Molluscum - diagnosis and treatment

[mollusc]

Hi!

About a month and a half ago I got something that freaked me out.
I didn't understand where it could come from either, as my previous girlfriend (the only one I've had sex with for the past 2 years) didn't have it, and was just to a check.


I did some digging online, and first thought it was genital warts, but later found it probably was Molluscum Contagiosa. I didn't contact my doctor, rather I ordered "Molluscum No More" and started using that. I've used it for over a month, and still not much in the way of results.

Could you please take a look at the picture I've taken and tell me whether this is Molluscum? http://home.halden.net/esamuelsen/mokele/molluscum.jpg

I've tried the method mentioned on this forum with squeezing the molluscum after using a needle, and on the ones near my penile shaft this has worked very well, a white core came out, there was some bleeding, but on the two on my actual shaft, they perhaps weren't as "mature", as there was more pain and I'm not sure I got all of the core. However, all of the ones I've squeezed have started itching now, perhaps it's just the crust, is this normal?

I have a lot of small ones too, and I'm not really sure these can be removed on my own, is there a method these small ones (like a penhead or even smaller, in clusters are you can see from the picture) can be removed on my own?

Oh, and I've been thinking about going to the doctor to have them freezed off with nitrogen, can this be done with the small ones too? Does it take long? I'm probably going to visit a girl next weekend (in 9 days), and we might have sex, if I get a doctor's appointment soon, will the molluscum and wounds from freezing heal before the weekend, or should I just accept that I cannot have sex in a while...? :-(

Thanks for your time Doc! Greatly appreciated!

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Yes, the large bump in the center does look like molluscum.  Freezing is a good choice, and takes a very short time.  If you get them frozen or otherwise treated soon, them me heal in times for your visit.  But they're sure to respond, even if they end up needing more than one treatment.  I don't advice needling them yourself, though--when you do that, it makes it hard for a doctor to tell what needs treatment and what doesn't.

Take care.

Dr. Rockoff

[mollusc]

OK, thanks!

However, is there no way to remove the small ones myself? It seems the larger ones have responded well to the removal of the core...

- I was just in contact with a dermatologist, but I had to first contact my doctor to get a referral etc... Only problem is the doctor is an old friend of my brother and I feel a little embarrased about having to undress for her...

Do you know if a GP doctor can freeze the molluscum out as well? Is it done quickly? So if I get an appointment, she diagnoses it as Molluscum, can she just pull out the nitrogen and freeze them right off at once?

Thanks again!

[Englishman]

From personal experience, if you get them frozen, they will not be fully healed in 9 days. The scabs will have fallen off, leaving a white scar that takes about 3 months to fully go. You can not see the scars when you have an erection. Under suitable lighting she will not be able to tell! Best of luck.

[mollusc]

Thanks man! I didn't get an appointment yet, these things will take time it seems, so I squeezed out the core of most of them, even the small ones, using a tip I read on a forum:

Use both thumbnails, dig under the molluscum as far as you can go, and pinch the nails together, while pressing upwards. This got out the core of each and every one for me. I cleaned them for blood by putting on a lot of "Molluscum No More" afterwards, will report on my success! :-)

Thanks again for being here to help each other! ;-)

[Englishman]

The self-removal method works best. Make sure you keep the area disinfected with an antseptic. Mine have all gone now after 6 months. God knows where I got them from (was 8 months after my last sexual encounter). I reckon I got them from shaving and then wiping the area with an old moist towel (not recommended!). They are not especially contagious and I was told not to worry about passing them on sexually as nearly all adults are immune (this was told to me by an NHS GUM clinician with 5 years experience and is supported by the NHS website. However, there is controversy over this). Either way it is only a minor inconvenience. Good luck.

[Englishman]

Freezing might work better for you because the molluscum (mollusca?) are higher up the shaft and smaller, making the self-removal method harder. Also you might get "squeeze" happy and start squeezing small cysts or sebaceous glands. The problem with freezing is the white scars that take ages to go but the molluscum never returned to the patch that was frozen.

Good luck.

[mollusc]

OK, I've been getting a rash over most of the area now, it's itching like CRAZY!!

- I thought it might just be because of spilling "Molluscum No More" and it might be on some of the areas, and some of it might be because of the crusts, but can this be a "complication" of Molluscum? I've bought some hydrocortisone cream, works a little, but not enough I feel... Any hints?

[Englishman]

"Molluscum no more", like "Warts no more" is a blag. Warts and molluscum eventually resolve anyway and people think that it is the product that has done it. Some say they contain silver and show a cheesy photo of an MD - they are trying to make money out of you. The warts no more is probably irritating your skin. I suggest you stop using it, keep the area clean and dry, see a doctor and be patient. You may have it on and off for up to 2 years but it will probably go in a few months time.

[Debiroese]

I am so upset...my little guy is 9 and went to summer camp in the day time all summer. He developed these warts all over his stomach and arm and after 4 DR. visit the derm DR saw him, by then the stupid things are all over him and so red around the whole area. The steriod cream help the redness, and he wears gloves to bed to stop the scratching.....Now he is on 1600Mg of tagament to help build T cell to fight off the Molluscum contagiousum....what an awful thing for a kid to get....He is totally embarrased and I can even have my younger grandkids come over because of the fear of them getting them and the dr said it can take 2 years to  go away but maybe this treatment of tagament will work. I pray it will....she said the school can not stop him from going to school lets see how that works.....I do not know where he got these things.....I will let you know if this works...and she said use unsented clear ALL for washing his clothes and no softener.....I have never heard of this before and I feel so bad for him.....The liquid nitrogen will be the next step in a month if this treatment don't work....but that hurt even with numbing...it is second degree burns you know when they freeze them...no easy for a kid to have to go through....Well if this works I will let you all know and pray this will work...I hope the side effects are not too bad.