What is Molluscum Contagiosum?
Molluscum Contagiosum is a common viral skin condition that causes small, “pearl-like” raised bumps to appear on the skin. These bumps have a smooth, dome-shaped appearance and often feature a central dip or dimple.
They are benign (non-cancerous) and can occur at any age, although the condition is particularly common in children.
The infection is caused by the Molluscum Contagiosum virus (a member of the poxvirus family) and can spread through skin-to-skin contact or shared personal items such as towels or clothing. While the condition often clears without treatment, many people seek removal to reduce spread, irritation, visibility or prolonged duration.
Key Features
- The lesions are typically about 2 - 5 mm across (in some cases up to 6-10 mm).
- They are dome-shaped, skin-coloured to pearly white or slightly pink.
- May become dry, red or itchy as they resolve.
- One key characteristic is a central dimple (umbilication) in the centre of each bump.
- They often appear in clusters or groups, and may appear one by one over weeks.
Where on the body does it appear?
- Children: face, neck, torso, armpits, arms, behind the knees, groin folds.
- Adults: lower abdomen, groin, genitals, thighs, buttocks (through close/intimate contact).
- In people with eczema, lesions may appear in or around affected dry skin patches.
- In people with a weakened immune system, lesions may be more numerous or persistent.
Contributing Factors
Molluscum Contagiosum is caused by a poxvirus (the Molluscum Contagiosum virus) that infects the outer layer of the skin.
How it spreads
- Skin-to-skin contact with an infected person (for example, through play in children, or close contact in adults).
- Sharing contaminated items such as towels, flannels, soft toys or bedding.
- Autoinoculation (the virus spreading to a new area of skin on the same person via scratching or shaving).
- A weakened immune system (for example, in people with HIV, immunosuppression or severe eczema) may lead to more extensive or persistent lesions.
- In adults, close/skin contact sexual transmission can be a route, especially when lesions appear around the genital or lower-abdominal region.
Prevalence
While the exact UK prevalence is not routinely recorded for all age groups, it is common worldwide, especially in children aged 1 - 10.
- It can also affect adolescents and adults
- Most cases resolve naturally, although this can take 6 - 18 months (sometimes longer)
- Adults are less commonly affected, but genital-area molluscum does occur and can be sexually transmitted
Treatment Options
At Cambridge Contour Clinic for treatment of warts and viral/HPV related lesions, we typically offer:
Cryotherapy
Using a fine jet of N₂O under high pressure, we freeze the lesion with millimetre precision.
Whether this is most suitable for you is best discussed within a consultation with one of our specialists, where they will discuss your treatment options, check you are able to have said treatments (i.e there are no health contraindications). They will also discuss healing and success rates, check that you are happy with any potential risks and address any necessary pre-care, post-care, treatment plans and pricing.
Other Potential Treatment Options
Here at Cambridge Contour Clinic, we focus on minimally invasive techniques to optimise healing and cosmetic outcomes. However, we believe in transparency to help our clients make an informed choice on how they would like to proceed. Therefore, if we are aware of other recognised treatment methods that may be suitable for you, we will discuss these during your consultation.
Prevention
Although not all cases are preventable, the following measures can help reduce the spread:
- Avoid sharing towels, razors, or personal items
- Cover lesions with clothing or a waterproof plaster during sports or swimming
- Avoid shaving directly over lesions
- Try not to scratch or pick at bumps to prevent self-spread
- Moisturise dry skin/eczema to protect the skin barrier
When to see a specialist
You may want to consider seeing a specialist if:
- A lesion changes, becomes painful, bleeds or ulcerates
- The lesions are near the eyes
- There are many lesions, or they are spreading rapidly
- You have eczema or a weakened immune system
- Lesions are present around the genitals
- You are unsure of what the lesion is or would like it addressed for cosmetic purposes
Molluscum Contagiosum Frequently Asked Questions
Are warts contagious?
Yes - Molluscum Contagiosum can spread through direct skin contact or shared surfaces, especially when skin is damp or damaged.
Do children need to stop school or swimming if they have molluscum?
In most cases, no. Molluscum Contagiosum is not considered a reason to keep a child out of school or physical activities. The affected area can be covered with a waterproof plaster or clothing to reduce the risk of spreading.
Can warts come back after treatment?
Once individual lesions are treated, they do not return in the same spot; however, new bumps can appear if the virus is still present on the skin or there has been re-exposure.
Will the bumps eventually go away on their own?
For many individuals, they resolve without medical treatment, but this can take 6 - 18 months and sometimes longer. Some people choose treatment to reduce the spread, improve comfort, shorten duration, or remove highly visible lesions.
