, which is likely, the fluid will drain, the bump will go down and it will heal. You should see improvement in a few days, taking about 2 weeks to fully heal.

If it's a different type of scaring, you need to remove any irritants to the area. (not always the jewelry). You need to make sure that you have good fitting, good quality jewelry. Surgical stainless steel or titanium, no acrylic. Scar tissue seems unlikely because of the scab you described.

Do not use tea tree oil, vit. E, bactine, peroxide or any of the other stuff that people often suggest. It will irritate the piercing and most likely make things worse. Tea tree oil is very harsh (and is appropriate for minor infections, but use should be supervised by a doctor or other health care professional). Vit. E is not intended for use on broken skin, Bactine is not for use on puncture wounds, and peroxide just sucks for everything.

Answer 3

Blood blister? Infection? is it oozing? sore?

I should add that I am a nurse and a keloid sufferer. Nothing will make a keloid go away except a cortisone injection. And, sometimes that doesn't work. It doesn't sound like a keloid because it has a scab on it. (unless it's newly forming and you've somehow taken off the top layer of skin). You don't mention how fast it's growing. If it's a matter of hours then it's a blood blister or infection. If it's oozing it's likely an infection. The goofy person who suggested peroxide for a keloid has never had one obviously. You need only apply peroxide if it's some type of infection. You don't say if you have irritated the tissue somehow either. I'm going strictly by the very limited information you've given here. If it is hard and dark in color and has been very slow developing, then there is a chance it's a keloid in which you need not waste you or the dr.'s time. He won't do a thing for it except maybe suggest the injection. If it's a keloid you only need to protect it from any type of injury to prevent further scar tissue from forming. A keloid is an aggressive overgrowth of scar tissue. You don't say what color the bump is either. A lot of unanswered questions here so I'm doing what I can with what little information you provided. These yahoos that suggest they know the answer with the limited information you provided should be blatantly IGNORED!!

Answer 4

You sure it's a scab? like at it again, if its brownish in color with jagged edges and kinda bumpy than you may need to have a doctor look at it. Be honest with yourself, did you go around last summer with cut off type t-shirts exposing the piercing so other people can see it? Were you in the sun allot while the piercing was healing? Did you get sunburn last summer? If the answer to these questions is "YES" than you better go to the Doctor right away. You may have contracted basil cell carcinoma (skin cancer), you will want to get it taken care of before it grow below thee skin layers. You may also want to think about taking th piercing out. Of course if it is what I said it is; than, you wont have to worry about that; because the Doctor will order you to remove it. Now, when they remove the growth you will have a scar. Welcome to uneducated body piercing. Sorry; but, that's the risks.

Answer 5

Sounds like an infection but what worries me is what could be sharp. If it seems like a foriegn body.... that could be a shard off the jewelry. I'd get to a Dr. I've not seen anything like that before. Do you change the jewelry and only use quality items? Get to the DR. now!

The answer above me sounds right...but I'd go to the Dr just the same.

Answer 6

I used to have that. It's called a keloid. You get it on any piercing. DON'T pick it. It'll get bigger. What you need to do is take the stress away from it, such as tight clothes and sleeping on it. Secondly, douse it with soapy water or tea tree oil. The tea tree oil works better for me. If this helps, please pick my as best answer, I need the points.

Answer 7

Sounds like it may be scar tissue. If you did not let it heal properly it woud develop scar tissue. Sometimes could be painful but not always. Get it checked anyway.

Answer 8

Ingrown hair

Answer 9

No, as I dont have a piercing there, but if I were you, Id go see a doctor and fast.

Answer 10

I think you should seriously get that checked out because I'm pretty sure no one here is a doctor.