Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat It Looks LikeCausesHow to Get Rid of a Nose Piercing BumpDiagnosing the CauseWhen to See a Healthcare Provider
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What It Looks Like
Causes
How to Get Rid of a Nose Piercing Bump
Diagnosing the Cause
When to See a Healthcare Provider
A bump on or in the nose after a nose piercing can have many causes, includinggranulomas, infection, or scarring.Keloidsandhypertrophicscars can form as the injury from the piercing heals. These bumps are rarely dangerous, but they can be bothersome.
This article will discuss the symptoms and possible causes ofnose piercing bumps, available treatments, and when to see a healthcare provider.
What a Nose Piercing Bump Looks Like
The way a nose-piercing bump looks depends on what’s causing it.
Apyogenic granulomamay:
Akeloidmay be:
Ahypertrophic scarmay cause a bump that is:
Causes of a Nose Piercing Bump
Causes of abumpafter a nose piercing include:
These are outlined in more detail below.
Pyogenic Granuloma
A pyogenic granuloma, also called agranuloma gravidarum, is a proliferation (grouping) of blood vessels that form abenign tumororiginating from the skin ormucous membranes.
They are commonly found in the oral and nasal cavities and can arise from traumas such as nose piercing.
They can also form as a response to infection. Improper piercing technique, use of unsterile instruments, and inadequate aftercare can raise the risk of infection after a nose piercing.
Pustule
A minor infection can cause a smallpus-filledbump to appear at the site of the piercing. If popped, pus or blood may ooze out. The pustule may refill after it drains.
Keloid
A keloid is a type of scar that forms as a result of an impaired inflammatory response to a skin injury, such as a body piercing. Keloids are commonly associated withear piercingsbut can also form after other body piercings, like nasal piercing.
A keloid can take up to a year after the initial skin trauma to appear. Keloids grow larger than the original wound and can feel itchy or painful as they grow. They do not go away on their own.
Keloids can run in families and are more common in people with darker skin tones.
Hypertrophic Scar
Like a keloid, a hypertrophic scar is a raised scar that results from an excess of tissue produced after askin injury, like a piercing.
Hypertrophic scars typically start to grow within weeks after the trauma to the skin and don’t grow beyond the boundaries of the initial injury.
Hypertrophic scars grow rapidly for about six months, then regress gradually.
Unlike keloids, hypertrophic scars commonly occur across people of all skin tones.
Treatment for a nose piercing bump varies depending on the cause of the bump.
Treatment For Pyogenic Granuloma
Treatment for a pyogenic granuloma may include:
Treatment For a Pustule
A pustule from a minor infection can often be treated at home with measures such as:
If the pustule does not go away or keeps coming back, or if theinfection worsens, see your healthcare provider to determine the best course of treatment.
Treatment For Keloids and Hypertrophic Scars
Hypertrophic scars may improve on their own with time, but this could take a year or longer. Keloid scars do not resolvewithout treatment.
The treatments available for keloids and hypertrophic scars are similar, but there is no single definite treatment for either type of scar, and they might respond differently to the same treatment. Multiple treatments may be used together.
Treatments for keloids and hypertrophic scars may include:
Can You Prevent Nose Piercing Bumps?To help minimize your chances of getting a nose piercing bump, avoid trauma and friction to your piercing that can arise from:Vigorous or overcleaningRubbing from clothingPlaying with the jewelryExcessive motion of the areaThis can interfere with healing and contribute to the formation of excessscar tissue.
Can You Prevent Nose Piercing Bumps?
To help minimize your chances of getting a nose piercing bump, avoid trauma and friction to your piercing that can arise from:Vigorous or overcleaningRubbing from clothingPlaying with the jewelryExcessive motion of the areaThis can interfere with healing and contribute to the formation of excessscar tissue.
To help minimize your chances of getting a nose piercing bump, avoid trauma and friction to your piercing that can arise from:
This can interfere with healing and contribute to the formation of excessscar tissue.
Are There Tests to Diagnose the Cause of a Nose Piercing Bump?
A dermatologist or healthcare provider can usually diagnose pyogenic granulomas, pustules, keloids, and hypertrophic scars through a physical examination. Sometimes, the healthcare provider may perform a skin biopsy to rule outother skin conditions.
To perform askin biopsy, the healthcare provider will numb the area and remove a small amount of skin to examine under a microscope. This procedure usually takes place in-office while the patient is conscious.
Nose piercing bumps aren’t usually dangerous, but see your healthcare provider if:
Summary
Causes for nose piercing bumps may include pyogenic granuloma, pustule, keloid, and hypertrophic scar. Symptoms can vary, but a nose piercing bump may feel raised, fleshy, rigid, smooth, bumpy, or other textures. It may be painless or tender. It may be pink, red, or flesh-toned. Some nose piercing bumps itch, burn, or bleed easily.
Treatments for nose piercing bumps depend on the cause but may include pressure therapy, steroid injections,topical treatments, cryotherapy, laser therapy, surgical removal, and other procedures.
