Q: I have my lobes pierced so I'm familiar with ear piercing, but I heard that an industrial piercing can mess with your hearing or your balance. Is that right? -Matt

A: If your piercer makes sure that you have the correct anatomy for an industrial (a deep enough helix and the barbell not touching the flat), there should be no risk of balance or hearing issues. Balance and hearing are more of an inner-ear issue and there is no reason on Earth that the piercer should be anywhere near that area. You can always discuss your fears with your piercer if you decide to go forward with the industrial but the chances of it altering your balance or hearing are next to nil. Best of luck!

Q: What is a keloid and what causes it? I think I have one on my ear but I don't know how it got there. Plz halp! -Amerie

A: Keloids are an extreme overgrowth of scar tissue. They are sometimes very large, can have irregular shapes, may feel soft or rubbery and require a dermatologist to remove. They are often confused with irritation bumps, which are small, sometimes crusty looking, and tend to be right on or next to a piercing. Actually, we have a blog piece on this that explains the difference. Without being able to see it, I can tell you that keloids are very rare so the odds are in your favor that what you have is an irritation bump. Try touching base with your piercer and make sure your piercing and jewelry aren’t causing your bump. Happy piercing!