Molluscum Contagiosum

What Is Molluscum Contagiosum? Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention

Brian P. Dunleavy
By Medically Reviewed by 
Reviewed:
Medically Reviewed

Molluscum contagiosum is a viral infection that causes small, white, or pink pimple-like skin lesions.

It is a mild, benign skin disease that may resolve on its own in 6 to 12 months.

The infection most commonly affects children between ages 1 and 10 years, but it can also affect adults.

Signs and Symptoms of Molluscum Contagiosum

Molluscum contagiosum causes lesions (or growths), called mollusca, to appear on the skin. They can appear anywhere on the body, but are most often found on:

  • Face
  • Neck
  • Arms
  • Abdomen
  • Genital area
  • Legs
They can also appear on the palms of the hands or the soles of the feet, but this is rare.

In adults, the lesions are most commonly found on the genitals, abdomen, and inner thigh.

The virus lives solely in the epidermis, or top layer of skin. Anywhere from two to six weeks after being exposed to the virus, the dome-shaped mollusca begin to form on the skin.

Typically, the lesions are small, raised, smooth, firm, and white, pink, or flesh-colored, with a dimple or pit in the center. They may also have a pearly appearance.

These lesions may become itchy, sore, red, or swollen, and they may ooze a creamy, gray-white substance when scratched, squeezed, or otherwise irritated.

In most people with molluscum contagiosum, the lesions range from about the size of a pinhead to as large as a pencil eraser, or about ¼ inch in diameter.

Causes and Risk Factors of Molluscum Contagiosum

Molluscum contagiosum is caused by the molluscum contagiosum virus, a type of poxvirus. Poxviruses are a family of viruses that’s responsible for smallpox, among other diseases.

Molluscum contagiosum is contagious and it spreads easily. You can catch the virus through direct skin-to-skin contact with someone who has it and, once you have the infection, you can spread it to other areas of your body simply by touching the lesion and then touching elsewhere on your skin.

Aside from person-to-person contact, the virus can also be passed between people through contaminated objects, such as towels, clothing, and toys, as well as from contaminated surfaces in facilities such as pools and daycare centers.

Molluscum contagiosum thrives in warm, humid environments, so you’re more likely to get the condition if you live in a tropical climate.

Having atopic dermatitis (the most common type of eczema) or a weakened immune system, such as from HIV or AIDS, also increases your risk of getting the condition.

Molluscum contagiosum is more common in young children, but adults can get it as well. In teenagers and adults, the virus is most often spread through sexual contact.

How Is Molluscum Contagiosum Diagnosed?

There are no tests that can confirm a diagnosis of molluscum contagiosum. A dermatologist can usually diagnose the condition by looking at the bumps on your or your child’s skin.

If there’s any doubt, your dermatologist may scrape off a sample of the infected skin so that it can be examined under a microscope. This can be done during a routine office visit.

Prognosis of Molluscum Contagiosum

Molluscum contagiosum is benign, meaning it’s not life-threatening.

However, in some people, the lesions may take some time to completely go away.

Duration of Molluscum Contagiosum

Molluscum contagiosum lesions may persist for a few months or even a few years. However, they will eventually disappear without scarring — unless you or your child have scratched them too much.

Most cases in adults resolve in 6 to 12 months, while the lesions can take as long as 18 months to clear in children.

The condition is more likely to persist in people with a weakened immune system, such as those with HIV.

Treatment and Medication Options for Molluscum Contagiosum

While the infection would likely resolve on its own in time, you still want to seek out treatment to help prevent the spread of the virus — to other people, and to other areas of the body.

Treatment is especially important for those with weakened immune systems and people with lesions in the genital area (to prevent the virus from spreading through sexual contact).

Unfortunately, people with a weakened immune system due to HIV and other health conditions often don’t respond to the normal treatment options for molluscum contagiosum. For these people, treatment usually focuses on boosting the immune system.

Medication Options for Molluscum Contagiosum

Several prescription and over-the-counter medications may be used to treat molluscum contagiosum.

These include:

Most of these are topical agents, meaning they are applied to the affected area of the skin, often at your dermatologist’s office. Cimetidine and antiviral medications are taken orally, with a prescription.

