Hard lump on finger under the skin

A small, firm bump may be related to a joint, tendon, nail area, blocked skin structure, old injury, or a benign cyst. A boil is more likely to be tender, warm, or red and may develop a soft centre. A skin growth can also feel firm without causing discomfort. Basal cell carcinoma most often involves a persistent skin change rather than a deep finger lump, but a changing or bleeding surface deserves review.

Note whether the lump moves with the skin or finger, whether it sits beside a joint, and whether it changes the way you bend or grip. These details help a clinician decide whether an examination, imaging, or another test is useful.

Do not squeeze, pierce, or repeatedly press the area. Check it occasionally for growth, colour change, drainage, warmth, or reduced finger movement, and record when you first noticed it. Protect it from friction and arrange a routine appointment if it persists, interferes with use, or keeps returning. A clinician may discuss observation, removal, or a steroid injection into the skin when the diagnosis and location make that appropriate.

Seek prompt medical care if the finger becomes rapidly more swollen, hot, red, or painful, if pus appears, or if you develop fever. Arrange an earlier assessment for a lump that grows quickly, ulcerates, bleeds, becomes fixed, causes numbness, or limits movement. Sudden colour change or severe pain after an injury also warrants urgent advice.

Ask whether the lump seems related to the skin, a tendon, or a joint; whether its position explains any movement symptoms; and whether you should monitor it or have imaging. Ask what changes should trigger a faster review and whether any treatment could affect finger function.