Bumps on backs of hands, knuckles

[Knuckles]

This is in Psoriasis topic as a guess....

I have a recurring issue where I get small red bumps on the backs of my hands, mainly on or around the knuckles. They are mostly small (around 2mm diameter) but some are larger (5mm diameter). They do not appear to be fluid filled. Right now I can count about 9 total on both hands.

They really look and act like small insect bites (except they do not itch or hurt), but the recurring nature and localization makes me believe they are not insect bites. I have scratched a few off and they bleed slightly, scab, and then heal normally (basically as insect or spider bites do).

By themselves they seem to go away in about 2 weeks, then recurr in about 2 weeks.

I have also gotten some of the larger ones on my elbows, but I attacked these with Compound-W and they have not returned (probably because of the resulting scar tissue).

My main concerns are:
a) What is this?
b) How concerned should I be about auto-innoculation?
c) How concerned should I be about transmission to others?
d) Treatment?

Thanks!

[pmdc60]

A related discussion, bumps on elbows was started.

[babalooya]

A related discussion, red bumps on knuckles was started.

[Tonester0269]

A related discussion, little bumps? was started.

[kat1b]

I have recently gotten a little bump on my index finger just below the nail that seemed to be a insect bite of some sort. it does not itch, but is  tender to the touch. it has a little dot in the center of it. now a week latter i have about 10-15 of them on the same finger in the same area. they are very small but are woring me. is this herd of?

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Before you can get information about contagiousness to yourself or others, you need to find out what you have.  The way to do this is to stop scratching them and to show them to a skin doctor.  Please stop using Compound W, which is an irritating acid and will confuse the issue.  Just leave them alone and get a proper diagnosis.  (It doesn't sound like psoriasis, by the way.)

Thanks.

Dr. Rockoff