Hard red bumps on pads of fingers and toes

[Bonescannr]

Hello - I am an X-ray tech (gloves and patients..) and have something that seems different from dyshidrotic eczema or scabies - have had sudden onset (2 days) of small (pinhead) to 6 mm bumps/red areas that have formed on tips (pads) of some fingers, some near dist. interphal. jt creases (palmar), and medial surface of 1st metatarsal head both feet.  They are intensely painful like fever blisters on lip and seem to be forming fluid filled craters in the centers.  Some are raised, some are flat.  I have never had any problems with my skin before (I am 36 y.o.) and this hurts badly without itching.  Do you have any ideas as to what this might be? - the photo shows a raised bump on the medial surface of the Rt big toe and a flat red area on the medial surface of the metatarsal head

[Bonescannr]

I went to work today and asked the ER doctor - they said it was probably a Coxsackie virus infection (foot, hand and mouth illness) that I might have picked up at work from a pediatric ER patient.  One of the bumps in the photo has turned into a blister while most of the other spots look more like deflated, partially healed blisters.  They are healing too fast and are not clustered as are HPV blisters around the mouth.  They are no longer painful like they were when I posted my question.  The Coxsackie hypothesis would make sense because I am still recovering from at least two consecutive colds, am exposed to plenty of sick children, and the second illness came with two days of fever and a very sore throat.

Thank you for taking the time to comment on my question.  I will post more details if things change or these lesions continue.  With the new year, it was not possible to get a dermatologic appointment within 10 days, so I would have probably been healed by the time I got in to see a specialist.

Bonescannr

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
I cannot confirm anything without examination but some possibilities which need to be ruled out are friction blisters or lumps due to friction with the socks and shoes, perniosis or chilblains(tender red or purple bumps that occur as a reaction to cold or vascular causes) and herpetic whitlow( painful bumps found on the sides of fingers and toes and caused by HPV).

My sincere advice would be to consult a dermatologist and get it evaluated as treatment is different for all. It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your dermatologist. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.