Molluscum contagiosum: Diagnosis and treatment (2024)

  • Coronavirus Resource Center
  • Acne
  • Eczema
  • Hair loss
  • Psoriasis
  • Rosacea
  • Skin cancer
  • A to Z diseases
  • A to Z videos
  • DIY acne treatment
  • How dermatologists treat
  • Skin care: Acne-prone skin
  • Causes
  • Is it really acne?
  • Childhood eczema
  • Adult eczema
  • Insider secrets
  • Types of hair loss
  • Treatment for hair loss
  • Causes of hair loss
  • Hair care matters
  • Insider secrets
  • What is psoriasis
  • Triggers
  • Insider secrets
  • What is rosacea
  • Treatment
  • Insider secrets
  • Types and treatment
  • Find skin cancer
  • Prevent skin cancer
  • Raise awareness
  • Español
Featured
Molluscum contagiosum: How to safely treat it

Both the CDC and the FDA warn against treating this common childhood condition on your own with non-prescription treatments. See what they recommend.

Biosimilars: 14 FAQs

Find answers to questions patients ask about this newer treatment option, including, “What’s involved in switching from a biologic to a biosimilar?”

Everyday care
  • Skin care basics
  • Skin care secrets
  • Injured skin
  • Itchy skin
  • Sun protection
  • Nail care secrets
  • Basic skin care
  • Dry, oily skin
  • Hair removal
  • Tattoos and piercings
  • Anti-aging skin care
  • For your face
  • For your skin routine
  • Preventing skin problems
  • Itch relief
  • Rashes
  • Shade, clothing, and sunscreen
  • Sun damage and your skin
  • Aprenda a proteger su piel del sol
  • Your hair
  • Your scalp
  • Nail care basics
Featured
Practice Safe Sun

Everyone's at risk for skin cancer. These dermatologists' tips tell you how to protect your skin.

Relieve uncontrollably itchy skin

Find out what may be causing the itch and what can bring relief.

Darker Skin Tones
  • Skin care secrets
  • Hair care
  • Hair loss
  • Acne
  • Dark spots
  • Dry skin
  • Light spots
  • Razor bumps
  • Caring for Black hair
  • Scalp psoriasis
  • Central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia
  • Frontal fibrosing alopecia
  • Hairstyles that pull can cause hair loss
  • Acanthosis nigricans
  • Acne keloidalis nuchae
  • Hidradenitis suppurativa
  • Keloid scars
  • Lupus and your skin
  • Sarcoidosis and your skin
  • Skin cancer
  • Vitiligo
Featured
Fade dark spots

Find out why dark spots appear and what can fade them.

Untreatable razor bumps or acne?

If you have what feels like razor bumps or acne on the back of your neck or scalp, you may have acne keloidalis nuchae. Find out what can help.

Cosmetic treatments
  • Your safety
  • Hair removal
  • Wrinkles
  • Younger-looking skin
Featured
Laser hair removal

You can expect permanent results in all but one area. Do you know which one?

Scar treatment

If you want to diminish a noticeable scar, know these 10 things before having laser treatment.

Botox

It can smooth out deep wrinkles and lines, but the results aren’t permanent. Here’s how long botox tends to last.

Public health programs
  • Skin cancer awareness
  • Free skin cancer screenings
  • Kids' camp
  • Good Skin Knowledge
  • Shade Structure grants
  • Skin Cancer, Take a Hike!™
  • Awareness campaigns
  • Get involved
  • Lesson plans and activities
  • Planes de lecciones y actividades
  • Community grants
Featured
Free materials to help raise skin cancer awareness

Use these professionally produced online infographics, posters, and videos to help others find and prevent skin cancer.

Dermatologist-approved lesson plans, activities you can use

Free to everyone, these materials teach young people about common skin conditions, which can prevent misunderstanding and bullying.

Find a dermatologist
  • What is a dermatologist?
  • FAAD: What it means
  • How to select a dermatologist
  • Your digital health
  • Prior authorization
  • Dermatologists team up to improve patient care
  • Finding accurate health information
  • Health apps
  • Wearable medical devices
  • Telemedicine
  • Taking pictures of your skin
  • Protect your information
Featured
Molluscum contagiosum: Diagnosis and treatment (12) Find a Dermatologist

You can search by location, condition, and procedure to find the dermatologist that’s right for you.

