Weird crusty lump next to piercing! (Photo attached)

[NotEnoughRoom]

My DC had their ears pierced last year. The actual piercing seems to have healed but this crusty lump keeps forming next to the piercing.

I’ve seen infected piercings before and usually the actual piercing is red/swollen/crusty but this lovely specimen is not actually coming from the piercing - it’s on the skin next to it. Occasionally it drops off, and the skin underneath looks a little red/dry but no obvious issue. Then it reforms again.

does this look like maybe an allergy to the piercing studs?
I'm baffled - any ideas?

Piercing bump? Camomile compresses can help. If they’re titanium studs an allergy to the metal is unlikely. What are they made of?

I took her to the same piercing studio that I use for my piercings, and I’m sure they are titanium, that’s why I’m surprised. That and the fact that the actual piercing has healed. So weird!

Looks like a granuloma to me. I think it’s caused by over healing. Almost like the body does too much to heal itself. I had one next to a nose piercing and couldn’t get rid of it. Sadly I had to lose the piercing to get it to clear up.

Oh that’s interesting, and a bit of a shame for DC if true. I’d made them wait ages to have the piercing done as I wanted them to have it done properly with a needle rather than a “Claire’s” job.
thanks for the suggestion.

If it is a granuloma then they can be cauterised by a doctor with a silver nitrate pen.

We are going to pop in to the place we had them pierced tomorrow. Today however, the crust has fallen off… !