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molluscum or herpes or???
Doctor, I have read this forum extensively as well as much additional research on the internet in general. Based on my findings I feel I may have contracted Molluscum Contagiousm (excuse spelling) although fears of herpes or other stds still linger. I am a 32 year old hetero male who has been sexually active and have had unprotected sexual intercourse with 3 different females over the last year with the last occurring a couple of months ago. Approximately 6 weeks ago I noticed some small bumps on my lower abdomen which I initially dismissed as pimples or something of the like. About a week later I realized they were kinda sticking around and after closer inspection I realized there were several in the pubic region and general groin region. They look very much like the way MC is described
A related discussion, NEED HELP FAST! Read the first post on this string was started.
So...its been another wek or two since going to the doctor. She took a swab of one of the sores and it came back negative for herpes which i was thankful. As i said earlier in this post she said it looked like classic MC. I have been using aldera for a couple of weeks now about every other day. So far i'm not seeing any difference. Maybe i should just have them removed by a Derm?
Dunno why the previous post was censored.
I've got it P R I C K. Whats the point in censoring that in the above context? Must be an automatic filter.
I prefer a needle to using fingernails, Just a small ***** to break the skin, make the core easier to come out. Squeezing seems to potentially cause damage to the skin which will make the whole area red for a few days. My most recent one I got monday was about 2mm across, I removed it tuesday, I can barely see it on my skin now. I noticed 2 other smaller ones near the big one, I just put alcohol and then new skin on them and they just disappeared. Not sure what happened there, maybe the antiseptic soaked in and killed it or maybe my body just got rid of it.
I've heard reports that it is highly Contagious and I've heard others that say it isn't. I think from what I have seen. It is highly Contagious if you are a child. As an adult, you have a better immune system usually or have already gotten it as a kid. But needless to say, I got mine 2 years ago and I'm in my 30s so anything is possible.
I've heard reports that it is highly Contagious and I've heard others that say it isn't. I think from what I have seen. It is highly Contagious if you are a child. As an adult, you have a better immune system usually or have already gotten it as a kid. But needless to say, I got mine 2 years ago and I'm in my 30s so anything is possible.
P.S. According to the NHS, most people are resistant to catching molluscum which is what my health care provider said. There is a dichotomy over this but I was told I need not bother stopping having sex. I decided to wait a little anyway.
Thanks everyone for the feedback and to the Doctor for continuing to follow the thread! I just went ahead and got the script for aldera since i was there and it was pretty cheap with my insurance so at least i have it just incase i want to give it a go. What type of alchohol should i use...just basic rubbing alcohol?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
The NHS is right; most people probably are resistant to MC. Most of us probably get it as toddlers (often unknown) and then are immune. That is, most likely it is the minoirty who escape childhood infection who catch MC sexually as adults.
If done antiseptically, needle plus expressing the core is effective--and much quicker than Aldara, by the way. I didn't recommend it because I don't make such specific treatment recommendations on line, and for safety against secondary infection I normally recommend this approach only for people shown how to do it by a knowledgeable provider. However, I sometimes do that in the clinic, after freezing lesions--in case freezing doesn't work or if new lesions appear afterward. Successful expression of the entire core is indicated by brisk bleeding that can take a few minutes to stop.
Doing it safely means alcohol; a different sterile needle (or flame sterilized needle) each time; latex gloves to prevent autoinoculation to hands and then to other body parts; and careful disposal of said gloves.
HHH, MD
If done antiseptically, needle plus expressing the core is effective--and much quicker than Aldara, by the way. I didn't recommend it because I don't make such specific treatment recommendations on line, and for safety against secondary infection I normally recommend this approach only for people shown how to do it by a knowledgeable provider. However, I sometimes do that in the clinic, after freezing lesions--in case freezing doesn't work or if new lesions appear afterward. Successful expression of the entire core is indicated by brisk bleeding that can take a few minutes to stop.
Doing it safely means alcohol; a different sterile needle (or flame sterilized needle) each time; latex gloves to prevent autoinoculation to hands and then to other body parts; and careful disposal of said gloves.
HHH, MD
I use TCP. It is halogenated phenol. Any strong antiseptic should do the trick. Check with any doctor if the doc here doen't answer. Good luck.
hi englishman...thanks for your feedback and advice. I will give the self removal a try and use the aldera too. So you think that the finger nails is more advantageous than a needle?
IMO freezing is not worth it - the scars take about 6 weeks to disappear. The self-removal method works best and heals the quickest. I find that sueezing them between the fingernails works fine - disinfect the area, use a tissue to stop the bleeding (takes about 2 minutes), keep the area dry and it will fully heal in about 3 days (as opposed to six weeks for freezing!). Best of luck.
P.S. The silver MC cure is a blag. MC clears up by itself anyway. People using these remedies and think that they are responsible for the clear up. Same goes for half the wart remedies. They are there to make money out of people, nothing more, nothing less. Don't give them your hard-earned cash.
http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/articles/article.aspx?articleId=250§ionId=13775
This is the advice here in the UK from the National Health Service.