What is a dermatologist?

A dermatologist is a medical doctor who specializes in treating the skin, hair, and nails. Dermatologists care for people of all ages.

If you have bumps on your skin, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that you to see a health care professional like a board-certified dermatologist

The FDA cautions, “You might do more harm than good” if you try to diagnose or treat yourself.

Molluscum contagiosum: Diagnosis and treatment (14)

How do dermatologists diagnose molluscum contagiosum?

A board-certified dermatologist can often diagnose this condition by looking at the bumps on your skin. For most patients, that’s all that’s required.

Occasionally, your dermatologist will need more information and will scrape off a bit of the infected skin so that it can be examined under a microscope. Your dermatologist can scrape off what’s needed during your office visit.

Molluscum contagiosum doesn’t always require treatment

If you have molluscum, your dermatologist may recommend letting this condition clear on its own rather than treating it. When you have a healthy immune system, the body will get rid of the virus. Once this happens, the skin will clear.

Clearing can take time. For many children, the body clears the infection within 6 to 9 months. Sometimes, it takes longer.

When do dermatologists recommend treating molluscum contagiosum?

Treatment may be recommended for patients who have:

  • A chronic skin condition, such as eczema

  • Molluscum in the genital area

  • A weakened immune system and numerous bumps

  • Extremely bothersome molluscum

Treatment is recommended for people who have molluscum and are living with HIV infection. If someone is living with HIV, the bumps can grow big and cover large areas of skin. Starting antiretroviral therapy (ART) can help clear the skin. ART is considered the treatment of choice for anyone who is living with HIV and has molluscum.

Do not buy or use non-prescription products to treat molluscum without your dermatologist’s approval

The FDA says companies are selling unapproved products to treat molluscum

Some of these companies even include a misleading statement on the product that suggests the FDA has endorsed or approved the product.

Molluscum contagiosum: Diagnosis and treatment (15)

The FDA says that on unapproved products sold to treat molluscum contagiosum, you may see one of the following misleading claims:

  • FDA approved

  • FDA registered

  • Made in an FDA-registered facility

  • Complies with FDA Current Good Manufacturing Practices (or CGMPs)

The truth is the FDA has not approved any product that you can buy without a prescription to treat molluscum.

“It’s unlikely that unapproved products marketed to treat molluscum do what they claim, and the ingredients in them could cause adverse effects (bad reactions),” according to the FDA.

On its website the FDA says that it “has received reports of side effects in children and adults associated with some of these products, including skin reddening, abrasion (rub or wear away) from skin scratching, and permanent scarring.”

The FDA adds that many of these unapproved products contain essential oils. “Even essential oils may cause an allergic reaction or irritate sensitive skin,” the FDA says.

Protect your health and that of your family by seeing a board-certified dermatologist for treatment.

How do dermatologists treat molluscum contagiosum?

Dermatologists choose treatment based on many considerations, such as a patient’s overall health, number of molluscum bumps, and where the bumps appear. For children, age is also an important consideration.

Your dermatologist may recommend treatment that you:

  • Receive in your dermatologist’s office

  • Apply at home

  • Take for a prescribed amount of time

No matter which treatment is used, treatment takes time. The following explains the different treatments and what each involves.

Treatment you receive in a dermatologist’s office

The goal of this treatment is to destroy the bumps without harming the skin. To do this your dermatologist may use:

Cantharidin (beetle juice): This FDA-approved treatment is made from blister beetles. It’s approved to treat adults and children two years of age and older.

Dermatologists have been using cantharidin to treat warts and molluscum since the 1950s. When treating molluscum bumps, your dermatologist applies the beetle juice to each bump. Your dermatologist will apply it to each bump in such a way that a water blister later forms.

You will likely see a blister on each treated bump within 24 to 48 hours. As the skin heals, the bumps clear. This usually occurs within 2 weeks.

To be effective, most patients need at least 2 in-office treatments.

Wash off cantharidin after treatment

When your dermatologist uses cantharidin (beetle juice) to treat molluscum, you need to wash it off at home with soap and water, within the time frame that your dermatologist gives you. This helps prevent excessive blistering that could lead to serious skin irritation.

Molluscum contagiosum: Diagnosis and treatment (16)

When applied by a dermatologist, cantharidin is a safe and effective treatment for molluscum. It’s often used to treat young children because it is painless when applied.

