Molluscum

Understanding Molluscum Contagiosum: Symptoms, Spread, and Treatment at Pinnacle Dermatology

Molluscum, or molluscum contagiosum, are smooth, pearly, flesh-colored skin growths caused by a virus. These small, painless bumps have central craters and can grow as large as a pencil eraser. Molluscum can be itchy, and the skin around the growths may become infected. The bumps typically last from two weeks to one and a half years and can resolve on their own. Highly contagious, molluscum can spread through direct skin-to-skin contact or contaminated objects.

At Pinnacle Dermatology, our expert team is well-versed in managing molluscum contagiosum, commonly affecting the face, neck, arms, and genital areas. If you're dealing with these characteristic lesions, our trusted providers offer specialized care and treatments to effectively address and eliminate molluscum contagiosum. Schedule an appointment at Pinnacle Dermatology for a thorough evaluation and tailored treatment plan to prevent further spread and restore skin health.

• Hand Hygiene: Regular handwashing with soap and water can help reduce the risk of spreading and contracting the virus.
• Avoiding Direct Contact: Minimize skin-to-skin contact, especially with individuals who have active molluscum lesions. This is particularly important in communal settings such as schools and sports facilities.
• Personal Items: Refrain from sharing personal items like towels, clothing, and toys, which could potentially carry the virus from one person to another.
• Avoid Scratching: Discourage excessive scratching of existing lesions, as this can rupture the lesions and facilitate the virus's spread.
• Environmental Cleanliness: Maintain cleanliness in shared spaces, including sports equipment, gym facilities, and communal bathing areas.

• Cantharone, a blistering agent made from beetles, is applied with a wooden applicator to the skin growth. The medicine should be washed off in 4 to 6 hours. A small blister usually forms in a few hours to one day. When the scab falls off, the growth is gone. The application of this treatment is not painful; it is used on the face and in skin creases. Scarring does not occur from Cantharone treatment. Although blisters are uncomfortable, they are very superficial and resolve within a few days.
• Freezing with liquid nitrogen is another form of treatment. Liquid nitrogen is applied with a cotton-tipped applicator, feels hot for a moment, and then may form a blister or irritation at the site.
• Another way to remove molluscum is by scraping the bump or removing the center, a treatment that is performed after numbing the area with a special cream.