Molescum, also known as Molluscum Contagiosum, or simply Mollescum, is a viral skin infection. Molescum is actually quite harmless, but it presents a significant drawback for anyone who becomes infected with the virus. Molluscum contagiosum in children is where it is most often seen. However, adults can and do get infected. People with compromised immune systems are more likely to get infected easily. However, even healthy people are vulnerable to molescum because it is a highly contagious virus.
Molescum is easily spread through skin-to-skin contact, contact with infected materials such as towels and clothing, and often through sexual contact. The actual condition that Molescum causes is a patch of molluscum contagiosum warts that are nothing more than pimples on the eye. They don’t hurt or itch, but they can take a long time to go away. In fact, Molescum resolves naturally in a healthy human, but the amount of time it takes (up to a year!) Causes many people to seek treatment.
Treatment of molluscum contagiosum usually involves topical creams, surgical removal of the molluscum lesions, and even something as far as using the juice of a particular type of beetle to dispel warts. Surgical removal is generally quick and easy and, if done right, will not leave scars. This is a great option because while creams can work in time, molescum spreads very easily to healthy skin from the same person. Molescum spreads especially well on damp skin. The main reason to get rid of Molescum is to avoid spreading it to other people and also for cosmetic reasons. Mollusk warts are quite unsightly, especially if they occur around or on the face or genitals.
Another treatment option for molescum sufferers is to freeze their mollusk warts. This process is just a little bit painful and gets decent results. Children, in particular, should be treated as soon as a diagnosis of molescum is confirmed due to its gregarious nature. Spreading mollescum to others is almost guaranteed among children! For individual mollusk warts, you can remove them yourself at home. All you need to do is sterilize a needle and pierce the skin at the top of the pimple.
Then you will need to widen the opening and squeeze 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 so long for the human immune system to identify and fight it. Once the virus ball is removed, apply antiseptic to the small wound and allow it to heal. Clever!
For more complicated cases of molescum, it is advisable to consult with a dermatologist.