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Adult :: Female :: Back of Hand

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Back to the Skin Disease Finder

In the adult, many conditions can affect the back of the hand. Many of the more worrisome conditions are caused by a lifetime of sun exposure. Age spots (solar lentigo) are not cancerous but are evidence of significant sun exposure on unprotected skin. Actinic keratosis is a scaly thickening of the skin that can become cancer if left untreated. Keratoacanthoma is a type of skin cancer that will grow rapidly (over 4-6 weeks) and causes a dramatic crusted skin growth. The other skin cancers (eg, melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma) are all common to the hands. Click the pictures below for more information on these and other conditions.

Actinic Keratosis (Solar Keratosis) Actinic keratoses, also known as solar keratoses, are small rough or scaly areas of skin due to damage from sun exposure. Some actinic keratoses can turn into squamous cell skin cancer, so it is important to perform…

Allergic Contact Dermatitis Allergic contact dermatitis is a delayed hypersensitivity reaction (the reaction to the allergen occurs 48–72 hours after exposure). The most common allergens causing allergic contact…

Bug Bite or Sting Bites or stings from insects (arthropods) are very common. Most reactions are mild and result due to an allergic reaction to either the insect or the toxins injected with the bite or sting.

Cutaneous Horn A cutaneous horn, also known as cornu cutaneum, refers to a specific appearance of a skin lesion in which a cone-shaped protuberance arises on the skin caused by overgrowth of the most superficial layer…

Dyshidrotic Eczema (Dyshidrotic Dermatitis) Dyshidrotic eczema (dyshidrotic dermatitis) is generally defined as a rash limited to the hands (usually the palms and sides of the fingers) and sometimes the feet. Dyshidrotic eczema manifests as small…

Irritant Contact Dermatitis Irritant contact dermatitis is an inflammatory rash caused by direct chemical injury to the skin. Unlike allergic contact dermatitis, which appears 48–72 hours after exposure to an allergen, the…

Lichen Simplex Chronicus Lichen simplex chronicus (LSC), also known as neurodermatitis circumscripta, is an itchy skin condition causing thickened skin at the areas of skin injured by repeated scratching and rubbing. Lichen…

Poison Ivy, Oak, and Sumac Poison ivy, poison oak, or poison sumac dermatides are a reaction to the rhus antigen, which is found in poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac plants. 

Raynaud's Disease Raynaud's disease is a disorder in which the blood vessels to the fingers and toes (digits) become abnormally closed off (constricted). The fingers and toes of individuals with Raynaud's…

Scabies Scabies is an itchy skin condition caused by a tiny parasite (mite) called Sarcoptes scabiei that can live and multiply (infest) on skin. They are passed between people by prolonged skin-to-skin…

Solar Lentigo   A solar lentigo (plural, solar lentigines), also known as a sun-induced freckle or senile lentigo, is a dark (hyperpigmented) lesion caused by natural or artificial ultraviolet (UV)…

Sunburn Sunburn is caused by the skin's reaction to ultraviolet light exposure. It appears as reddening and tenderness of the skin and usually occurs between 12 and 24 hours after the exposure. 

Vitiligo Vitiligo is a disease where the immune system turns against itself (autoimmune disease) where immune cells of the body attack the color-producing (pigment-producing) cells to cause white patches on the…

Abscess An abscess is a infection characterized by a collection of pus underneath a portion of the skin. Bacteria commonly causing abscesses are Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus. These bacteria enter the…

Cellulitis Cellulitis is an infection of the deeper skin tissue, which is most often caused by the bacteria Streptococcus or Staphylococcus. These bacteria are able to invade the skin through small…

Common Wart Warts are growths of the skin and mucous membranes (the mouth or genitals) that are caused by over 100 types of the human papillomavirus (HPV). Common warts are usually found on areas of the body prone to trauma, such…

Gout Gout, also called gouty arthritis, is a disease of how the body processes nutrients (metabolism) in which crystals of uric acid are deposited in the joints, tendons, and skin. Most commonly affecting men, gout…

Granuloma Annulare Granuloma annulare is a common skin condition characterized by bumps appearing over the joints and the backs of the hands. Its cause is not known, and most episodes of granuloma annulare clear up after a few…

Keratoacanthoma Keratoacanthoma (KA) is a rapidly growing skin cancer usually appearing as a volcano-like bump on the sun-exposed skin of middle-aged and elderly individuals. Many scientists consider…

Melanoma Melanoma is a life-threatening form of skin cancer. This cancer starts in the color-producing (pigment-producing) cells of the skin. Melanoma may develop from a previously existing mole…

Mole (Nevus) A mole (nevus) is a non-cancerous (benign) skin lesion that is made up of the color-producing (pigment-producing) cells of the skin (melanocytes). A mole that is present at birth is referred to as a…

Mole, Atypical (Atypical Nevus) Atypical moles (atypical nevi) or dysplastic moles (dysplastic nevi), are caused by collections of the color-producing (pigment-producing) cells of the skin (melanocytes) in which the cells grow…

Post-Inflammatory Hypopigmentation Post-inflammatory hypopigmentation is a loss of skin color (pigmentation) after your skin heals from an injury. The pigment-producing cells (melanocytes) are damaged or destroyed in the healing…

Psoriasis Psoriasis is a non-contagious, lifelong skin problem with thickened red, and often scaly, skin. It is very likely to run in families (hereditary) and seems to be caused by…

Pyogenic Granuloma Pyogenic granuloma is a common, benign growth that often appears as a rapidly growing, bleeding bump on the skin or inside the mouth. It is composed of blood vessels and may occur at the site of minor injury.

Shingles (Zoster) Shingles (zoster), also known as herpes zoster, is a painful rash caused by the varicella zoster virus, the virus that causes chickenpox. When a person gets chickenpox, the virus remains sleeping…

Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the second most common form of skin cancer. Squamous cell carcinoma usually occurs on sun-damaged skin, especially in light-skinned individuals with a long history of chronic sun…