DEAR DR. ROACH: At around 4-6 years of age, I got the chickenpox and, of course, had a lot of itchy bumps on my body. One bump in particular did not heal right; I scratched it so much that it formed into a small keloid on my inner thigh. This happened no place else.

This was confirmed by my former pediatrician, who also told my parents and I that I should never get my ears pierced. Ever since then, I have never attempted to have anything pierced on my body nor get any tattoos. I am now 30 years of age, and I was really wanting to pierce my ears and cartilage. I have never had any major surgeries or huge cuts, so I’m not sure how my skin will react if I decide to get my ears pierced.

I would really appreciate your insight on this matter, as this has been bothering me for a long time. — A.C.

ANSWER: Because of your previous keloid, you are going to be at higher-than-average risk for developing a keloid, but I can’t even offer a guess on what the likelihood might be of getting one. The advice not to get your ears pierced remains the most conservative option, and the only one to guarantee you won’t get a keloid from piercing.

However, if you choose to try piercing, I can offer some advice on how to minimize your risk. Keeping the area meticulously clean with alcohol and sterile cotton and never touching it with your bare hands are good ideas.