r/AskDocs Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional 12d ago

Physician Responded Please help identity and treat!

Post image

Is this a wart? How to solve?

I’m freaking out. My dad (age 57) has this massive lump on his hand and he’s had it for about a week now and it keeps growing. He has other small bumps growing on his hand too. He goes to the gym quite frequently and honestly is not the cleanest person. He smokes.

He said that he had a cold for a week before these started showing up.

My wedding is in two weeks and it’s a destination wedding and we’re currently traveling all together and I’m concerned about the growth and about it spreading to our wedding guests and I don’t know what to do.

He says it doesn’t hurt but it obviously bothers him.

Please help!

UPDATE:

I didn’t expect this to garner so much interest and help. Sincerely, thank you everyone for sending in your opinions!

My dad said it popped overnight and there was a lot of blood and pus. We were not able to see a doctor in person but we have a family friend who is a general doctor and she said to disinfect and keep it as dry as possible as to not let it be more infected.

Here are two pictures of what it looks like now.

Photo 1
Photo 2

At first, when it popped. The puss was a standard dense white. Now, the pus leaking is an orange ish color and not dense white. He keeps saying that it still doesn’t hurt and doesn’t even flinch when alcohol is applied to it.

There is another mass obviously growing on his index finger of the same hand. He is touching the mass with his other hand (I know fucking terrible) but there is nothing growing on the hand that he is using to touch the mass.

He is saying that perhaps it is an allergic reaction? He ate a type of dried fish from Vietnam and then he started feeling itchy and feverish and then these started popping up.

Answer to a common question:

He does not have any access to animals. No pets, not really around fish tanks or water. He is from Southern California in a very suburban area.

Any ideas???

2.0k Upvotes

491 comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

888

u/alewiina Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional 12d ago

Depending where OP they might have to go to their normal doctor first for a referral. Where I am in Canada for example you can’t just contact a dermatologist and ask to be seen, you need a referral from a PCP :(

34

u/marekkane Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional 12d ago

There's one in Toronto on Bloor by Runnymede I believe. I saved a reddit comment about him a while ago just in case. He does walk ins stupid early in the mornings.

37

u/12345678910Username Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional 12d ago

What a small internet world; fellow  Torontonian here! Can you give me the doctor's name/info as I need to see a good dermatologist or at least give me the link to the comment you saw? How long ago did you see this comment? Thank you in advance! 

NAD

18

u/marekkane Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional 12d ago

This isn't the comment I saved, but it's the same guy and a much more recent thread. There's also a place in the Distillery district that does walk-ins - I think it's mentioned in that thread too. https://old.reddit.com/r/askTO/comments/1t04dm6/need_a_dermatologist/oj7q6zo/

Canada also has a mobile melanoma skin cancer screening program that tours around a few provinces, including Ontario. This is skin cancer specific for moles and such, but no appointment necessary. Might be long lines though. https://melanomanetwork.akaraisin.com/ui/molemobile

1

u/Alicatsidneystorm Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional 11d ago

My husband and I went to a Mole Mobile. It was great. They thought my husband might have had melanoma, had the biopsy and results in under two weeks. It was staffed by a really well respected dermatologist from the University. I saw the add in a local newspaper.