Warning: Cantharidin should only be applied in a doctor’s office

If you buy this treatment online and apply it at home, you risk serious side effects, such as deep chemical burns, intense pain, and scarring.

Cryosurgery: Seeing “surgery” in the name of this treatment may have you wondering if your dermatologist will cut into the skin. No cutting is involved. This treatment is a procedure that your dermatologist can perform during an office visit.

To perform cryosurgery, your dermatologist applies an extremely cold substance like liquid nitrogen to each molluscum bump. This extreme cold can effectively destroy the bumps. Because new molluscum bumps can form, you will need to return for treatment every 2 to 3 weeks until the bumps clear.

Cryosurgery can be painful, so it’s not recommended for young children. Due to the pain, it’s seldom used to treat patients who have many molluscum bumps.

Curettage: During this treatment, your dermatologist uses a medical device called a curette to remove the molluscum bumps from the skin. In skilled hands, this is an effective treatment that causes little or no bleeding.

Because your dermatologist cuts into the skin, this treatment can be frightening for young children. As such, curettage is usually only performed on older children, teens, and adults.

Pulsed dye laser (PDL): This may be a treatment option for someone who has many molluscum bumps. It’s also recommended for patients with difficult-to-treat molluscum, including those who are immunosuppressed.

Studies show that PDL can effectively treat dozens of bumps. During one such study, 43 patients who had many molluscum bumps were treated with the PDL. In 42 of these patients, all the bumps cleared within one month of PDL treatment.

The treated skin tends to heal completely in 1 to 2 weeks on the face. When treating other areas of the body, the skin tends to heal completely in 2 to 4 weeks.

If you are considering PDL, it’s important to know the following:

  • Insurance rarely covers the cost of this treatment, which tends to be expensive.

  • PDL has been safely and effectively used on children as young as 8 years old, but it may be difficult to treat younger children with PDL.

  • People who have darker skin tones can develop temporary (lasting 6 weeks to 6 months) lighter or darker spots on the skin treated with the PDL.

  • Not every dermatology office offers PDL, so you may be referred to another dermatologist for treatment.

Use forceps or a scalpel to remove the core: During this procedure, your dermatologist squeezes each molluscum bump to remove the cheesy substance inside, which contains the virus. This can be painful, so medication is first applied to numb the skin.

You should not try this at home. Without proper technique, you can cause a serious infection and spread the virus to other parts of your body.

Treatment you apply at home

Sometimes, molluscum is best treated with a medication that you apply at home. While you will find many treatments sold online, the following are the ones that a dermatologist may recommend.

See a board-certified dermatologist for treatment instead of buying treatment for molluscum online

Some molluscum treatments that you can buy online without a prescription may not work and could be harmful, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Molluscum contagiosum: Diagnosis and treatment (17)

Imiquimod cream: This medication helps stimulate the body’s immune system so that it will clear the bumps. You apply the cream as directed to the bumps, usually 2 or 3 times a week. After the cream sits on the bumps for a prescribed amount of time, you wash it off.

You must continue to apply imiquimod until the bumps clear, which is usually about 16 weeks.

It’s important to know that no one treatment works for everyone. Signs that imiquimod is working include swelling and irritated skin.

The CDC does not recommend imiquimod for children. Some studies show that this medication doesn't work well for children who have molluscum contagiosum.

Prescription required: Yes.

Salicylic acid: Often used to treat warts, this can be effective for molluscum as well. Your dermatologist can tell you how often to apply it. The goal is to continue using it until you get a reaction.

Prescription required: No. While this is a non-prescription treatment, you should only use it if your dermatologist recommends it. No treatment is right for everyone.

Sinecatechin (green tea): This botanical, which is made from green tea, has been approved by the FDA to treat genital and anal warts. It’s reported that this may also effectively treat molluscum bumps in the genital and anal areas.

Prescription required: Yes.

Tretinoin: To get results, you must apply this correctly. Your dermatologist can show you how to apply it by using a toothpick to get the reaction you need. The goal is to irritate the surface of the skin, which can help the body’s immune system clear the virus.

Prescription needed: Yes.

Medication you take at home

Cimetidine: This medication is used to treat ulcers and conditions that cause the stomach to produce too much acid, such as heartburn.

It may also be a treatment option for a patient who has severe eczema (atopic dermatitis) and molluscum that covers most of the body. Dermatologists recommend it only when other treatments fail to work.

