Having atopic dermatitis (allergic skin reactions) may also put you at higher risk of developing molluscum contagiosum. Participation in contact sports is a risk factor for molluscum contagiosum. In general, molluscum contagiosum infections are more common in warm, humid climates where people live crowded together, such as India and parts of Asia.
The raised bumps range in size from about 2 – 5 mm millimeters in diameter (about the size of a tip of a crayon to the size of a pencil eraser), although they can get bigger around the genitalia of adults. These bumps can appear anywhere on the body, but are usually seen on the face, neck, armpit, arms and hands. [5] X Research source The only places they will not appear are the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. They appear about seven weeks after being exposed to the virus. The fleshy lesions are known as mollusca and can sometimes mimic warts, heat blisters and other benign growths such as skin tags.
Mollusca can easily be removed by scratching, rubbing, or even just casual contact, unlike pimples, warts and other skin lesions. Mollusca that have turned red and inflamed without any scratching is usually a sign that your immune system has regained enough strength to fight the infection. Once red and inflamed, mollusca can look a lot like regular pimples, ingrown hairs or even chicken pox. Inflamed lesions should not be confused for infection and do not need antibiotics.
The umbilication can sometimes make mollusca look like blackhead pimples or pustules (whiteheads). The waxy or cheesy material inside of the mollusca contain millions of viruses mixed with your skin’s oily secretions and often some pus, which is dead white blood cells.
After bathing your body, don’t be too aggressive while drying it. Pat yourself with the towel gently instead of rubbing because you don’t want to remove the mollusca and make the skin infection more contagious. In addition to washing your hands, try to stop the habit of putting your hands into your mouth or rubbing your eyes — it’ll help prevent infection also. An alcohol-based hand sanitizer is also effective against molluscum contagiosum and can be used as a good alternative to soap and water. Infection can spread via bath sponges, towels, pumice stones, or razors. Avoid sharing these items.
The best practice is to completely avoid sexual contact if you or your partner have mollusca near the genitalia until the condition completely goes away. Oral sex also needs to be avoided if you or your partner have mollusca near the mouth or on the face. Mollusca on the genitalia are often mistaken for genital herpes, but they don’t cause the burning pain of herpes.
Be particularly careful about not scratching around your eyes because you increase the risk of an eye infection (conjunctivitis). Shaving over the infected areas can also disrupt or remove the mollusca and spread the virus. As such, avoid shaving your face, underarms or legs if you have lesions in those locations.
Remember to always keep the infected skin clean and dry beneath the clothes or bandages. Use watertight bandages to cover your bumps and change them regularly (daily if you get them wet). Wearing loose cotton clothing is a much better choice than thicker wool or synthetic fibers that aren’t breathable.
In some immune-weakened people, it may take up to five years for all the bumps to disappear on their own. Treatment is sometimes recommended by doctors if the bumps are in the genital area.
Surgical removal can include cryotherapy (freezing with liquid nitrogen), curettage (scraping away the lesion) and laser therapy. [15] X Trustworthy Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services Go to source These removal methods are usually painful and require local anesthesia. Scarring is not uncommon with these procedures. Your doctor might attempt to remove your mollusca, but often they will refer you to a skin specialist (dermatologist).
Sometimes preparations containing salicylic acid or potassium hydroxide are used for molluscum contagiosum — they help dissolve lesions by causing blisters to form over them. Podophyllotoxin cream or podofilox may be helpful as an over-the-counter therapy to use at home. In one study patients applied 0. 5% cream twice a day for three consecutive days a week, versus a group applying a placebo. Treatment was continued for four weeks. After four weeks, 92% of the 0. 5% podofilox group was cured. Remember to apply this cream liberally to the affected area. [17] X Research source
