What is Molluscum?
Molluscum contagiosum (a rash of bumps on the skin that can become inflamed and spread quickly) may be an uncomfortable, unattractive viral infection. Advanced Dermatology can provide you or your child with a private skin consultation to see if what you have is in fact molluscum. We can offer you guidance on how to soothe the symptoms, remove the lesions, and limit the spread of this highly contagious infection.
Patients young and old can contract this unfortunate viral infection. Let us examine your skin at any of our locations in Katy, League City, Pearland, or Sugar Land, TX. We can give helpful recommendations on the appropriate ways to care for your infection.
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What Causes Molluscum?
The skin condition molluscum is a viral infection that can be spread easily with skin-to-skin contact, or from touching objects that have been exposed to the virus (shared toys, sports equipment, articles of clothing, etc.). Adults and children of all ages are at risk of contracting molluscum. Itching, rubbing, scrubbing, and/or shaving the area can cause this viral infection to spread or the bumps to multiply on the surrounding skin. Molluscum can also be transmitted between sexual partners and can appear on the genitals, on the inside of the upper thighs, and on the stomach of the infected person.
What Are the Symptoms of Molluscum?
An itchy, red rash is the primary symptom of molluscum contagiosum. The bumps will appear primarily on the face, neck, arms (especially in the crevices of the armpits), and on the top of the hands. Other symptoms of the condition include:
- Round bumps on the skin that may be red (inflamed), or flesh-toned with a small dot in the center
- The bumps are very small in size
- The infected pustules can be pus-filled
How is Molluscum Treated?
It is best to talk to a professional before attempting home remedies or over-the-counter medications that treat only the visible symptoms. You could actually make the infection worse. At Advanced Dermatology, we can treat your molluscum infection with these methods:
- Curettage
This involves removing the bumps off of the skin. This will not cure the infection or prevent the spread of the virus. Scraping can be painful (especially for young children). - Cryotherapy
Using liquid nitrogen, your practitioner can freeze off each bump of infected skin. This may take several appointments with repeat applications to acquire the desired result. - Cautery
We can use heat therapy to remove the visible part of each bump, which will also require several treatments for successful removal of the bumps. This does not prevent new bumps from forming.
Seek Clearer Skin
At Advanced Dermatology, we want to help you deal with your viral skin infection with personalized treatment. Molluscum may go away on its own once the virus runs its course, but it can be painful, spread throughout your body, or scar your skin. Call us today for a personal consultation, and we will do our best to minimize the impact of this infection.