Prof. Amir Horev

Dermatology and Venereology Specialist and Pediatric Dermatologist

Molluscum is a virus that causes a skin infection characterized by small skin-colored to pink lesions with a shiny surface, 2-8 mm in diameter.

This is a very common infection seen in 1 in 5 children, usually between the ages of 3 and 8 (but can affect a wider age range). The most common locations for infection are the face, armpits, torso and limbs.

Transmission and prevention

The virus is contagious through skin-to-skin contact, and is usually passed from child to child during play, or from one place on the body due to rubbing and scratching the virus.

The penetration of the virus into the skin increases when the skin is wet, so it is recommended to avoid showering with a child suffering from molluscum or sharing a towel.

A good way to reduce the chance of infection is to cover the molluscum lesions (for example, using a full swimsuit, or a pool shirt) while playing together in the pool.

Life Course of the Virus

If left untreated, the molluscum virus is expected to clear up within a few months, but can sometimes persist for 2-4 years. When the child's immune system attacks the virus, the skin around the molluscum often becomes red and inflamed - this is actually a "good sign" that indicates that recovery from the virus is near.

Complications

Scarring: About 7% of all molluscum lesions on the skin may develop an atrophic scar (similar to that of chickenpox) with or without treatment. However, treatment helps shorten the duration of the disease, prevent the lesions from spreading to other children, and thus reduce the number of scars.

Infection: Sometimes the skin around molluscum lesions may become infected with a bacterial infection, and then antibiotic treatment is required. This usually occurs due to rubbing and scratching the molluscum.

Treatment

There are several ways to treat molluscum, including treatment with various therapeutic creams at home by the patient and his parents, and treatments performed in the doctor's office such as: mechanical removal using a curette, cauterization with liquid nitrogen, and the use of cantharidin. The choice of treatment depends on the number of lesions, their location, the child's age, and the degree of expected cooperation. Pediatric dermatologists specialize in the treatment of molluscum, so it is advisable to contact a pediatric dermatologist for treatment of the virus.