I have small 1mm max skin coloured bumps on my fingers, sometimes in clusters not often near the nail. I mention this because my fear is that this could be herpes whitlow and I bite my nails often and the skin around them as a compulsion to reduce stress for my OCD . The bumps do not pop easily and when they do the skin sort of deflates and goes red. The liquid is clear like water. When popped they disappear after a couple of days and stop irritating within a few mins. I never thought you could get herpes on the hand or I would have fought harder not to bite my hands! I do not care about my health but rather the effect I could have on my wife or more specifically and children we decide to have as I know herpes in any form can kill babies! And that you can pass the virus on even when not having an outbreak! Not so bad if it s oral or genital but you use hands for everything! Can I hold hands? Again, engage in foreplay? Hold children? Suck food off my fingers? This is crazy? Why didn t I know about this and why is herpes called an STD when you can get it on your hand from a coldsore and give it to yourself through masterbation! I m really stressed and upset. I am also due to start training to be a mental health nurse soon. If i have herpes whitlow can I still be a nurse? Or will I infect others? This is crazy I can t belive you can get something this contagious on your hands!