Quite a while ago the nail on my ring finger on my left hand developed a large, strange ridge. I figured I bumped it or something and waited for it to grow out. It never did. I just developed a lump with a clear fluid at the base of my nail. One day I mentioned it to the dermatologist and he said: "It looks like a gelatinous cyst". He didn't seem alarmed so I just let it go.
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| this is not my finger, from the website below |
It progressed and looked much worse than the above picture. A scab appeared at the base of my nail, I picked it off and then it looked like it was getting better......but no, it happened again.
This long, cold winter has made my hands very dry so I decided to plug in my paraffin wax treatment machine. It feels so nice and does make my hands feel better. After about 3 days of using it I noticed that my cyst looks much better. There's still a lump but I can't see any clear mucus under the skin. When I mentioned it to my doctor this week she said she could send me to a hand surgeon.....I think not! We agreed that if the paraffin dip is helping to continue to use it. I have a friend whose husband has arthritis and uses a paraffin dip also. Not only do they make your hands look better, apparently they are healing. I'm certainly going to keep mine!
Here's the website where I found the picture and it explains more about this cyst.
Oh- yes- I have seen those. They are kinda gross but not really harmful. Sorry you have had to deal with that. I have always wanted to try one of those paraffin things for my hands. xo Diana
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