pimples on fingers

[lowicklady55]

Does anyone get pimples on their fingers? They actually look like little boils and feel like you have been attacked by a bramble thorn, then about 10 days later the skin breaks and peels. I used to get them occasionally, but in this past week have had 3 on my little finger alone and 6 on other fingers.

[LucyJean]

Hello there, I was wondering are your pimples chilblains? If you have Raynauds, and they seem to appear in the colder weather then there is a possibility that they might be. All my best Lucy

[susiecoo]

Hi, my daughter (age 16) has had something very like what you describe. She has had Raynaud's since she was a toddler (inherited from grandmother and me) but they first appeared winter 2013/14. Two GPs were mystified, we were referred to a dermatologist who said, after a biopsy and numerous blood tests, that there was evidence of 'chilblains'. She had a scar from a chilblain, but the pimples didn't look like classic chilblains. They kept coming and at their worst her fingers were covered. We pressed for a referral to a rheumie, who said they were most likely related to the Raynaud's. They improved as the weather got better, and stress from GCSEs abated. Have started to come back a bit now, but not yet bad. He prescribed Nifedepine, but there are other things he said we might try if that works. Too early to be sure yet. Hope that helps.

[lowicklady55 in reply to susiecoo]

Thanks susiecoo for your reply. I am on nifedepine now, but a low dosage. I shall just have to keep my eye on them, as I know that they can become ulcerated with Raynauds.

[judyt]

I used to get things like that, little pimples which were filled with a milky liquid. They would burst and then disappear. Years later when I got a diagnosis of Scleroderma I began to think that they were most likely a type of Calcinosis - calcium suspended in

tissue juices. Was never able to show them to a doc because they had stopped happening by the time I got my diagnosis.

[lowicklady55]

Thanks for your reply judyt. At the moment I don't have any fluid at all.

[Zara-LouiseD]

Hi, I get small pimples (in crops sometimes) that feel like I pricked my finger on a cactus if you touch them. Very small and red with quite a hard feel to them - I'm not sure if this is the same as what you get?

One of my doctors said it was pomphlix eczema (apologies if I spelt that wrong) but it wasn't at all! I've never been able to get an actual diagnosis of what they are. They always come up when the weather starts getting colder and I do have a habit of trying to heat my hands up quickly in hot water......so they might be chilblains?

I guess trying to keep your hands warm at all times might prevent them if you have Raynauds?

[SomersetSue]

I have had this on and off for years. I am unsure if it is actually related to Raynauds (which is what I have). It is called Dyshidrosis en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyshi... It's probably yet another auto-immune thing.

[frillyhilly]

Hi,

I have not had exactly your problem but have had similar symptons in the past.

I can think of two causes. Firstly you could be having a fairly bad allergic reaction to something (probably something you are touching or something you are putting on your hands or arms, but it may not be that obvious). I had problems with pimples, bumps and hives for all the following:, (a) the dye in some new jeans, (b) on my stomach related to a new talc under my arms, (c) a new cream that said it was hypoallergenic (I found out I was allergic to Almond this way), (d) sharing a Computer keyboard with someone who used a medical cream to keep the eczema clear on his hands, (e) caused by the sun (I can't now expose my skin to the sun), (e) various foods - Soy/Soya, Carrots, Fish, (f) ibruprofen.

The alternative is that you are having periodic problems with blood flow to your hands - I have had this sort of thing on my feet and it happened when my feet got cold and then warmed up too fast that they feel hot and itchy (I believe this is similar to chilblains). This happened before I was diagnosed with Raynaud's and I would get itchy swollen bumps afterwards. I also got pimples which turned to itchy bumps on my legs when sitting in front of my friends fire in my teens (years ago and before Raynaud's). The pharmacist said it was to do with overheating my legs. My skin on my shins behaved very like your hands.

Unless you can see a definite pattern to what is happening, eg you visit your friend and stroke her cat and a day later you get pimples - I would suggest you talk to someone with medical knowledge - you might find that going to your pharmacist when the condition is present will get you the help you need.

Hope this helps,

Nicola

[kel55]

Hi,

The trick is to not let them crack or burst because then you scratch and they become infected. I've got them between my fingers at the moment and also on the inside of my wrists, there just at the rubby itch stage. I also get them across and inside my nose, the back of my ears and down my neck, across my tummy area, in my groin (particularly itchy), feet and toes: where ever I get the ischemia!, better known as raynauds. So yes it is blood flow, I'm slightly different because I've got Small Vessel Disease and Microvascular Disease and Vascular Spasms and of cause Primary raynauds.

Sometimes at the rubby itchy stage by using emulsifying oitment and rubbing in, in theses areas helps, probably more about getting blood flow but once they start becoming sore then I use Daktacort 2%/1% w/w cream, usually takes about 4 or 5 applications. It's probable the nitrate opening up the vessels. You cannot use this all the while because it apparently makes your skin thin?

I'm on a lot of nitrates already but ask you Rhoomy to give you more to see if it helps.

Kel

[kel55]

Sorry forgot to say, keep away from vascular constrictors, ie medication that closes vessels rather than medication that opens or relaxes vessels. Most over he counter remedies are constrictors (it's how they work), sorry no more ibuprofen et al or the likes of night nurse, they may help with the aches and runny nose but again they close vessels. Cocaine is a severe constrictor and weed as a severe constrictor spike when you stop using it. It's back to good old aspirin and paracetamol and were possible opioids? Opioids are very good vasselators but like aspirin they can come with a bit of baggage.

The pharmaceutical companies don't give you this information do they!

Kel

[missymystique]

This sounds like chilblains

[Hidden]

I'm glad you asked this because one of my little fingers has pimples on the joint. I had a similar one on the side of my nose for many months with a hard white head. I got sick of it as very ugly so read up and lanced/ removed it last week. It was a hard white ball and I felt it must be a calcium deposit. I have RA with secondary Raynauds and possible Scleroderma or CREST.