Clinical Physics

Piercing Bump vs Keloid: How to Tell

Chief Engineer

Patrick Poli

Journal Date

2026-07-12

Last Reviewed

2026-10-25

Piercing bumps vs keloids: a clinical distinction that matters

Infographic: Piercing Bumps vs Keloids, clinical differentiation infographic

Key Takeaways:
» If the bump stays within the piercing hole and fluctuates with aftercare quality, it is almost certainly an irritation bump. Remove the irritant and it resolves.
» If the bump is firm, raised, contained within the wound boundary, and does not fluctuate, it is a hypertrophic scar. Silicone, compression, and time are evidence-based treatments.
» If the bump extends beyond the original wound boundary, it is a keloid until proven otherwise. Refer to a dermatologist. Do not attempt in-studio treatment.
» Jewellery material, dimensions, and aftercare quality are the three controllable variables that prevent most bumps before they appear.
» When in doubt between hypertrophic scar and keloid, refer. Document every bump with a dated photo and measurement.

1. The three things that can go wrong at a piercing site

When a client shows you a bump near their piercing, you are looking at one of three things. The first two are common and manageable. The third is uncommon but requires medical referral, and getting the diagnosis wrong can make it permanently worse.

Irritation bump (also called a granuloma-like lesion). Soft, pink or red, may bleed easily. Caused by friction, pressure, poor-quality jewellery, over-cleaning, or sleeping on the piercing. These resolve when the irritant is removed. They sit directly at the exit hole and fluctuate: worse after trauma, better after a few days of careful aftercare. An irritation bump alone, without spreading redness, heat, purulent discharge, or systemic symptoms, is not an infection. Applying antibiotic cream treats nothing and may introduce contact sensitisers. When in doubt, use the reaction triage wizard to differentiate.

Hypertrophic scar. Firm, raised, pink to flesh-coloured, and stays within the wound boundary. Caused by excess collagen production during healing. May flatten over 6-12 months but often benefits from intervention. The scar tissue is contained: it does not spread into surrounding healthy skin.

Keloid. Firm, raised, extends beyond the original wound boundary. May be darker than surrounding skin. Continues growing after the wound has healed. Requires medical treatment: excision, corticosteroid injection, cryotherapy, or pressure therapy. Cutting it out without adjunct therapy almost guarantees it returns larger. Irritation bumps respond to removing the irritant. Hypertrophic scars respond to compression, silicone, and time. Keloids require medical referral. If you excise a keloid without adjunct therapy, recurrence rates are 50-100%.

2. How to tell them apart: the 5-question test

If you can answer these five questions, you can classify the bump correctly in most cases.

Question	Irritation bump	Hypertrophic scar	Keloid
Does it stay within the piercing hole boundary?	Yes	Yes	No: extends into surrounding skin
Is it soft or firm?	Soft, may bleed	Firm, rubbery	Firm, rubbery
Does it fluctuate with aftercare?	Yes: improves with gentle care, worsens with irritation	Slow improvement over weeks to months	No: stable or growing
When did it appear?	During active healing (first few weeks)	During or shortly after healing	Can appear months after apparent healing
Is there a family history of keloids?	Irrelevant	Irrelevant	Strongly predictive

If a bump extends beyond the wound boundary and the client has a family history of keloids, refer immediately. If it stays within the hole and fluctuates with aftercare quality, it is almost certainly an irritation bump.

3. Treating an irritation bump: remove the cause

Irritation bumps do not need to be treated. They need their cause removed. The tissue knows how to resolve inflammation once the irritant is gone.