People taking antiviral drugs for HIV or hepatitis may find that these drugs help with their molluscum contagiosum as well.

Alternative and Complementary Therapies for Molluscum Contagiosum

Your dermatologist may recommend cantharidin (also called beetle juice) to treat your molluscum contagiosum.

Made from blister beetles, dermatologists have used cantharidin to treat warts and molluscum for decades.

The topical solution is applied to each molluscum lesion or bump.

After it’s applied, the lesions develop water blisters, usually within 24 to 48 hours. As your skin heals, the bumps clear, typically within two weeks or so.

For optimal effectiveness, you’ll likely need two in-office cantharidin treatments.

Prevention of Molluscum Contagiosum

The best way to prevent getting molluscum contagiosum is to avoid direct contact with the skin lesions of people who have molluscum contagiosum.

Don’t share towels or other personal items, such as razors and makeup, with other people.

Practicing good hygiene habits can help keep you from getting or spreading molluscum contagiosum.

Good hygiene habits include:
  • Keeping your hands clean
  • Refraining from touching, picking, or scratching skin lesions
  • If you get molluscum contagiosum, keeping lesions covered with clothing or bandages
  • Avoiding contact sports — particularly wrestling — if you have an infection
  • Avoiding swimming in pools unless you have watertight bandages for your lesions
  • Avoiding sexual activity if you have lesions in your genital area
  • Not shaving or having electrolysis in an area of your skin with lesions

Condoms can’t fully protect you from getting molluscum contagiosum from a sexual partner, as the virus can be spread to and from areas not covered by a condom. Still, condoms should be used, particularly if you don’t know the health status of a sexual partner, as they reduce your chances of getting or spreading molluscum contagiosum and other STDs.

Complications of Molluscum Contagiosum

Even if you recover from a molluscum contagiosum infection, you can still get infected again if you come in contact with another infected person or object.

The lesions caused by molluscum contagiosum typically resolve without scarring. However, scratching at the lesion, or physically removing the lesion, can cause scarring.

For this reason, physically removing the lesion isn’t recommended in otherwise healthy people.

Health problems that can occur if you or your child don’t take steps to treat or prevent molluscum contagiosum include:

  • Persistence, spread, or recurrence of molluscum contagiosum lesions
  • Spread of lesions to other parts of the body
  • In some cases, secondary bacterial skin infections

A secondary infection caused by bacteria is the most common complication of molluscum contagiosum. Such secondary infections may cause serious health problems in people who are immunocompromised, such as those with HIV or AIDS, or those taking immunosuppressing drug therapies.

If you’re immunocompromised (have a weakened immune system), treatment to prevent further spread of the infection is recommended.

Research and Statistics: How Many People Get Molluscum Contagiosum?

Molluscum contagiosum occurs worldwide, but its incidence in many areas — including the United States — isn’t known, as cases aren’t formally tracked. However, researchers have estimated that it accounts for approximately 1 percent of all skin disorders diagnosed in the United States.

In addition, as many as one-third of all people with HIV are diagnosed with molluscum contagiosum at some point.

In general, the condition is more common in tropical areas.

Related Conditions and Causes of Molluscum Contagiosum

Because molluscum contagiosum spreads through sexual contact in teens and adults, it may be considered a sexually transmitted disease (STD). In fact, lesions on the genitals caused by the condition may be mistaken for herpes sores or warts, at least initially.

However, unlike in herpes, molluscum contagiosum lesions are painless.

In addition, up to one-third of those with HIV (another STD, although it can be transmitted in other ways) develop molluscum contagiosum, likely as a result of a weakened immune system.

As an autoimmune disorder, the skin disease eczema also weakens the immune system. As a result, people with the condition are at increased risk for molluscum contagiosum.

Molluscum Contagiosum Resources

American Academy of Dermatology

The AAD site describes the role dermatologists play in diagnosing and treating molluscum contagiosum, as well as an overview of available therapies. The site can also connect you with a dermatologist in your area if you think you may have molluscum contagiosum or another skin condition.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The CDC offers information on outbreaks of molluscum contagiosum across the country, as well as additional resources for more information on the condition.

Additional reporting by Joseph Bennington-Castro.

Editorial Sources and Fact-Checking

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