Molescum – also known as Molluscum Contagiosum, or simply Mollescum – is a viral infection of the skin. Molescum is actually pretty much harmless but poses a significant inconvenience for anybody who becomes infected with the virus. Molluscum Contagiosum in children is where it is most commonly seen. However, adults can and do become infected. Persons with compromised immune systems are most likely to be easily infected. Even healthy persons, however, are vulnerable to molescum because it is such a highly contagious virus.
Molescum spreads easily through skin to skin contact, contact with infected materials such as towels and clothing and often through sexual contact. The actual condition Molescum causes is a patch of Molluscum Contagiosum warts that are nothing more than pimples to the eye. They don’t hurt or itch but they can take very long to go away. In fact, Molescum resolves itself naturally in a healthy human but the amount of time it takes (up to a year!) causes many people to seek treatment.
Molluscum contagiosum treatment usually involves topical creams, surgical extraction of the molluscum lesions and even something as far-out as using the juice from a particular type of beetle to dissipate the warts. Surgical removal is generally quick and easy and if done well, leaves no scarring. This is a fantastic option because while creams can work in time, molescum spreads very easily to healthy skin on the same person. Molescum spreads especially well on wet skin. The main reason to get rid of Molescum is to prevent spreading it to others and also for cosmetic reasons. The molluscum warts are rather unsightly, particularly if they occur around or on the face or genitals.
Another treatment option for molescum sufferers is to have their molluscum warts frozen off. This process is only slightly painful and sees decent results. Children, in particular, should be treated as soon as a molescum diagnosis is confirmed because of their gregarious nature. Spreading mollescum to others is almost guaranteed among kids! For individual molluscum warts, you can remove them yourself at home. All you need to do is sterilize a needle and pierce the skin on top of the pimple.
Then you will need to widen the opening and squeeze out the little white ball. The white ball is actually the virus, which is hidden in this ball in such an ingenious way, that it takes the human immune system such a long time to indentify and combat it. Once you’ve removed the virus ball, apply antiseptic to the small wound and allow it to heal. Voila!
For more involved cases of molescum consulting with a dermatologist is wise.