Bumps (warts?) on top of feet;ankles and top of inner thigh

[phoenixman]

Some years ago I had noticed a few bumps on the top of my feet (sort of middle of the insteps).  These were VERY small (1/16th of an inch in diameter), not that visible (my natural skin tone)  I went to a dermatologist and he passed it off as simple kerotoid eruptions and down played their importance.  He also seemed irritated that I would care to have them removed.  Flash forward a few years (or more) and they have clearly spread over the top of my foot, the ankles, toe of my toes. I also believe this same low profile wart/bump has migrated to my upper inner thighs.  They do not itch are virtually my skin tone but there presence and the fact that they are clearly multiplying (clustering?) is alarming not to mention becoming unsitely.  Recently, I had gone to a Laser clinic to have skin tags removed and the technician noticed the bumps. On a subsequent vist, Laser Gal offered that she had described my problem to a Doctor friend of hers while at a  seminar.  He seemd to know immediately what it was and that its root cause originated in my nose  as a crusty like lesion in the nostril which in time disappears but migrates and manifests itself as these bumps or eruptions on feet, ankles and other places like the inner thigh.  I do not have the name of what he called the malady in front of me as I write this but I do remember that he suggested a 2% Bactroban ointment applied in the nostrils 2x daily would do the trick and actually kill whatever is "feeding" these things and promoting their spread and they would disappear in time.  He suggested a rather long period of continued use of the Bactroban (2 months??) and when I looked Bactroban up most indications are that it be taken for a week or so.  To his credit I do remember quite awhile ago (predating the arrival of these things) having an unusual  scab like crusty presence in one of my nostrils that lasted for a while and then disappeared.  How's this all sound to you and do you have any thoughts or suggestions??  

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

My best guess is that you have so-called stucco keratoses, a genetic condition which is manifest as small, light-colored crusty spots on the feet and ankles.  It is generally not worth treating these, because doing so requires burning with electric needles or lasers, and the spots just come back anyway.  The Bactroban treatment is for bacterial folliculitis, which you most certainly do not have, so I don't know why the doctor would recommend it, expect of course that he didn't see it and was going on Laser Gal's description.  You'll need to see a dermatologist in person, of course, to confirm my suggestions.

Take care.

Dr. Rockoff