# What is this thing on my foot? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 30, 2011, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-my-foot/598157 "2011-09-30T14:51:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![congodwarf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@congodwarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/congodwarf)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-my-foot/598157/1 "2011-09-30T14:51:07Z")
It’s been there for about 4 or 5 days at least. If it was there before that, I didn’t notice it. It’s on the top of my foot, about halfway between my toes and my leg. It doesn’t hurt but it feels…strange. When I first noticed it, it itched like hell so I put some hydrocortisone on it and covered it with a guaze pad so I wouldn’t scratch it (now I can’t get the damn tape off). It hasn’t changed in size, color, or texture since I first noticed it. It’s red around the outside, whitish on the inside and as you can see, it looks like it’s peeling a little. It feels puckered. It is raised. It’s just about 1" long and a bit less than that wide. It doesn’t appear to be anywhere else on my body. I’m not hugely concerned about it but I am curious because I’ve never seen this on my body before. I thought it was a bug bite at first but I’ve had many of those and none looked like this. Putting this in spoiler in case anyone’s super squeamish. It’s not really gross though. [Not really gross but might be offputting if you have skin issues.](http://s862.photobucket.com/albums/ab183/spike1380/?action=view¤t=001.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-my-foot/598157/2 "2011-09-30T14:59:21Z")
Seborrheic keratosis maybe. Possibly just a blister. IANA dermatologist. Check with one. You never know if it could be something worse. ---
**Author:** ![kombatminipig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5ac83/32.png) [@kombatminipig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kombatminipig)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-my-foot/598157/3 "2011-09-30T15:04:23Z")
Might be ringworm, which in spite of the freakish name is just a fungal infection. ---
**Author:** ![congodwarf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@congodwarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/congodwarf)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-my-foot/598157/4 "2011-09-30T15:08:28Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > IANA dermatologist. Check with one. You never know if it could be something worse. Don’t worry, I will. But, I didn’t start getting really curious until right before I posted and almost noon on a Friday isn’t a likely time to get an appointment. I’m hoping to get one on Monday, since I’ll actually have transportation then. ---
**Author:** ![congodwarf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@congodwarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/congodwarf)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-my-foot/598157/5 "2011-09-30T15:11:57Z")
> [@kombatminipig](#): > > Might be ringworm, which in spite of the freakish name is just a fungal infection. Hmm, I didn’t think of that. Just looked at some pics and some of them look eerily like the thing on my foot. Hmm, I wonder if I can just send the pic to a dermatologist and not worry about an appointment. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-my-foot/598157/6 "2011-09-30T15:19:18Z")
It does look like a fungus. If it is, then steroid creams will only make it worse, so lay off the hydrocortisone until after you see a doctor. ---
**Author:** ![rhubarbarin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb9ed0/32.png) [@rhubarbarin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rhubarbarin)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-my-foot/598157/7 "2011-09-30T15:24:26Z")
Looks like ringworm, but I’ve been fooled by my eczema into applying anti-fungals (which turn it into the kind dermatitis where it burns, oozes and all my skin falls off, fun!) too many times… absolutely visit your GP or a dermatologist if you can afford it. ---
**Author:** ![congodwarf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@congodwarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/congodwarf)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-my-foot/598157/8 "2011-09-30T15:30:35Z")
> [@Alice\_The\_Goon](#): > > If it is, then steroid creams will only make it worse, so lay off the hydrocortisone until after you see a doctor. That wont be a problem. It wasn’t helping with the itch so I stopped using it after 2 applications. The itch has mostly gone away though. I just got off the phone with a dermatologist. I’ll be seeing them on Monday afternoon. I’m glad it doesn’t itch much. I’m terrible for not scratching. **rhubarbarin** : Pretty sure it’s not exczema. Then again, I never considered ringworm. Dermatology expert I ain’t. Good thing is that I do have insurance so it should only cost me about $20, unless I end up with a prescription - then it’ll probably be about $40. Not great, but doable. Thanks for the help everyone. I was honestly expecting the consensus to be that it’s a rash. ---
**Author:** ![PeskiPiksi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e495f1/32.png) [@PeskiPiksi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PeskiPiksi)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-my-foot/598157/9 "2011-09-30T15:30:48Z")
> [@congodwarf](#): > > Don’t worry, I will. But, I didn’t start getting really curious until right before I posted and almost noon on a Friday isn’t a likely time to get an appointment. I’m hoping to get one on Monday, since I’ll actually have transportation then. Just be aware..unless you already have a dermatologist, it can take a really long time to get a new patient appointment. Like weeks. So don’t put off calling…you can always cancel the appointment later if it goes away on its own. ---
**Author:** ![congodwarf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@congodwarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/congodwarf)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-my-foot/598157/10 "2011-09-30T15:40:35Z")
One of the benefits to living in a smallish town with its own hospital is that other than physicals, getting appointments is pretty easy. I’ll be seen on Monday. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-my-foot/598157/11 "2011-09-30T15:49:42Z")
Another vote for ringworm. My husband had it on his arm once and it looked just like that. About a week of cream, as I recall, and it was fully cleared. ---
**Author:** ![mozchron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mozchron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mozchron)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-my-foot/598157/12 "2011-09-30T15:50:50Z")
At first glance, I thought cutaneous leishmaniasis, but then I saw your posting location, and your description of the lesion as “raised”. Another vote for ringworm. ---
**Author:** ![Zulema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/db5fbb/32.png) [@Zulema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zulema)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-my-foot/598157/13 "2011-09-30T16:32:26Z")
My son gets something like this on his leg when he goes swimming a lot. It’s always in the same spot and only that spot. Over the counter anti-fungals get rid of it. We did go to the doctor the first time it happened and he got a combo anti-fungal/ hydrocortisone cream for it. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-my-foot/598157/14 "2011-09-30T16:43:58Z")
My first thought was fungal infection. I’d slab some Lotrimin on it and see if that did the trick. You might also show it to the Pharmacist and see if he has an opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Al\_Bundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@Al\_Bundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al_Bundy)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-my-foot/598157/15 "2011-09-30T18:43:41Z")
It could be many things. You would suspect a reaction to any drugs you might be taking and did not mention that possibility. It looks distinctive so a pro should know instantly. One possibility would be a bed bug bite. If you get more and in different places, suspect that. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-my-foot/598157/16 "2011-09-30T18:55:15Z")
Jock itch/antifungal OTC cream ought to clear it up if it’s ringworm - I’ve used that effectively on me, a friend and the dog we got it from. Looks like ringworm to me. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2011, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-my-foot/598157/17 "2011-10-09T03:21:39Z")
The OP never came back to tell us what it was. Must have been fatal. ---
**Author:** ![congodwarf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@congodwarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/congodwarf)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2011, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-my-foot/598157/18 "2011-10-09T11:37:45Z")
It might be ringworm and it might be another fungus (forgot what she called it). She’s treating for ringworm and I have a followup in 2 weeks (1 week now). If there isn’t a marked improvement, she’ll treat for the other (apparently it needs a stronger cream). ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2011, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-my-foot/598157/19 "2011-10-09T14:51:20Z")
> [@Alice\_The\_Goon](#): > > The OP never came back to tell us what it was. Must have been fatal. I’ve had ringworm before. It was fatal for me, too. -D/a