Hard, itchy, lump next to my ear hole?

[kr1sti]

Ughhh. Help me with my problem I'm having here..

So I'm new to stretching my ears, it's my first time. I've had my ears pierced since I could remember. Right now I'm at an 8g. I've been waiting about 3 weeks since my last stretch. And I've been waiting about 2-3 weeks for every other stretch. So my ears were fine at the first week of stretching to 8g, no itchiness, no swelling, it went right through. Same with the second week. Everything was healing perfectly fine.

So I've been noticing itching for the past few days and didn't bother cause it seemed pretty normal. But this morning I went to check if my ears were healing properly and I saw two red lumps in each ear, hard, flaking and itchy about the size of a pea next to both holes. It isn't behind my ear, and it isn't on the hole, it's right next to it. I didn't have this problem at all for the past few weeks.

What should I do? Is it an infection?

[deviantxy]

First thing that comes to my mind is an allergic reaction. What kind of jewelry are you wearing?

[kr1sti]

Stainless steel. I haven't had a problem with it in the past, so I don't think it's an allergic reaction?

[deviantxy]

Sometimes a nickle allergy will just randomly pop up out of nowhere. I've had it happen with earrings I have worn allot. Is it near an O ring? Sometimes those can cause allergies too. I guess if it continues to get worse maybe try some glass. It could also be something totally unrelated like a bug bite.

[kr1sti]

Actually.. it is right next to the o-rings.
I think I tightened them too much? Could that be?

[ViolentJayne]

Actually.. it is right next to the o-rings.
I think I tightened them too much? Could that be?

that could definetly be the issue .. try and wear the o rings as lose as possible to wear they dont contact your ear much and fresh air can still get to your skin

[kr1sti]

Thanks guys. I loosened the rings a lot more and the bumps seem to be healing.