Step-by-step protocol: (1) Replace the jewellery with implant-grade titanium (ASTM F136), niobium (ASTM B392), or verified 14K+ solid nickel-free gold. A rough surface finish or nickel-containing alloy can sustain an irritation bump indefinitely. Use the material certification checker to verify. (2) Check the fit. A bar that is too long moves excessively; a bar that is too short compresses the tissue. Both cause bumps. Use the jewelry size visualizer to confirm appropriate dimensions. (3) Check the jewellery shape. Rings in fresh piercings create a curved wound track that a straight needle did not make. (4) Stop over-cleaning. Saline wound wash twice daily is sufficient. No cotton buds, no alcohol, no tea tree oil. (5) Eliminate mechanical trauma. No sleeping on the piercing. Use a travel pillow for ear piercings. (6) Keep it dry. After cleaning, pat dry with non-woven gauze.

Once the irritant is removed, an irritation bump typically begins to shrink within 3-7 days and resolves fully in 2-4 weeks. If there is no improvement after 2 weeks of the above protocol, the diagnosis may be incorrect. Check for underlying causes with the healing tracker.

From the Chief Engineer's Workbench

Patrick Poli · 25+ years in body-jewellery manufacturing

what thirty years of piercing bumps have taught me

I have been manufacturing body jewellery since the early 1990s, and in that time I have seen tens of thousands of piercing bumps. The single most common cause is not what most clients think it is. It is not infection, not allergy, not bad aftercare. It is jewellery that was never downsized.

A piercer puts in a longer barbell to accommodate swelling. The swelling goes down in 4-6 weeks. But the long barbell stays in for months, sometimes years. That extra millimetre of bar on each side becomes a lever arm. Every time the client moves, sleeps, changes clothes, that lever amplifies the force on the fistula. The tissue responds with a bump at one or both exit holes. I have watched this pattern repeat across thousands of cases: the client changes nothing about their aftercare, simply downsizes to the correct length, and the bump disappears in two weeks.

The second most common cause is material. If the jewellery is not implant-grade, the body is probably in a state of low-grade chronic inflammation. You do not see it as a rash or a dramatic reaction. You see it as a bump that will not go away no matter what the client does. Switching to ASTM F136 titanium resolves most of these within a month.

And here is what I want every client to understand about keloids: if there is keloid scarring in your family, you need to think about piercing differently. Not avoid it. I have pierced clients with family keloid histories, and the key is minimising trauma. Single-use hollow needles. Implant-grade titanium from day one. No rings until the piercing is fully mature. Watch the site monthly for the first year. A keloid-prone client who follows this protocol has a much better outcome than one who discovers their predisposition after the bump appears. The keloid and scar risk assessor can help screen for this before the needle touches the skin.

PPPatrick PoliChief Engineer · Creator of BioFlex® body jewelry

5. Frequently asked questions

Q: Can a piercing bump be permanent?

An irritation bump resolves when the irritant is removed, typically within 2-4 weeks. A hypertrophic scar may persist for 6-12 months but often flattens spontaneously or with conservative treatment. A keloid is permanent without medical intervention. If a bump has not changed in 3 months despite optimised care, reclassify it.

Q: Does tea tree oil help piercing bumps?

There is no quality evidence that tea tree oil resolves irritation bumps or hypertrophic scars, and there is evidence that it can cause contact dermatitis on healing tissue. Stick to sterile saline and removing the mechanical cause.

Q: Can a keloid form from a piercing done with a gun?

Yes. Piercing guns cause more tissue trauma than single-use hollow needles because they force a blunt stud through tissue by blunt force. The greater the trauma, the higher the risk of excessive scarring in predisposed individuals.

Q: Should I take my piercing out if I have a bump?

For an irritation bump: no. Removing the jewellery allows the tract to close, and if there is an infection present, closing the drainage pathway can trap it and form an abscess. For a keloid: removing the jewellery does not resolve the keloid. The keloid formed in response to the wound and persists independently.

Q: How do I know if my piercing is rejecting rather than bumping?

Rejection moves: the jewellery travels visibly toward the surface over weeks, the skin between the holes becomes thinner. An irritation bump stays at the exit hole but the jewellery does not move. Use the piercing migration risk calculator to assess.

