Please help me identify weird bumps!

[crazycasey]

About a month ago I noticed a small red bump that resembled a pimple or possibly an ingrown hair on the side of my stomach near the bottom of my rib cage...so I squeezed it, but it wouldn't pop.  It doesn't itch, but it's getting bigger (about the diameter of a pencil eraser now), and three more little bumps have appeared in an area about the size of a silver dollar around the first.  The new ones are all really small, and the first bump appears to be developing a little white crater in the middle.  Again, these aren't painful or itchy, and they don't seem highly contagious, but I am concerned because they aren't going away, and they do seem to be slowly spreading.  I would go to the doctor, but I was recently laid off and lost my insurance too.  I am including a photo of the area.  

[crazycasey]

Thank you for responding.  Sadly I cannot afford to visit a doctor.  I can barely afford to keep food on the table.  I am treating the bumps as if they are Molluscum Contagiosum, and have been applying a 10% Benzoyl Peroxide cream to them twice daily, and being extremely careful not to scratch or touch the area, to hopefully reduce the chance of autoinoculation.  It has been two weeks since I took the above photo, and there seems to be very little change in the size of the bumps.  This is both pleasing and concerning, as they're not spreading, but they don't seem to be getting any better either.  I thought that if the bumps were in fact Molluscum Contagiosum that they would be growing in size.  There is still no pain or itching.  I was wondering if I used an "at home" wart freezer to freeze the bumps, if this would be an acceptable next step, or if it would be a bad idea to try this since we aren't 100% sure that Molluscum Contagiosum is what I have.  

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
I cannot confirm anything without examination but it can be folliculitis or molluscum contagiosum. It is a contagious disease and presents as multiple, small, dome-shaped papules, often with a central depression or plug . Treatment includes physical destruction or manual extrusion of the lesions, cryotherapy, and curettage.

I suggest you to get an evaluation done from a dermatologist and if they turn painful then the possibility of shingles has to be ruled out.
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 doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.