A keloid (above) is a lump of firm, flesh–colored skin made of fibrous tissue, more common in African–Americans than those of other races.
Keloids develop in response to trauma and are considered to be a kind of "overshoot" by the body's healing mechanisms.
A report in the May 2 issue of the journal Pediatrics indicates that keloids are nearly four times as likely to form after ear piercing when the piercing was done after age 11 (80%) than in those who had piercings before 11 (23.5%).
The authors, from the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta, concluded that "piercing during early childhood, rather than later, may be advisable."
Now that's interesting.
Considering the hue and cry about kids growing up to fast and all, it might be prudent to make an exception when it comes to ear piercing.
Just a thought.
Here's the abstract of the article.
Relationship Between Age of Ear Piercing and Keloid Formation
Objective. Keloids occur commonly after trauma to the skin, with ear piercing being a well-known inciting event.
We surveyed 32 patients with keloids resulting from ear piercing, to examine a potential relationship between age of piercing and keloid formation.
Methods. A total of 32 consecutive patients completed a survey about ear-piercing and keloid formation.
Fisher's exact test was used for data analysis.
Results. Fifty percent (n = 16) of surveyed patients developed a keloid after their first piercing.
Twenty surveyed patients developed keloids with subsequent piercings.
Those who had piercings at 11 years of age were more likely to develop keloids (80%) than were those who had piercings at <11 href="http://www.aocd.org/skin/dermatologic_diseases/keloids_and_hypert.html">keloid (above) is a lump of firm, flesh–colored skin made of fibrous tissue, more common in African–Americans than those of other races.
Keloids develop in response to trauma and are considered to be a kind of "overshoot" by the body's healing mechanisms.
A report in the May 2 issue of the journal Pediatrics indicates that keloids are nearly four times as likely to form after ear piercing when the piercing was done after age 11 (80%) than in those who had piercings before 11 (23.5%).
The authors, from the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta, concluded that "piercing during early childhood, rather than later, may be advisable."
Now that's interesting.
Considering the hue and cry about kids growing up to fast and all, it might be prudent to make an exception when it comes to ear piercing.
Just a thought.
Here's the abstract of the article.
Relationship Between Age of Ear Piercing and Keloid Formation
Objective. Keloids occur commonly after trauma to the skin, with ear piercing being a well-known inciting event.
We surveyed 32 patients with keloids resulting from ear piercing, to examine a potential relationship between age of piercing and keloid formation.
Methods. A total of 32 consecutive patients completed a survey about ear-piercing and keloid formation.
Fisher's exact test was used for data analysis.
Results. Fifty percent (n = 16) of surveyed patients developed a keloid after their first piercing.
Twenty surveyed patients developed keloids with subsequent piercings.
Those who had piercings at 11 years of age were more likely to develop keloids (80%) than were those who had piercings at <11>