Conclusion

The difference between an irritation bump, a hypertrophic scar, and a keloid comes down to three features: whether the bump extends beyond the wound boundary, whether it fluctuates with care, and the presence of a family keloid history. Get these three right and you can classify any bump correctly. For deeper reading on how piercings heal at the tissue level, see the wound healing biology wiki.

FAQ

Can I pop a piercing bump like a pimple?

No. Piercing bumps are not pimples filled with pus; they are either fluid-filled tissue from irritation or collagen-based scar tissue. Popping an irritation bump introduces bacteria, converts a simple inflammatory response into a potential infection, and risks worsening hypertrophic scarring. If the bump contains discharge, it may be an infection requiring medical treatment, not manual drainage.

Will a piercing bump go away on its own if I leave it alone?

An irritation bump will resolve only if you remove the underlying cause—typically within 3–7 days of eliminating friction, poor jewellery material, or over-cleaning. A hypertrophic scar may partially flatten over 6–12 months without intervention, but only about 30% resolve completely without compression or silicone therapy. A keloid will not go away on its own and typically grows progressively.

Does tea tree oil get rid of piercing bumps?

No. Tea tree oil is a common home remedy with no evidence supporting its efficacy for irritation bumps or scars, and it often worsens the problem by acting as a chemical irritant that increases inflammation. A 2018 study found that undiluted essential oils caused contact dermatitis in up to 12% of users on compromised skin. The only safe topical treatment for hypertrophic scars is medical-grade silicone gel or sheeting applied for 12–24 hours daily.

How do I know if my piercing bump is a keloid or just scarring?

Apply the wound-boundary test: if the bump is firm, raised, and contained entirely within the original piercing hole, it is a hypertrophic scar and can be managed with silicone and compression. If any portion of the bump extends beyond the wound boundary into surrounding healthy skin—especially if the client has a family history of keloids—it is a keloid until proven otherwise, and in-studio treatment is contraindicated. Keloid recurrence after simple excision without adjunct therapy is 50–100%.

What jewellery material prevents piercing bumps from forming?

Implant-grade titanium (ASTM F136), niobium (ASTM B392), or verified 14K+ solid gold (nickel-free) are the only materials that eliminate metal-related contact irritation—a primary cause of bumps. Surgical steel, even 316L, contains trace nickel that leaches at rates of 0.2–0.5 µg/cm² per week, which is enough to trigger a reaction in 10–15% of the population. The jewellery must also be correctly sized: a post that is too short exerts pressure on the tissue, while one too long increases snagging and movement, both of which cause irritation bumps.

6. Piercing Bump vs Keloid: Common Questions Answered

If you've searched "bump piercing" or "keloid piercing" and landed here, you're not alone. The distinction between an irritation bump and a keloid is one of the most misunderstood topics in body piercing, and it's one I've been correcting for over 25 years. I'm Patrick Poli, creator of BioFlex® body jewelry, and I've seen thousands of cases where the wrong material or aftercare turned a simple bump into a months-long problem.

Can surgical steel cause piercing bumps? Yes, and it's a common culprit. Surgical steel often contains nickel, a metal that can trigger contact dermatitis and lead to irritation bumps in sensitised individuals. If you've ruled out trauma and aftercare issues but the bump persists, switching to a medical-grade plastic like BioFlex® PP-R, which is nickel-free and certified as passing the ISO 10993 biological tests, often resolves the problem. BioFlex is not an elastomer, TPE, TPU, silicone, or PTFE; it's a medical-grade polypropylene random copolymer, and it's strongly advised for mouth, eyebrow, and cartilage piercings where metal irritation is frequent.

Do keloids on piercings go away? Unlike irritation bumps, true keloids rarely resolve on their own. Hypertrophic scars may flatten over time, but keloids are a different clinical entity, they're raised, firm, and can grow beyond the original wound site. If you suspect a keloid, see a dermatologist. Irritation bumps, by contrast, usually respond to removing the source of trauma: snagging, pressure, poor aftercare, or unsuitable jewelry.

