Molluscum

When To Call

Call Doctor or Seek Care Now

• Redness or red streak spreading from molluscum with fever
• Your child looks or acts very sick

Contact Doctor Within 24 Hours

• Redness or red streak spreading from molluscum without fever
• You think your child needs to be seen

Contact Doctor During Office Hours

• Molluscum on the face
• 4 or more molluscum
• Your child can't stop picking at the molluscum
• Pus is draining from the molluscum. Apply antibiotic ointment 3 times per day until seen.
• On treatment more than 2 weeks and new molluscum appear
• On treatment more than 12 weeks and molluscum not gone
• You have other questions or concerns

Self Care at Home

• Molluscum: 3 or less

Care Advice

What You Should Know About Molluscum:

• They are harmless and painless.
• Most will go away on their own in 6 to 12 months.
• Duct tape treatment will make them go away faster.
• Wart-removing acids are not helpful.
• Here is some care advice that should help.

Duct Tape - Cover the Molluscum:

• Covering them with duct tape can irritate them. This turns on the body's immune system.
• Cover as many of them as possible. Cover at least 3 of them.
• The covered ones become red and start to die. When this happens, often all of them will go away.
• Try to keep them covered all the time.
• Remove the tape once per day, usually before bathing. Then replace it after bathing.
• Some children don't like the tape on at school. At the very least, tape it every night.

Prevent the Spread to Other Areas of Your Child's Body:

• Discourage your child from picking at them.
• Picking it and scratching a new area with the same finger can spread them. A new one can form in 1 to 2 months.
• Chewing or sucking on them can lead to similar bumps on the face.
• If your child is doing this, cover them. You can use a bandage.
• Keep your child's fingernails cut short and wash your child's hands more often.

What to Expect:

• Without treatment, they go away in 6 to 18 months.
• If covered with duct tape, they may go away in 2 or 3 months.
• If picked at often, they can become infected with bacteria. If this happens, they change into crusty sores (impetigo).

Return to School:

• Your child doesn't have to miss any child care or school.
• There is a mild risk of spread to others.

Call Your Doctor If:

• Your child continues to pick at them
• New ones develop after 2 weeks of treatment
• They are still present after 12 weeks of treatment
• You think your child needs to be seen

Remember! Contact your doctor if you or your child develop any "Contact Your Doctor" symptoms.

Photos

Molluscum Contagiosum

This shows an infection from the molluscum contagiosum virus. Molluscum is sometimes called a "water wart." The growths are pink, white or pearly-colored. They are firm, small and raised with a dimple in the middle.

Source: Self Care Decisions, LLC
From the Dr. William Weston Collection of Pediatric Dermatology. Used with permission.

Molluscum Contagiosum - Eye

This shows an eye with an infection from the molluscum contagiosum virus. The growths are pink, white or pearly-colored. They are firm, small and raised with a dimple in the middle.

Source: Self Care Decisions, LLC
From the Dr. William Weston Collection of Pediatric Dermatology. Used with permission.

Molluscum

This shows an infection from the molluscum contagiosum virus. Molluscum is sometimes called a "water wart." The growths are pink, white or pearly-colored. They are firm, small and raised with a dimple in the middle.

Source: Self Care Decisions, LLC
From the Dr. William Weston Collection of Pediatric Dermatology. Used with permission.