MOLLUSCUM CONTAGIOSUM

Molluscum are usually small, flesh-colored or pink, dome-shaped growths. They may appear shiny and have a small indentation in the center. Molluscum are often found in clusters on the skin of the chest, abdomen, arms, groin, or buttock. They can also involve the face and eyelids.

The molluscum virus is transmitted from the skin of one person who has these growths to the skin of another person. Molluscum often occur in young children who have not yet developed immunity to the virus. Molluscum also seems to be more common in tropical climates as warmth and humidity tend to favor the growth of the virus.

Many dermatologists advise treating molluscum because they can become infected, irritated and become painful if not treated. It may take from six months up to five years for molluscae to resolve without treatment.

Molluscum contagiosum and warts are often treated similarly. They can be frozen with liquid nitrogen, destroyed with various acids or blistering solutions, treated with an electric needle (electrocautery), scraped off with a sharp instrument (curette), treated daily with a home application of a topical retinoid cream or gel or treated with a topical immune modifier. Some discomfort is associated with freezing, scraping and the electric needle. Often these procedures are reserved for older children and adults. If there are many growths, multiple treatment sessions may be needed every three to six weeks until the growths are gone. It is also an option, especially with young children, not to treat, and to wait for the growths to go away on their own.

It is always possible for a person’s skin to get infected again with the molluscum virus. The condition may be easier to control if treatment is started when there are only a few growths. The fewer the growths, the better the chance for stopping their spread. If your child has eczema, it is essential to control eczema for molluscum to go away.