Molluscum Contagiosum is caused by a Pox virus that only infects the skin. This infection is commonly mistaken for warts, which is caused by an unrelated virus, the human papillomavirus. Molluscum is common in children and may occur in adults as well. It is transmitted by direct contact (touching a lesion), but can be transmitted by sharing towels, bathing with an infected individual, or from swimming pools. Although this infection will go away on its own, it may take many months or even years. Furthermore, patients will often infect themselves in adjacent or other areas while other lesions are going away.
Curettage (scraping the lesions) is an effective treatment, although is somewhat uncomfortable. The doctor will discuss the different options available. We recommend the application of a topical numbing cream, called LMX-4 before curettage treatment to reduce discomfort. This product can be purchased at local pharmacies, at our office, or online at our website (click here to purchase LMX-4 online). If infected areas are under clothing, we now recommend bringing a change of clothing to the office to further reduce the "theoretical" risk of re-infection. Other treatments include freezing the spots (cryosurgery) and applying cantharidin (an extract from a "blister beetle") that results in the formation of a blister within 24-48 hours.
