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Molluscum Contagiosum

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Molluscum Contagiosum

Your Healthy Skin is Our Priority

General

What is Molluscum Contagiosum?

Molluscum contagiosum is a common viral skin infection that causes round, firm, bumps or lesions to form on the skin. These bumps or lesions are usually: 

  • Small, shiny, and smooth
  • The color of skin, pink, or white
  • Slightly hard and dome-shaped
  • Have a dent or dimple in the middle 
  • Filled with a waxy substance
  • The size of pin or an pencil eraser 

Furthermore, molluscum contagiosum most often shows up on the face, abdomen, torso, arms, and legs of children, or the inner thigh, genitals, and abdomen of adults.

Questions

Molluscum Contagiosum FAQs

Learn more about molluscum contagiosum by reading our board-certified dermatologists’ answers to frequently asked questions below, and contact us if you have additional questions or concerns.

There’s a specific virus called the poxvirus that causes molluscum contagiosum. This poxvirus impacts the top layer of skin, triggering the formation of small bumps.

The poxvirus that causes molluscum contagiosum spreads through direct contact with someone who has it, or by touching something that has the virus on it. For example, children can transmit among one another while playing.

Molluscum contagiosum may be itchy, but this is not common.

While molluscum contagiosum and warts may look similar in appearance, these two common skin conditions are caused by different viruses. Molluscum contagiosum is caused by the poxvirus, while warts are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). Learn more about warts here.

Molluscum contagiosum is highly contagious, which is why it’s important to avoid contact with someone who has this viral skin infection. 

Additionally, it’s possible to spread molluscum contagiosum to other parts of your body if you have this infection. It can be transferred from one part of your body to another by touching, scratching, or shaving a bump and then touching another body area.

In most cases, molluscum contagiosum clears up on its own without any medical intervention. However, sometimes treatment from a board-certified dermatologist may be required to address the infection. 

There are a variety of treatments available for molluscum contagiosum which include cryotherapy, curettage, and topical treatments.

PHOTOS

Molluscum Contagiosum Photos

Not sure what molluscum contagiosum looks like? View the pictures below to get more familiar with how this skin condition may show up on your body. If you have any other questions or concerns, please get in touch with one of our board-certified dermatologists today.

How Molluscum Contagiosum May Present On A Patient's Skin
Example Of What Molluscum Contagiosum May Present On Someone's Skin
Example Of What Molluscum Contagiosum May Look Like On Someone's Skin
Child Experiencing Chicken Pox
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Diagnosis and Treatment for Molluscum Contagiosum in Wilmington, NC

Do you have molluscum contagiosum and wonder how to get rid of it? At The Dermatology & Skin Surgery Center of Wilmington, our board-certified dermatologists are highly experienced in diagnosing and treating molluscum contagiosum. 

Schedule an appointment today by contacting our Wilmington, North Carolina, office at (910) 782-0028 or request an appointment online.

Contact Us Today

Have questions or concerns? Please call us at 910.782.0028.

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