Prescription needed: No. While this is a non-prescription treatment, you should only use it if your dermatologist recommends it. No treatment is right for everyone.

What is the outcome for someone who has molluscum contagiosum?

For most people the skin will clear without treatment, usually within 18 months. A few people continue to have bumps for longer.

Treating molluscum may clear the skin more quickly; however, the bumps can return after treatment. It’s also possible to pick up the virus again, which can cause new bumps.

Following the self-care that dermatologists recommend can help prevent new bumps. You’ll find these recommendations at, Molluscum contagiosum: Self-care.

Images
Getty Images

References
Brunk D. “Managing molluscum contagiosum: The great imitator.” Pediatr News. December 3, 2014.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). “Molluscum contagiosum: Risk factors.” Page last reviewed May 2015. Page last accessed March 22, 2019.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). “Molluscum contagiosum: Treatment options.” Page last reviewed October 2017. Page last accessed November 1, 2023.

Coloe J. “P3004: Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of cantharidin 0.7% in the treatment of pediatric molluscum contagiosum.” J Am Acad Dermatol. 2009;60(3): Suppl. 1, Page AB143. No financial disclosure identified.

Dohil MA, Lin P, et al. “The epidemiology of molluscum contagiosum in children.” J Am Acad Dermatol. 2006;54(1):47-54.

Guzman AK, Schairer DO, et al. “Safety and efficacy of topical cantharidin for the treatment of pediatric molluscum contagiosum: a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot trial.” Int J Dermatol. 2018;57(8):1001-6.

Jahnke MN, Hwang S, et al. “Cantharidin for treatment of facial molluscum contagiosum: A retrospective review.” J Am Acad Dermatol. 2018;78(1):198-200.

Leung AKC, Barankin B, et al. “Molluscum contagiosum: An update.” Recent Pat Inflamm Allergy Drug Discov. 2017;11(1):22-31.

Pavlovic M. “Treatment of facial molluscum contagiosum with trichloroacetic acid.” Pediatr Dermatol. 2009 Jul-Aug; 26(4):425-6.

Schaffer JV, Berger EM. “Molluscum contagiosum.” JAMA Dermatology Patient Page. September 2016. Last accessed March 25, 2019.

Skinner RB, Jr. “Treatment of molluscum contagiosum with imiquimod 5% cream.” J Am Acad Dermatol 2002;47:S221-4.

Tom W, Fallon Friedlander S. “Poxvirus infections.” In: Wolff K, Goldsmith LA, et al. Fitzpatrick’s Dermatology in General Medicine (seventh edition). McGraw Hill Medical, New York, 2008: 1911-13.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

  • “FDA approves first treatment for molluscum.” Last updated 7/24/2023. Last accessed 8/24/2023.

  • “Safely treating molluscum, a common skin condition.” Last updated 8/23/2023. Last accessed 8/24/2023.

van der Wouden JC, van der Sande R, et al. “Cochrane Review: Interventions for cutaneous molluscum contagiosum.” Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2017;5:CD004767.

Written by:
Paula Ludmann, MS

Reviewed by:
Elaine T. Kaye, MD, FAAD
Ata Moshiri, MD FAAD
J. Klint Peebles, MD, FAAD

Last updated: 11/6/23

Molluscum contagiosum: Diagnosis and treatment (2024)

FAQs

How to diagnose molluscum contagiosum? ›

Molluscum contagiosum is usually diagnosed based on a medical history and physical exam. The lesions are unique and are usually diagnosed on physical exam. Additional tests are not routinely ordered, though occasionally your healthcare provider may want to perform a skin biopsy to confirm the diagnosis.

What triggers molluscum? ›

The virus that causes molluscum contagiosum spreads easily through: Skin-to-skin contact. Contact with infected objects, such as towels, kickboards and wrestling mats. Swimming in pools or hot tubs contaminated with the virus.

What is the fastest way to cure molluscum contagiosum? ›

If you have molluscum contagiosum, a doctor can remove the growths by freezing, draining, or using a laser to remove them. They can also give you a prescription for a medicine cream that you'll apply at home.

Is molluscum contagiosum a STD? ›

Molluscum contagiosum is not always considered a sexually transmitted infection because you do not need to have had sex to become infected. However if you get the infection, it's a good idea for you and your most recent sexual partners to be tested for other sexually transmissible infections (STIs).