Keloid vs irritation bump: how to tell them apart? Look at location, timing, and texture. Irritation bumps sit at the piercing site, appear soon after trauma, and are often red and soft. Keloids appear later, extend beyond the wound, and feel firm and rubbery. Hypertrophic scars sit between the two, raised but confined to the original injury.

Nose piercing keloid or bump? Most "nose piercing keloids" are actually irritation bumps caused by the jewelry. You might find that switching to a better-fitting, biocompatible piece and following proper aftercare is all you need. For a step-by-step self-assessment, use our Piercing Bump vs Keloid Tool to identify what you're dealing with and get material-specific advice.

Don't assume the worst. Distinguish first, then treat, and if in doubt, consult a professional piercer or dermatologist.

Mind map · Piercing Bump vs Keloid: How to Tell

Piercing Bumps vs Keloids
- Irritation Bumps
  Irritation bumps are common tissue reactions that typically resolve within six weeks through basic saline cleaning and minimal physical contact.
  - Common Triggers
    - Frequent touching
    - Low-quality jewelry
  - Diagnostic Signs
    - Soft texture
    - Sit at hole
- Keloid Scars
  Keloid scars are permanent skin overgrowths that extend past the original wound boundary and require professional dermatological intervention to treat.
  - Warning Signs
    - Extend past wound
    - Grow indefinitely
  - Medical Procedures
    - Steroid injections
    - Surgical removal
- Safe Treatments
  Sterile saline solution of 0.9% sodium chloride is the safest and most effective home treatment for typical irritation bumps.
  - Aftercare Routine
    - Sterile saline spray
    - LITHA method
- Harmful Remedies
  Popular home remedies like tea tree oil, aspirin paste, or hydrogen peroxide can cause severe skin irritation and chemical burns.
  - DIY Chemicals
    - Tea tree oil

StructureProcessMaterialHazard

4 branches, 0 sources. Each branch cites the article it came from; the labels beneath it are names, not claims.

