1. Wait It Out
Molluscum contagiosum surfaces most often in children under age 10, but it can also spread to adults. If you contract the virus and have a healthy immune system, it usually resolves in 6 to 18 months. It can, however, take as long as five years for lesions to disappear completely. Unless they become infected, molluscum bumps will heal on their own. If you're considering whether to treat them, think about the severity of the symptoms, the duration of the outbreak and your ability to comply with treatment methods.
If you only have a few papules and they don't seem to be spreading, you may want to leave them alone. When the lesions are spreading rapidly or becoming a cosmetic concern, though, there are more proactive solutions. If your child has the molluscum virus, you'll have to weigh its contagiousness, your child's ability to avoid scratching and her capacity to handle any potential treatment discomfort before deciding on a therapy approach.
2. Try Cantharone Treatments
Cantharone, a blistering agent extracted from beetles (also called beetle juice) is often applied by dermatologists to molluscum lesions. If you opt for beetle juice treatments, the doctor will apply a minuscule amount of the solution to each papule, and cover it with a piece of tape or a bandage. After you rinse the solution off 2 to 4 hours later, small blisters begin to form. They will scab over when left alone, and as the scabs fall off, there will be be no remaining growths. Cantharone is relatively painless, but can cause discomfort for small children as their sensitive skin begins to blister. Some scarring is expected, but if the blisters are left to heal properly, noticeable scars can be avoided. If your child has a beetle juice treatment, remind him not to pick at the blisters or the resulting scabs.
3. Scrape Lesions With a Curette
If you only have a few molluscum bumps or they appear in areas that might scar with cantharone, your dermatologist may use a curette, a spoon-shaped wire instrument, to scrape the viral center off the papules. By removing this waxy center, or head, further spreading is prevented and the remaining sores can begin healing. If you are uncomfortable during curettage, your doctor can apply a topical anesthetic to numb the skin around the lesions before beginning treatment. Though curettage is effective and causes little scarring, it's not practical for patients who have dozens--or hundreds--of papules.
4. Apply Topical Creams
If you'd prefer to manage your molluscum treatment at home, your dermatologist can prescribe salicylic acid (Compound W) or tretinoin (Retin-A). These agents work by irritating the skin and causing the bumps to resolve as the irritation heals. If you or your child has sensitive skin, talk to your doctor before using these topical medications. The treatments may cause itchy, rash-like reactions at the application sites. If Retin-A and Compound W are ineffective, your physician may prescribe imiquimod (Aldara), a drug that alters your immune function, encouraging your system to fight off the wart-like bumps more quickly.
5. Look Into Homeopathic Options
Some molluscum sufferers have had luck with homeopathic treatments such as tea tree and thuja oils, organically bound iodine and wheatgrass cream. While the results are hit or miss, most of these complementary options will not harm your skin, even if they don't help the lesions. It's best, however, to consult first with a homeopathic specialist to discuss dosing and potential side effects if you go the alternative route.
