Laser burn on thumb- not sure, though

[Rixterz]

Hello

I tried to power a laser diode with a battery while holding onto it. The problem is that in a few days I noticed something that looked like a wart on my thumb, but was in exactly the same place. I still have it now, and it looks nasty

Is this laser burn or a wart?

 

[Spooky]

Occams razor

What are the chances of it not being a laser burn given all the information.

What power diode?
What wavelength?

Diodes can get hot, they can burn even if not by radiation.

Connecting a diode directly to a battery isn't a good idea, batteries in general aren't current limited.

cheers

Dave

 

[Blaster]

Laser burn what else could it be ...or the heat of direct contact from the laser diode

 

[Benm]

Could be a thermal burn from the diode getting very hot, or an actual laser burn caused by the light output of the diode. They are realy difficult to tell apart though, unless it has the distinct shape of the laser diode case. Both burns will probably heal up just fine.

On the odd chance that it actually is a wart, you'll notice this if it is not gone in couple of weeks.

 

[Rixterz]

Thanks guys, my sister has a verruca so, if it is a wart, it could be from there.
I didn't feel it burning at the time; it is a solid lump inside the end of my thumb, that just reaches the surface. I'm good at science too, so i'm interested in all of those thingies.

Laser diode = 5mW, same shape as "thing", 650 nanometres. I bought them from here: 5mw 650nm laser diode 5 pack, AixiZ

thing :gun:

 

[LaZeRz]

Those definitely wouldn't burn you with just laser light. Probably not even by generated heat. I'm pretty sure the lump on your thumb was caused by something else

 

[Bionic-Badger]

If you didn't actually feel a burn, maybe you have leprosy.

But I doubt you have leprosy, just as I doubt a laser caused your weird wart-thing. Lasers are not beams of magic that cause burns, warts or scars without feeling pain unless of course you have some sort of expensive ultraviolet laser that gave you cancer, but even that probably would still hurt.

 

[Rixterz]

I did laugh at your font choices at times, but I looked leprosy up and i'm pretty sure my body isn't being taken over by Mycobacterium leprae or Mycobacterium lepromatosis.

 

[Cyparagon]

Since when do burns take several days to show up?

 

[OzLasers]

Yeah, I don't see this being a burn. Especially considering the power output. Might want to avoid bush mechanic laser operation in the future.

 

[OrionBLF]

A plantar wart is also known as "Verruca plantaris" which are benign epithelial tumors generally caused by infection of the human papilloma virus (HPV). The virus attacks compromised skin through direct contact, entering through possibly tiny cuts and abrasions in the outermost layer of skin. After infection, warts may not become visible for several weeks or months. Because of pressure on the sole of the foot or finger, the wart is pushed inward and a layer of hard skin may form over the wart. Warts may spread through autoinoculation, by infecting nearby skin or by infected walking surfaces. A plantar wart can be painful if left untreated. Laser surgery is generally a last resort treatment, as it is expensive and painful, but may be necessary for large, hard-to-cure warts like a prominent one on noses.

 

[Rixterz]

Looking at Mayo Clinic medical information and tools for healthy living - MayoClinic.com
, it seems to look most like the plantar wart than a common wart; is this something worth getting checked out at my GP? (i have no genital warts).

As you noted, there IS a layer of hard skin over it and it looks like it has small brown dots in it, which I manage to remove by using nail cutters to take the top layer off... the dots return shortly after though

 

[Spooky]

is this something worth getting checked out at my GP?

seeing as none of us are MD's it's probably a good idea to ask an MD if you have concerns.

cheers

Dave

 

[OrionBLF]

The tiny brown dots are mini-haemorrhages under the skin in the centre of the wart. Always a good idea to check it up with a physician. They may recommend the peeling away of dead surface skin cells with chemicals such as salicylic acid which are available as over-the-counter products similarly used to treat calluses and corns. A 12-week daily treatment with salicylic acid has been known to lead to a complete clearance of warts.

 

[Psi]

I surprised that here of all places this has not been mentioned ... laser wart removal.

I was thinkin' that if you fire that diode up again and aim it just right into a mirror ... .. .

 

[Blaster]

A plantar wart is also known as "Verruca plantaris" which are benign epithelial tumors generally caused by infection of the human papilloma virus (HPV). The virus attacks compromised skin through direct contact, entering through possibly tiny cuts and abrasions in the outermost layer of skin. After infection, warts may not become visible for several weeks or months. Because of pressure on the sole of the foot or finger, the wart is pushed inward and a layer of hard skin may form over the wart. Warts may spread through autoinoculation, by infecting nearby skin or by infected walking surfaces. A plantar wart can be painful if left untreated. Laser surgery is generally a last resort treatment, as it is expensive and painful, but may be necessary for large, hard-to-cure warts like a prominent one on noses.

Plantar wart is usually in heel for i had one removed 25 years ago it took 5 male nurses to hold me down to put needles into my foot to deaden the pain before they cut it out, the pain of the needles was beyond belief and it was the size of a a small golf ball, not good so unless it was like that it wasn't a plantar wart