What Is Molluscum?

Molluscum contagiosum… I see at least 5 cases a day. It’s so common that I describe it to parents as a "right of passage" of childhood. They don’t spread from kids to adults, probably because we were all exposed at some point and are immune. Yet most people have never heard of it. What ARE these little bumps?


Mollusca (I think that’s the plural of molluscum) are tiny little bumps on the skin caused by a virus called molluscum contagiosum virus. Because it’s a virus, the bumps spread very easily. They eventually disappear on their own, but that can take a year or two. Not many moms are content to wait this long for something on their child’s skin to disappear, especially if it is on the face. In children who have skin conditions such as eczema, these buggers spread even more easily. And there is a stigma that goes along with having them (since they are contagious). For these reasons, many parents wish to have them treated. That’s where I come in.

Treatment of molluscum does NOT have to be painful. The most commonly used treatment in the United States, and in my clinic, is a medication called cantharidin. Kids love to hear that it is made from the extract of a blister beetle. This “beetlejuice” is a liquid that is applied to each bump in the doctor’s office which dries as a clear film. It is then washed off with soap & water 3 to 4 hours later. Within a day or so, a blister forms & the bump peels off. The best part is that this treatment doesn’t hurt. In published studies, it takes an average of 2-3 treatments to be rid of the pesky bumps. Although this is the most common treatment, other treatments may be considered if your child has a lot of lesions, or if the bumps are on the face or private area.

It is hypothesized that the virus that causes molluscum may be spread by swimming pools and in bath water. So do I recommend avoiding swimming pools altogether? Nah, I’m a big proponent of letting kids lead normal lives and doing things that are fun. I do, however, tell parents to avoid bathing their kids together when one of them has molluscum. And kids can’t be kept out of school for this very common problem.

You’re on the internet right now… the first thing you probably do when you get home from the doctor’s office is google the diagnosis that your little one has been given, right? I always try to figure out the worst thing you could find so I can do a little damage control. Adults DO get molluscum, but in the setting of sexual contact. Molluscum is NOT a sexually transmitted disease in children, EVEN when they are located in the genital area.

Don’t let the little guys drive you crazy. In fact, many pediatricians don’t even recommend treating them if a child only has a couple. However, if your child has lots of them, if they are in visible areas, if your child has eczema, if they are spreading, or if you are an OCD parent like me, you can see a pediatric dermatologist for easy, painless treatment.