A belly button can scar, as technically piercing is an injury to the skin. As the skin is damaged, it may lead to mark formation that sometimes may turn into keloids. If you notice keloid on belly piercing and have no clue how to proceed further, we got you covered.
Keloids are overgrown scar tissues that are uncomfortable and painful but might not be dangerous to your health (1). It is a skin condition that resembles a raised scar.
Usually, keloids are not common to belly piercing. They are found at the site of the injury and may extend beyond the injury region. As the skin heals, new granulation tissues grow over the injury site, leading to keloids.
A keloid scar usually forms around at the belly button or ear piercing. The belly button is more prone to keloids as that is a neglected area and rubs against the clothes often. The rubbing slows down the healing process.
Such scars can only be removed by a dermatologist, and have few treatment options.
What Do Keloids on Belly Piercing Look Like?
It is very easy to get confused between keloids and other scars. Keloids are rubbery, thick, sensitive, and feel stiff. They may appear smooth, round, or shiny and are purple, brownish, or pink in colour (2).
There are a few parameters that can help you to identify keloids (3):
- Time taken for appearance: The keloids take 3-12 months to appear first. In some cases, it might take even longer. Keloids develop slowly.
- Area covered by keloids: A keloid isn’t restricted to the initial piercing site. It may extend well, which makes it different from other types of scars.
- Colour of the scar: The keloid appears pink, purple, or brownish, and the colour deepens with time.
- Scare feel: Keloid has an unusual texture. It sometimes can be very rubbery to touch, while other times it may feel softer.
Why Does Keloid Appear on Belly Piercing?
There is no exact explanation of the reason for their occurrence and why some skin types grow extra fibrous tissue, but some factors may add to their formation (4).
A person may form keloids in certain situations like-
- if he or she is aged between 10-30 years
- have a keloid formation tendency in their blood
- have dark skin
Getting a belly button may increase the chances of developing keloids.
How to Prevent Keloid Formation on Belly Piercing?
Keloids are hard to remove. If you are prone to or have a family history of keloid formation, it is important that you ensure that your skin doesn’t get injured, like piercings or tattoos. Belly piercings take sufficient time to heal and are prone to infections. Keeping the belly button clean and dry after the piercing may help to avoid keloid growth. Also, avoid wearing tight clothes as they rub against the belly piercing and cause irritation. Tight clothes may also trap bacteria.
Also, following your piercer’s aftercare instructions may help to lower down the chance of keloid formation on belly piercing. Wash the area daily and ensure it is adequately dry before dressing.
Self-drying silicone gel also helps to keep the area clean and prevent irritation.
How to Get Rid of Keloid on a Belly Piercing?
There is no method of removing a keloid scar completely. However, there are ways in which a keloid’s appearance can be reduced, but even if entirely removed through surgery, there is no guarantee that it will not grow back.
- Compression: A dermatologist might suggest using a compression garment to avoid keloid formation. Such compression garments, along with silicone gel, can help flatten the scar.
- Oil treatment: A low-impact treatment to manage the keloid is massaging it with moisturizing oil like avocado oil that may soften the keloid and help to reduce its appearance.
- Cryotherapy: Cryotherapy involves freezing the keloid scar. Such freezing occurs from deep within. This method softens the scar and is often used together with corticosteroids (5).
- Corticosteroids: Corticosteroid injections can help treat keloid scars. The injections are given in the afflicted area and mostly together with other forms of treatments to enhance their effectiveness. Other medications like verapamil are also being tested for efficacy against the keloids.
- Surgery: Surgical treatments obliterate scars, but there are chances of it regrowing. Aftercare instructions are very important to prevent such returns. To limit the regrowth, dermatologists usually recommend compression and radiation treatments.
- Radiation therapy: Radiation therapy is generally followed after surgery. If no other measure has been effective, then the dermatologist may recommend radiation therapy as the last resort. This is usually avoided as it comes along with risks.
Image Source : freepik
Conclusion
The position of belly button piercing makes them hard to care for. Hence, there are many chances of keloid formation. As they are difficult to get rid of completely, it is important that you ensure you take proper care of it.
It is also ideal to ensure appropriate dressing as those play a vital role in its formation. Wearing loose, comfortable clothing till it is completely healed to avoid irritation is a good idea. Follow the aftercare to prevent their formation, and if you get infected, speak to the dermatologist as early as possible for treatment.
Having a keloid is more of a cosmetic concern than a health concern. You may not bother much or do anything if it does not matter to you.
Image Source : canva