What bumps are mistaken for molluscum? ›

Molluscum contagiosum can be mistaken for genital warts or pimples. If you notice any unusual skin lesions, see your doctor or health professional for an accurate diagnosis.

Is molluscum HPV? ›

Molluscum contagiosum is caused by a virus in the poxvirus family. This is different from the human papilloma virus (HPV) family that causes warts, but these two conditions are commonly discussed together because they are contagious viral diseases that cause skin lesions.

Can poor hygiene cause molluscum? ›

Molluscum can spread to surrounding skin by scratching or rubbing (self-inoculation), and it can be spread to others by skin-to-skin contact or handling contaminated objects such as towels, clothing, and gym equipment. Poor hygiene and warm, moist climates encourage the spread of molluscum.

Does hydrogen peroxide get rid of molluscum? ›

Hydrogen peroxide (HP) is a powerful oxidizing agent and antiseptic that can inactivate poxvirus in vitro. 21 Treatment with HP, which is sold outside of Spain in a 1% cream, resulted in complete resolution of lesions in an 8-month-old patient with genital MC when applied at every diaper change for 1 week.

What happens if you squeeze molluscum? ›

If you try to remove the bumps on your own or squeeze out the fluid inside, you risk spreading the virus to other parts of your body. Keep the bumps clean and wash your hands after touching the molluscum. Washing your hands helps to remove the virus from your skin so that you don't spread the virus to other areas.

What is the final stage of molluscum? ›

During the molluscum contagiosum final stages, the burst crater lesions develop into red-colored sores. At this stage, secondary infections can infect the open sores.

Is molluscum a big deal? ›

Molluscum contagiosum is very common in the United States. It's so common you shouldn't be surprised if you or your family catch it. Anyone can get infected, but it's most common in children between 1 and 10 years old. The infection is usually mild and goes away without any treatment.

Does apple cider vinegar get rid of molluscum? ›

This irritates the wart virus and helps remove the plug without spreading the virus as easily as popping might. We do recommend this option for those who tolerate the tape. Apply a small amount of cider vinegar to each lesion with a cotton tipped swab (ie Qtip) once daily.

How did my kid get molluscum contagiosum? ›

The molluscum virus causes the rash after it enters a small break in the skin. Bumps usually appear 2–6 weeks after that. The molluscum virus spreads easily from skin touching skin that has bumps. Kids also can get it by touching things that have the virus on them, such as toys, clothing, towels, and bedding.

How did my boyfriend get molluscum? ›

Molluscum contagiosum is contracted through skin-to-skin touching. So the best way to prevent it is to avoid sex or skin-to-skin contact with the growths on someone who has molluscum contagiosum.

What cream is best for molluscum contagiosum? ›

At home topical treatments may include: Tretinoin cream 0.025% or Retin A Microgel 0.04% Imiquimod (Aldara) cream (all have the potential for irritation and should be initiated three nights weekly and increased to nightly as tolerated. Expect several weeks to months for improvement/resolution.)

What does molluscum look like when it starts? ›

Signs and symptoms

Molluscum contagiosum causes small, raised bumps that: Usually look white, pink or the same color as your skin. Feel firm, sometimes with a dip in the center.

How would you describe molluscum rash? ›

Molluscum contagiosum is a skin infection caused by a virus. The infection creates small, raised bumps on your skin that have the appearance of a pearl. These bumps are usually white but can match your natural skin tone or appear pink to purple.

Should you see a dermatologist for molluscum? ›

Once the bumps are gone, you're no longer contagious. After healing, it's possible to become reinfected with the virus. For severe or widespread disease, your health care provider might refer you to a specialist in skin conditions (dermatologist) to discuss options for removing the bumps.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Nathanial Hackett

Last Updated:

Views: 5914

Rating: 4.1 / 5 (72 voted)

Reviews: 95% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Nathanial Hackett

Birthday: 1997-10-09

Address: Apt. 935 264 Abshire Canyon, South Nerissachester, NM 01800

Phone: +9752624861224

Job: Forward Technology Assistant

Hobby: Listening to music, Shopping, Vacation, Baton twirling, Flower arranging, Blacksmithing, Do it yourself

Introduction: My name is Nathanial Hackett, I am a lovely, curious, smiling, lively, thoughtful, courageous, lively person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.