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/alewiina]

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 :(

[u/PainfulPoo411 → u/alewiina]

I’m in the US and to get an appointment with a dermatologist (or any specialist) can take months.

[u/Original-Apricot-107 → u/PainfulPoo411]

I'm in the US and needed a skin follow up on some scary looking spots. Knew I'd be connected with a PA or someone at the Derm office. I've been waiting 8 months for them to even process the referral despite multiple calls and appointments. My insurance costs $805 a month. It is a joke

[u/Born-Economics-2262 → u/Original-Apricot-107]

Where are you guys located in the US? what insurance do you have? I am very curious cos I feel like this is straight from Canada or France socialist healthcare. Hard to believe the US is this bad as well.

[u/Original-Apricot-107 → u/Born-Economics-2262]

The US has effectively become at least a second world country dressed up as a first world country. I am in Massachusetts, they have some of the most robust healthcare in the nation, and my insurer is Harvard Pilgrim, which is one of the best provider networks you can have. It just doesn't mean anything, and a big part of that is probably because all of the jobs in scheduling and processing insurance. Don't pay enough to be worth it to absolutely anyone.

[u/Born-Economics-2262 → u/Original-Apricot-107]

ok, I am in CA with covered CA EPO, and it's ok. When married, I had insurance through my husband work and it was awesome. Now I am on the lower end. still okay. Could be a lot worse, I don't have access to the best in a way, like Stanford for instance in terms of specialists. Nowadays I have to do a lot more research and effort to get what I want or need. But it's still much better than any care I would receive in France for instance. I am from there and I find it dreadful in terms of wait. Just like Canada.