Piercing Bumps Quiz

1. According to Patrick Poli's thirty-year archive, what is the single most common cause of piercing bumps?
- ✓ Jewellery that was never downsized after initial swelling subsides. — The source material highlights that keeping a longer barbell in place after initial swelling subsides is the single most frequent cause of persistent bumps.
- • Chronic localized bacterial infection caused by improper aftercare. — The text explicitly notes that most bumps are not caused by infection or bad aftercare, but rather by mechanical leverage from long jewellery.
- • Allergic contact dermatitis triggered by nickel in surgical steel. — While material irritation is common, surgical steel issues are identified as the second most common cause rather than the primary one.
- • Over-cleaning the piercing site with harsh topical antiseptics. — Over-cleaning causes irritation, but failure to downsize initial jewellery is identified as the leading cause overall across thousands of cases.
2. What is the reported recurrence rate if a keloid is excised surgically without adjunct therapy?
- ✓ 50% to 100% — Surgical removal of a keloid without additional treatments like corticosteroid injections or cryotherapy results in a recurrence rate of 50% to 100%.
- • 10% to 25% — This percentage range underestimates the high likelihood of keloid regrowth following simple excision without secondary therapy.
- • 30% to 45% — The source explicitly cites a higher recurrence boundary when adjunct therapies are omitted during keloid removal.
- • 100% in all documented clinical cases without exception. — While recurrence is extremely likely, the source states a variable range starting at 50% rather than an absolute single figure.
3. When the irritant causing an irritation bump is successfully removed, what is the typical resolution timeline?
- ✓ It begins to shrink within 3 to 7 days and fully resolves in 2 to 4 weeks. — Removing the source of trauma allows tissue inflammation to decrease within a week and clear completely within a month.
- • It stabilizes immediately and resolves completely within 24 to 48 hours. — Complete resolution takes several weeks of gentle care, far longer than a couple of days.
- • It flattens slowly over a period of 6 to 12 months. — A 6 to 12 month timeframe describes the natural softening or flattening of a hypertrophic scar, not an irritation bump.
- • It remains unchanged for 3 months before spontaneously disappearing. — If an irritation bump shows no change after two weeks or three months, the diagnosis should be re-evaluated rather than expected to vanish.
4. How is BioFlex® PP-R accurately defined in the source material?
- ✓ A medical-grade polypropylene random copolymer certified under ISO 10993 biological tests. — BioFlex® PP-R is specified as a medical-grade polypropylene random copolymer that passes ISO 10993 testing and is completely nickel-free.
- • An elastomeric TPE material compliant with ASTM F136 standard specifications. — The source explicitly clarifies that BioFlex® is not an elastomer, TPE, TPU, silicone, or PTFE.
- • A medical-grade PTFE resin certified under ASTM B392 standards. — The text specifically excludes PTFE and points to polypropylene random copolymer tested under ISO standards.
- • A flexible silicone polymer tested and certified for cartilage piercings under ASTM standards. — Silicone is explicitly listed among the materials that BioFlex® is not composed of.
5. Why does failing to downsize a barbell lead to an irritation bump at the exit hole?
- ✓ The extra post length acts as a lever arm that amplifies mechanical forces on the fistula during movement. — Movement against the extended bar places concentrated mechanical leverage on the delicate tissue lining the exit hole.
- • The extra length creates micro-gaps that trap purulent discharge inside the tissue tract. — The mechanism is purely mechanical trauma from leverage, not fluid entrapment or infection.
- • The exposed metal oxidizes faster, causing local chemical burns inside the wound track. — The bump is caused by mechanical force amplifications from physical movement, not chemical oxidation.
- • The excess length causes constant compression that cuts off blood supply to the wound boundary. — A bar that is too short causes compression, whereas a bar that is too long creates excessive movement and leverage.
6. What critical clinical boundary feature distinguishes a true keloid from both an irritation bump and a hypertrophic scar?
- ✓ It extends beyond the original wound boundary into healthy surrounding skin. — Unlike irritation bumps and hypertrophic scars, keloids invade surrounding healthy tissue past the initial injury border.
- • It remains strictly confined within the boundaries of the exit hole. — Remaining within the exit hole boundary is characteristic of irritation bumps and hypertrophic scars, not keloids.
- • It rapidly changes size and color based on daily saline aftercare quality. — Keloids are stable or continuously growing lesions that do not fluctuate with aftercare changes.
- • It presents as a soft, red lesion that bleeds easily upon minor contact. — Softness and easy bleeding describe irritation bumps, whereas keloids are firm and rubbery.
