Facial Molluscum and Generalized Folliculitis in HIV Negative Male

Hi,

I am a 32 years old , hetero hispanic Male. I have always had skin issues, like keratosis pilaris in my arm, but a few months ago i started getting this pimple like warts in my face. They didnt hurt nor look so much like acne. Instead they resemble a pelary (Non umbilicated but dome) painless , flesh colored pimple, averaging 2mm and smaller... i get them all over my face, most of the time 5 or six, for two weeks when they dry and turn dark, and them new 5 o 6 again.

at the same time i started getting the same pimple like stuff all over my biceps and the back of my arms.. and i have a "chicken skin" condition all over my forearms... where you can see clearly the hair in the middle of these little bumps... so i guess is folliculitis...

so i started reading.. and i guess i am havind signs of inmmunosuppression so i took the HIV test which came negative..

so my quuestions now are..

having recurrent, non improving facial molluscum and folliculitis is possible in healthy people ? if not, being HIV discarded where else should i look to find answers ? how should i treat it ?

thanks for your time and help... .

best regards,

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

This could be dermatitis, molluscum or even folliculitis. All of these can occur in people with normal immune system.

MC can affect any area of the skin but is most common on the body, arms, and legs. It is spread through direct contact or shared items such as clothing or towels.

In adults, molluscum infections are often sexually transmitted and usually affect the genitals, lower abdomen, buttocks, and inner thighs. In rare cases, infections are also found on the lips, mouth, and eyelids.

The virus can spread through contact with contaminated objects, such as towels, clothing, or toys.

In people with normal immune systems, the disorder usually goes away on its own over a period of months to years.

Individual lesions may be removed surgically, by scraping, de-coring, freezing, or through needle electrosurgery. Surgical removal of individual lesions may result in scarring. Medications, such as those used to remove warts, may be helpful in removal of lesions, but can cause blistering that leads to temporary skin discoloration.

Avoid direct contact with the skin lesions. Do not share towels with other people.

Avoiding sex can also prevent molluscum virus and other STDs. You can also avoid STDs by having a monogamous sexual relationship with a partner known to be disease-free.

Male and female condoms cannot fully protect you, as the virus can be on areas not covered by the condom.

Individuals who are predisposed to folliculitis should be extremely careful about personal hygiene. Application of antiseptic washes may help prevent recurrences. A topical antibiotic cream, mupirocin (Bactroban®), has been effective at reducing bacterial colonization in the nostrils. It is applied twice daily for a week and is repeated every 6 months.


Apply calamine lotion at the site of the lesions and see if it helps. You could take some oral antihistamine medications like cetrizine or loratadine. You need to maintain a good personal hygiene .

Anti-itch drugs, often antihistamine, may reduce the itch during a flare up of eczema, and the reduced scratching in turn reduces damage and irritation to the skin.

For mild-moderate eczema a weak steroid may be used (e.g. hydrocortisone or desonide), whilst more severe cases require a higher-potency steroid (e.g. clobetasol propionate, fluocinonide).

A visit to your doctor will help confirm the diagnosis.

Let us know if you need any other information.

Regards.