Anything to be done about keloid scar in lip?

October 30, 2017 8:32 AM

I have a keloid scar on the inside of my lip, leftover from a very old piercing. It has never been a problem until about the last 6 months…

Now, for whatever reason, it has started rubbing against my teeth. And I bite the crap out of it when eating and, I suspect, when I’m sleeping. It’s really painful and annoying, and never seems to heal up, fully. It’s swollen and raw, and occasionally bleeds when I bite it.

I’ll visit a doctor about it, but I’m not even sure there’s anything they can do. And I’m not sure what kind of doctor I’d need—maybe a plastic or oral surgeon to cut it off and stitch it up?

Is there anything I can do in the meantime? I’d love some kind of little Band-Aid or something, but… yeah. It’s inside of my mouth, which isn’t conducive to Band-Aid-ing.

(I've Googled, but the results are mainly about current piercings and regular, non-painful keloid scars.)

Thanks for any thoughts y’all might have!

posted by functionequalsform to Health & Fitness (5 answers total)

I don't have advice for what to do about it medically, but while you're figuring that out, they make dental wax that you can kind of use as a band-aid inside your mouth! (the Amazon link there is for a multipack, but you should be able to find single packs for $1-2 at a drugstore)

I used it a lot when I had braces and they'd rub against my lip or cheek. I'm not sure if it would stick quite as well to just teeth, but it's so cheap it's worth a shot for some relief while you're working on what to do that's more permanent.
posted by augustimagination at 9:18 AM on October 30, 2017

A dentist would be my first bet. They should be able to remove it.
posted by Ms Vegetable at 9:20 AM on October 30, 2017

My daughter had an ear keloid scar from a piercing gone wrong. She spent quality time with crushed aspirin paste on it and the keloid slowly shrunk. May be a little harder to deal with on your lip however.
posted by PJMoore at 9:51 AM on October 30, 2017

Crushed aspirin will cause a painful chemical burn on the inside of your lip, please don't do that!

A dentist is your best bet. I excise scar tissue a few times each year. it's done with a bit of local or even topical; bleeds for a short time and then heals with little or no problem.
posted by OHenryPacey at 9:57 AM on October 30, 2017

An oral surgeon is what you're looking for. Yes, they can work with scar tissue and you may be able to find a practice that specializes in soft tissue surgery like this.
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 11:55 AM on October 30, 2017