Molluscum

[indies37]

My six year old daughter has molluscum on her face.  She has had it on her upper lip since June, 2008, and it has not even started to go away.  I have not pursued freezing them off because I don't want scarring on her face (she has olive skin and scars easily), and it is also very expensive.  It is now 7 months later, and now the bumps are spreading to her forehead and between her cheekbone and her eye.  They have also spread enormously to her thighs and belly.  Just overnight she got about 50 bumps on her legs and probably about 20 on her stomach, after 7 months of them only being on her upper lip.  I do not want it spreading any further, but I can imagine freezing such a large amount of bumps would be very, very expensive.  I don't know what to do - do I need to be worried?  Is this a medical necessity to get it taken care of before it gets worse?  Why all of a sudden are there SO MANY bumps showing up just overnight?  I am sick over this - my husband just lost his job, and our insurance only covers $75.00 per visit.  The cost of freezing goes well over that amount.  I know because we went through this with my 4 year old son back in June (my daughter got the bumps after we had already treated my son.  His bumps were on his stomach and inner thighs, so I didn't worry so much about the scarring because of the locations).  What are your suggestions for my daughter?

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

This could be dermatitis, molluscum or even folliculitis.

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.