strange whitish lesion on fingertip

[grant140]

Over the past couple months or so, I have developed a whitish/yellowish spot off to one side from the tip of my index finger, on the fleshy part about 3/16" away from the nail.  It is soft, not hard like a wart and doesn't have any other wartlike characteristics that I can see or feel.  Visually, it has the color and appearance of a small pocket of pus below the surface of the skin, but the surface itself is flat, and there is no surrounding redness, swelling, or other sign of injury or inflammation.  It is painless when left alone but is tender when directly prodded (e.g., with a fingernail) and especially roublesome when I play guitar, which I do semi-professionally.    I once tried digging into it with a needle thinking that if it were pus I could drain it and let it heal, but that proved both painful and fruitless.  I'm now no longer convinced that there's any pus involved, but I'm mystified as to what it is.   I do have a sense that it may be result of past tearing/callousing of the skin at that location, but that's just a hunch, and there's nothing similar on my other fingers.
Any ideas what this is or how to get rid of it?
I could provide a photograph on request.

[Bordelea]

I'm a professional pianist with the same symptoms. In my case I have Scleroderma, and "calcinosis" which are dangerous in the fingertips. (Dangerous as in sometimes requiring surgery. Dangerous as in I'm a professional musician.) If I can press out the "milk" or "toothpaste" out I can get relief, but I have to treat it like an infection to prevent actual infection.

A rheumatologist who specializes in Scleroderma helps look after me.

This is not something for a musician to screw around with.

Peace,
Bordelea

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
It can be due to a small callus on hand or myxoid cyst. For calluses of hand, apply lots of moisturing lotion and vit E on the hands. Place protective covering or bandages over the sore to decrease friction on the skin until the sore heals. Rub sandpaper disks or pumice stone over hard thickened regions. Soak feet or hands in warm soapy water to soften calluses. Then rub with a pumice stone and apply some moisturizer.

If still the calluses persist, then go in for removal by surgical means or with keratolytic agents (medicines that break up hardened areas of skin). Shaving or cutting off the hardened area on the skin by a doctor is also helpful.
I hope it helps. Take care and regards.

[DrAttili]

Its either a wart or a simple callus formed from trauma. Difficult to be more accurate than that without feeling it. Suggest getting freezing (liquid nitrogen) treatment from you GP. Should melt away!

[grant140]

I've just uploaded a photo:  http://www.medhelp.org/user_photos/show/181504?personal_page_id=1979903

Despite the impression you might get, the spot is not particularly raised relative to the surrounding skin .. you can barely feel it.

Looking forward to hearing what it might be and how to get rid of it.  As I said, it interferes with my guitar playing but is otherwise seemingly innocuous.

[grant140]

It doesn't resemble either the images or descriptions I found online for mucoid cysts.  There's no raised nodule.  If there's fluid in it, it doesn't appear clear but rather opaque.

I'll try to take a photo tonight.  Not sure yet how to post it here.

   Thanks,
   Grant

[DrAttili]

Must be a Mucoid cyst. A pic would help.


Regards

Dr.Sasi Attili
Consultant Dermatologist