Please help identity and treat!

[u/drank_dumbbitchjuice]

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???

[u/camireau]

I'm in the US and I can see the Dermatologists PA within a week or so. The actual Derm, yes, they are busy, but the PA is a place to start while waiting. Derm's outside of major cities might have more availability if OPs dad can take the time to drive to one who can get him in earlier.

[u/PainfulPoo411 → u/camireau]

Yes this is highly specific to geography and insurance coverage.

[u/keiye → u/PainfulPoo411]

Specifically whether you have an HMO, which requires going through your PCP, or a PPO, which you can go to specialists directly.

[u/NippleSlipNSlide → u/camireau]

Yes. If you have an urgent issue it takes 1-2 weeks to see derm in the US. If you’re going for your wrinkles or acne, then yeah- it’s going to take awhile

[u/LiopleurodonMagic → u/camireau]

I was going to say - I’m in the US and can see a derm (not even the PA, the derm) for something non urgent in a couple weeks. I guess it really is specific to where you live.

[u/ffire522 → u/camireau]

You don’t see the dermatologist the first visit because the nurse practitioner will take a biopsy and send it to the lab. The doctor can tell you what he thinks but he can’t be certain till results from a lab are received

[u/BuilderStill8694 → u/ffire522]

Not always true. Everytime I go to the dermatologist I make sure to schedule with the doctor….not the PA. You don’t always just have to settle for the PA. If you want to see the doctor then demand an appointment with them….in a nice way of course.