What treatments are available for Molluscum
Contagiosum?
- Topical medication - this is the first choice of treatment for molluscum and for example a natural healing formula can be applied.
- Curettage – this involves removing the viral material in the centre of the lesion and as it can be painful, it is recommended that a topical anesthetic cream is first applied to decrease the pain.
- Cryotherapy – this involves applying liquid nitrogen to each individual lesion for a few seconds. Repeat treatments in 2-3 weekly intervals may be required. A possible side-effect may be scarring.
- Tape stripping – this involves repeatedly applying the adhesive side of tape to and from the lesion for 10 to 20 cycles. This action can remove the superficial epidermis from the top of the lesion. The drawback is that the repeated use of the same strip has the potential to spread the virus to adjacent uninfected skin.
If you are in doubt as to whether molluscum contagiosum
is the correct diagnosis, then seek advice from your
doctor who will usually be able to give a definite
diagnosis from the clinical appearance of this infection.
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a natural and safe Molluscum
Contagiosum treatment formula, try Heal
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The Link with Eczema and what to do if your child has both Molluscum Contagiosum and Eczema
When the molluscum infection is contracted by a healthy
child, then the period of healing for each mollusk
is usually six to eight weeks. However, the
infection can easily spread to surrounding skin if
scratched or injured and then the healing has to start
all over again. For this reason, it is important
to start treatment as early as possible.
The infection is spread by direct skin to skin contact
as well as by contact with contaminated objects that
have the virus on them. This condition can look
quite unsightly especially if it appears on the face
or on visible parts of the body.
However, it is when a child is already suffering from eczema that problems can really arise. Eczema is an inflammation of the skin that can cause dryness and intense itching. Eczema is not contagious but it can be self inoculated (that is spread on the same area of skin). Some ten per cent of the population suffers from eczema so obviously it is also common in children. As it is so itchy, the child will tend to scratch the eczema rash, causing blisters to appear all over the skin. Then if these blisters are scratched, they will weep and this liquid will spread the rash even more. If both eczema and molluscum contagiosum are present, the scratching will then cause both conditions to spread.
If you find that your child has both these conditions, then it is very important to treat both the eczema and the molluscum contagiosum as soon as they appear. In addition, clip the fingernails short and even put light cotton gloves or mittens on your child to stop “sleep scratching”. Do be careful about which bathing and laundry products you use for your child – they must be mild with no added fragrances. After washing your child, pat the skin dry gently with a soft towel. Keep the skin as cool as possible. Avoid wool clothing or blankets – rather use cotton clothing and bed linen next to the skin.
