Finger fungus?

[alexhaynes]

Hello doctor,

I noticed a little bit of a growth around one of my fingers recently and over the past few months it hasn't gone away. I think it may be some kind of a fungus, but I figured I should ask here. It has a hard but smooth consistency, tends to crack when dry and gum up when wet (ie, after I've taken a shower). It is also more sensitive than the rest of my finger. Here is a photo of my fingertip (you may need to copy the address into your browser):

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v409/MikoUeda/fungus_finger.jpg

Basically, I'm looking for a) What you think it probably is and b) a treatment or two I can attempt on my own initially? I have no problem getting it checked out by a dermitologist, but I'd rather try out an over-the-counter home medication first, if at all possible.

Thanks!

Alex Haynes

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

These are warts.  You should see a dermatologist for treatment, which usually involves freezing the warts with liquid nitrogen.  Several sessions may be needed, as warts near the nail are resistant to therapy.  They are caused by a virus but are generally not contagious and their origin (where you got them from) is rarely known.  Over-the-counter treatments are not very helpful, though there's no harm in trying them--they all contain salicylic acid, a peeling agent.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff

[alexhaynes]

Do you know what kind of wart this is? The treatments I've found tend to be categorized by wart type (ie, common, plantar, etc).

- Adam

[Mambo81]

I have had finger nail fungi for some years now.  Whenever i let the nail grow, it does not stick to the nail bed, therefore i tend to pull it off.  At the moment, the finger does not have a nail on it.  The worst part is, it is my ring finger.  So Doctor, please tell me what to do.

[MsTurner09]

A related discussion, Finger Infection was started.