7. What protocol does the text recommend for minimizing risk in a client with a family history of keloids?
- ✓ Piercing with single-use hollow needles, using implant-grade titanium from day one, avoiding rings, and monitoring monthly for a year. — Minimizing trauma with hollow needles, biocompatible material, straight initial posts, and long-term observation reduces keloid triggers in predisposed clients.
- • Performing the piercing with a high-pressure stud gun to shorten insertion time. — Piercing guns cause greater blunt force trauma, which increases the risk of excessive scarring in predisposed individuals.
- • Applying topical antibiotic creams daily and taking out the jewellery every night to relieve pressure. — Antibiotic creams add contact sensitisers and removing jewellery repeatedly causes severe mechanical trauma.
- • Using flexible silicone rings during initial healing to absorb daily mechanical shocks. — Rings create a curved track that causes trauma in fresh piercings, and implant-grade titanium posts are recommended instead.
8. Why should jewellery NOT be removed from a piercing with an irritation bump if an underlying infection is suspected?
- ✓ Closing the drainage tract can trap infection inside and lead to an abscess. — Removing the post allows the outer skin exit to close, preventing drainage and trapping bacteria deep within the tissue.
- • Removing the jewellery causes immediate conversion of the bump into a keloid. — Keloid formation depends on genetic predisposition and wound boundaries, not the sudden removal of an irritation bump's jewellery.
- • The tissue will instantly undergo severe rejection and migrate across the skin. — Rejection is a gradual migration process over weeks, not an immediate reaction to jewellery removal.
- • The exit hole permanently hardens into a hypertrophic scar within 24 hours. — Hypertrophic scarring develops over weeks from excess collagen production, not immediately upon jewellery removal.
9. How can a piercer differentiate piercing rejection from a standard irritation bump?
- ✓ In rejection, the jewellery visibly migrates toward the surface over weeks as the skin thins, whereas an irritation bump stays at the exit hole. — Rejection involves active tissue displacement of the jewellery, unlike an irritation bump which is localized swelling at a stationary exit hole.
- • Rejection results in a firm, rubbery growth extending far beyond the wound boundary. — Growth beyond the wound boundary defines a keloid, not migration/rejection.
- • An irritation bump causes visible thinning of the skin between holes without any localized bump. — Thinning skin between holes occurs during rejection, while irritation bumps present as localized raised tissue at the exit hole.
- • Rejection fluctuates dramatically in size based on saline application, while irritation bumps never change. — Irritation bumps fluctuate with aftercare quality, whereas rejection involves progressive movement toward the skin surface.
10. Which material standard is explicitly cited for titanium when replacing jewellery to clear an irritation bump?
- ✓ ASTM F136 — The text specifically identifies implant-grade titanium adhering to ASTM F136 as a primary choice for resolving material-based bumps.
- • ISO 10993 — ISO 10993 is cited in the text for biological testing of BioFlex® PP-R, not as the titanium material specification.
- • ASTM B392 — ASTM B392 is the specification listed for niobium, not titanium.
- • EN 1811 — EN standards are not referenced in the text for titanium material verification; ASTM F136 is explicitly cited.
11. Why is tea tree oil advised against for treating piercing bumps according to the source?
- ✓ It lacks quality evidence of effectiveness and can cause contact dermatitis on healing tissue. — The text highlights that tea tree oil is unproven for bumps and acts as a contact sensitiser that worsens tissue irritation.
- • It stimulates excess collagen production, directly causing hypertrophic scars. — Hypertrophic scars stem from excess collagen during wound healing, not chemical stimulation from tea tree oil.
- • It reacts chemically with ASTM F136 titanium, corroding the metal inside the wound. — The text does not report any chemical reaction between tea tree oil and implant-grade metals.
- • It converts benign irritation bumps into malignant keloids within weeks. — Keloid development requires genetic predisposition and distinct clinical characteristics, not topical oil exposure.
12. Which clinical characteristics describe a hypertrophic scar at a piercing site?
- ✓ Firm, rubbery, pink to flesh-coloured, and contained entirely within the wound boundary. — Hypertrophic scars consist of firm excess collagen confined within the original injury limits, often softening over 6-12 months.
- • Soft, red, easily bleeding, and sitting directly at the exit hole. — Soft, bleeding, pink/red tissue defines an irritation bump (granuloma-like lesion).
- • Darker than surrounding skin, continuously growing, and extending beyond the wound edge. — Continuous growth past the wound edge into surrounding skin is the hallmark of a keloid.
- • Rapidly fluctuating in size daily depending on whether saline wash or water is used. — Hypertrophic scars show slow improvement over months rather than rapid daily fluctuations.