14 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Jayasree P, Kaliyadan F, Raja HM.Dermoscopy-aided diagnosis of nose ring-associated pyogenic granuloma.Indian Dermatol Online J. 2020;11(3):436. doi:10.4103/idoj.IDOJ_155_19Alghamdi Jr. FS, Barnawi G, Alamri AM, et al.Recurrent cutaneous pyogenic granuloma of the nose following rhinoplasty: a case report. Cureus. Published online February 2, 2022. doi:10.7759/cureus.21849DermNet.Pyogenic granuloma.Association of Professional Piercers.Body piercing troubleshooting.Hunasgi S, Koneru A, Vanishree M, Shamala R.Keloid: a case report and review of pathophysiology and differences between keloid and hypertrophic scars.J Oral Maxillofac Pathol. 2013;17(1):116. doi:10.4103/0973-029X.110701MedlinePlus.Keloids.American Osteopathic College of Dermatology.Keloids and hypertrophic scars.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Keloid scars: overview.Tripathi S, Soni K, Agrawal P, et al.Hypertrophic scars and keloids: a review and current treatment modalities. biomed dermatol. 2020;4(1):11. doi:10.1186/s41702-020-00063-8DermNet.Keloid and hypertrophic scar.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Scars: overview.Johns Hopkins.Scars.Hyun SM.Common complications after auricular piercing in Korea: case reviews and treatment. Journal of Cosmetic Medicine. 2017;1(2):85-89. doi:10.25056/JCM.2017.1.2.85Association of Professional Piercers.Suggested aftercare for body piercings.
14 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Jayasree P, Kaliyadan F, Raja HM.Dermoscopy-aided diagnosis of nose ring-associated pyogenic granuloma.Indian Dermatol Online J. 2020;11(3):436. doi:10.4103/idoj.IDOJ_155_19Alghamdi Jr. FS, Barnawi G, Alamri AM, et al.Recurrent cutaneous pyogenic granuloma of the nose following rhinoplasty: a case report. Cureus. Published online February 2, 2022. doi:10.7759/cureus.21849DermNet.Pyogenic granuloma.Association of Professional Piercers.Body piercing troubleshooting.Hunasgi S, Koneru A, Vanishree M, Shamala R.Keloid: a case report and review of pathophysiology and differences between keloid and hypertrophic scars.J Oral Maxillofac Pathol. 2013;17(1):116. doi:10.4103/0973-029X.110701MedlinePlus.Keloids.American Osteopathic College of Dermatology.Keloids and hypertrophic scars.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Keloid scars: overview.Tripathi S, Soni K, Agrawal P, et al.Hypertrophic scars and keloids: a review and current treatment modalities. biomed dermatol. 2020;4(1):11. doi:10.1186/s41702-020-00063-8DermNet.Keloid and hypertrophic scar.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Scars: overview.Johns Hopkins.Scars.Hyun SM.Common complications after auricular piercing in Korea: case reviews and treatment. Journal of Cosmetic Medicine. 2017;1(2):85-89. doi:10.25056/JCM.2017.1.2.85Association of Professional Piercers.Suggested aftercare for body piercings.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Jayasree P, Kaliyadan F, Raja HM.Dermoscopy-aided diagnosis of nose ring-associated pyogenic granuloma.Indian Dermatol Online J. 2020;11(3):436. doi:10.4103/idoj.IDOJ_155_19Alghamdi Jr. FS, Barnawi G, Alamri AM, et al.Recurrent cutaneous pyogenic granuloma of the nose following rhinoplasty: a case report. Cureus. Published online February 2, 2022. doi:10.7759/cureus.21849DermNet.Pyogenic granuloma.Association of Professional Piercers.Body piercing troubleshooting.Hunasgi S, Koneru A, Vanishree M, Shamala R.Keloid: a case report and review of pathophysiology and differences between keloid and hypertrophic scars.J Oral Maxillofac Pathol. 2013;17(1):116. doi:10.4103/0973-029X.110701MedlinePlus.Keloids.American Osteopathic College of Dermatology.Keloids and hypertrophic scars.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Keloid scars: overview.Tripathi S, Soni K, Agrawal P, et al.Hypertrophic scars and keloids: a review and current treatment modalities. biomed dermatol. 2020;4(1):11. doi:10.1186/s41702-020-00063-8DermNet.Keloid and hypertrophic scar.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Scars: overview.Johns Hopkins.Scars.Hyun SM.Common complications after auricular piercing in Korea: case reviews and treatment. Journal of Cosmetic Medicine. 2017;1(2):85-89. doi:10.25056/JCM.2017.1.2.85Association of Professional Piercers.Suggested aftercare for body piercings.
Jayasree P, Kaliyadan F, Raja HM.Dermoscopy-aided diagnosis of nose ring-associated pyogenic granuloma.Indian Dermatol Online J. 2020;11(3):436. doi:10.4103/idoj.IDOJ_155_19
Alghamdi Jr. FS, Barnawi G, Alamri AM, et al.Recurrent cutaneous pyogenic granuloma of the nose following rhinoplasty: a case report. Cureus. Published online February 2, 2022. doi:10.7759/cureus.21849
DermNet.Pyogenic granuloma.
Association of Professional Piercers.Body piercing troubleshooting.
Hunasgi S, Koneru A, Vanishree M, Shamala R.Keloid: a case report and review of pathophysiology and differences between keloid and hypertrophic scars.J Oral Maxillofac Pathol. 2013;17(1):116. doi:10.4103/0973-029X.110701
MedlinePlus.Keloids.
American Osteopathic College of Dermatology.Keloids and hypertrophic scars.
American Academy of Dermatology Association.Keloid scars: overview.
Tripathi S, Soni K, Agrawal P, et al.Hypertrophic scars and keloids: a review and current treatment modalities. biomed dermatol. 2020;4(1):11. doi:10.1186/s41702-020-00063-8
DermNet.Keloid and hypertrophic scar.
American Academy of Dermatology Association.Scars: overview.
Johns Hopkins.Scars.
Hyun SM.Common complications after auricular piercing in Korea: case reviews and treatment. Journal of Cosmetic Medicine. 2017;1(2):85-89. doi:10.25056/JCM.2017.1.2.85
Association of Professional Piercers.Suggested aftercare for body piercings.
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