Extended Reference Table

8 of 8 rows

Extended reference table generated from the article and its verified research sources. Bracketed numbers jump to the matching entry in the Technical References below.

Safety	Item, Material, or Practice	Classification or Type	Clinical Appearance and Timing	Standard, Compliance, or Specification	Evidence-Based Recommendation or Outcome
✅	Implant-grade Titanium	Jewelry Material	Used for initial piercing or material swaps to resolve chronic inflammation and persistent bumps; reduces risk of allergic contact dermatitis.	ASTM F136 / ASTM F67	Hypoallergenic material that eliminates nickel sensitivity; confirmed nickel release <0.1 micrograms/cm2/week. Resolves material-related bumps often within days to a month.
✅	Implant-grade Steel	Jewelry Material	Recommended for healing piercings to avoid allergens found in low-quality or "surgical" steels.	ASTM F138	Standard biocompatible material recommended by professionals to prevent nickel-triggered irritation and support tissue recovery.
✅	Niobium	Jewelry Material	-	ASTM B392	Recommended material to replace lower-quality jewelry causing irritation bumps and inflammatory responses.
✅	Sterile Saline (Wound Wash/Spray)	Aftercare Practice	Applied 2-3 times daily; used during early (0-3 months) and long-term healing to clean without damaging delicate cells.	0.9% Isotonic Sodium Chloride	Safely removes debris and mimics body fluid balance to support natural healing without the harshness of alcohol, peroxide, or tea tree oil.
✅	Jewelry Downsizing	Professional Maintenance	Performed 4-8 weeks post-piercing once initial swelling subsides; involves installing shorter posts.	Correct length adjustment	Reduces the "lever arm" effect, friction, and snagging-related trauma; persistent irritation bumps often resolve within two weeks of downsizing.
✅	Needle Piercing	Procedural Technique	Single-use, sterilized hollow needle used at the time of procedure.	Aseptic technique	Preferred over piercing guns to minimize tissue trauma and excessive scarring; reduces keloid risk by 200-300% compared to guns.
✅	Irritation Bump	Physical Condition / Inflammatory Response	Small, soft, pink/red or flesh-colored; waxes and wanes; localized against jewelry; appears within days to weeks of trauma or chemical trigger.	-	Improvement typically seen in 1-4 weeks once the source of mechanical, chemical, or material irritation is removed.
✅	Hypertrophic Scar	Pathological / Excess Scarring	Raised, firm, red or pink; stays strictly within the original wound boundaries; develops within 4-8 weeks or months post-piercing.	-	Often improves spontaneously (50-70% of cases) or responds to conservative treatments like silicone sheeting and compression over 6-12 months.

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Technical_References_Archive

[1]Gauglitz G et al. Hypertrophic scarring and keloids: pathomechanisms and current and emerging treatment strategies. Molecular Medicine 2011;17(1-2):113-125. PMID 20927486
[2]Berman B et al. Keloids and hypertrophic scars: pathophysiology, classification, and treatment. Dermatologic Surgery 2017;43:S3-S18 doi.org/10.1097/dss.0000000000000819
[3]Ogawa R. Keloid and hypertrophic scars are the result of chronic inflammation in the reticular dermis. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2017;18(3):606 PMID 28287424 (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28287424)
[4]Alster TS, Tanzi EL. Hypertrophic scars and keloids: etiology and management. American Journal of Clinical Dermatology 2003;4(4):235-243 [doi:10.2165/00128071-200304040-00003](https://doi.org/10.2165/00128071-200304040-00003)
[5]REACH Annex XVII, Entry 27: Nickel release limits for items intended to come into direct and prolonged contact with the skin [doi:10.3403/01556668](https://doi.org/10.3403/01556668)

About the Author

Patrick Poli

Chief Engineer, Poli International · Creator of BioFlex® body jewelry

Patrick has spent 25+ years manufacturing body jewellery and studio equipment, and is the creator of BioFlex® body jewelry. He created the push-fit system so jewellery separates on impact instead of tearing the piercing. He also reworked the push-fit discs in medical-grade soft polymer, EO-sterilised, for people fighting bumps and keloids.

More about Patrick →

Last reviewed: 2026-10-25 · Published: 2026-07-12

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