I did'nt bother with the latex gloves, I just washed my hands in antiseptic. I would'nt bother with Aldara neither if you have to pay for it, I've heard that it can irritate and discolour the skin. Mine were individual descreet lesions (no more than 10 at a peak - about 4 months ago). Most have gone, occasionally one pops up, I leave it to mature, then when it looks ready for the picking, give it a squeeze between the nails and I make sure all the core comes out. Bleeds heavily but stops easily within a minute or so. Freezing was a pain in the *** (or penis I should say) and definitely not worth the hassle. Best of luck.
P.S. Waiting for them to mature a bit is useful in case you start squeezing cysts or something else - make sure they are the molluscum.
This is the advice here in the UK from the National Health Service.
I did'nt bother with the latex gloves, I just washed my hands in antiseptic. I would'nt bother with Aldara neither if you have to pay for it, I've heard that it can irritate and discolour the skin. Mine were individual descreet lesions (no more than 10 at a peak - about 4 months ago). Most have gone, occasionally one pops up, I leave it to mature, then when it looks ready for the picking, give it a squeeze between the nails and I make sure all the core comes out. Bleeds heavily but stops easily within a minute or so. Freezing was a pain in the *** (or penis I should say) and definitely not worth the hassle. Best of luck.
P.S. Waiting for them to mature a bit is useful in case you start squeezing cysts or something else - make sure they are the molluscum.
Sounds exactly like the Molluscum I have/had. My first break out was like you described, I removed them all myself (about 20 of them) That was 2 years ago. I still get them from time to time but the amount and the frequency is dropping. Maybe if I didn't drink like a fish they would have been gone a while back. I know alcohol affects your immune system. I haven't seen one for 4 months until this week and I had one pop up, i got rid of it and it is almost healed.
Here is what I do to get rid of them if you are curious:
swab the area with alcohol as well as any "tools" you are using
Get a needle, cotton balls, tweezers, and that "New Skin" stuff. Slightly ***** the top of one, just enough to break the skin, Sqeeze it like a pimple and hopefully the core will come out some, It is white and looks like a seed. Grab it with the tweezers and then wash it down the sink. The tweezers and needle will be contagious at this point so don't touch any other part of your body with them until you can put them in alcohol again. Once the core is removed it will bleed heavily for about 10 minutes, just keep a cotton ball on it and once it stops bleeding, apply New Skin to the lession. Leave that one for a few days. If done right you shouldn't have any other bacterial infections and it will heal up pretty quick.
They aren't hard to get rid of. Although for an initial outbreak, you might want to just go to the derm and have them frozen off or whatever they do there. Having to removed a large number of them at once is kind of nerve racking, especially the more sensitive areas. The above instructions are more for routine maintainance.
Here is what I do to get rid of them if you are curious:
swab the area with alcohol as well as any "tools" you are using
Get a needle, cotton balls, tweezers, and that "New Skin" stuff. Slightly ***** the top of one, just enough to break the skin, Sqeeze it like a pimple and hopefully the core will come out some, It is white and looks like a seed. Grab it with the tweezers and then wash it down the sink. The tweezers and needle will be contagious at this point so don't touch any other part of your body with them until you can put them in alcohol again. Once the core is removed it will bleed heavily for about 10 minutes, just keep a cotton ball on it and once it stops bleeding, apply New Skin to the lession. Leave that one for a few days. If done right you shouldn't have any other bacterial infections and it will heal up pretty quick.
They aren't hard to get rid of. Although for an initial outbreak, you might want to just go to the derm and have them frozen off or whatever they do there. Having to removed a large number of them at once is kind of nerve racking, especially the more sensitive areas. The above instructions are more for routine maintainance.
Good luck man...sounds like you have had a frustrating experience with this. I'm not sure what my primary doc will say or recomend but i may ash her to prescribe Imiqumod or whatever it its called...ardel? I have to look it up again. I guess i'll have to wait and see. I'll take a look at this silver cure...just hope its not one of those internet rip offs.
http://www.molluscum.com/ for more information. SilverCure is available for those with molluscum.
What frustrated me to no end is that the molluscum always seemed to heal to a great degree and not be as pronouced so my family doctor, STD clinic doctor AND my derm all told me not to worry and let it clear up on its own. But it has recurred.
But now that i've seen more pictures of molluscum and read more posts, i'm fairly certain that's what I have. I'm taking pictures and printing pages from this website to bring to my derm.
What frustrated me to no end is that the molluscum always seemed to heal to a great degree and not be as pronouced so my family doctor, STD clinic doctor AND my derm all told me not to worry and let it clear up on its own. But it has recurred.
But now that i've seen more pictures of molluscum and read more posts, i'm fairly certain that's what I have. I'm taking pictures and printing pages from this website to bring to my derm.
Went to see my primary Doc today...said it definately looks like MC...she said it was a "classic presentaion". I asked her to take a swab to rule out herpes even though she felt pretty comfortable saying that it wasnt herpes. She prescribed Aldera and gave me some Derms to look up. I may just use the Aldera and maybe try the self removal method (needle and anticeptic).Again...thanks for this forum...its really helpful!
thanks for your feedback steve 123! I'm not sure what method i will use at this point...maybe a little of both. I'll probably at least do the self removal method on a few and see how it goes.
Guyendora, i had never had these symptoms untill 6 weeks ago or so. They have changed very little since i noticed they were spread around in the groin area. I have read other posts and info on the web which states it can come and go to some degree but it seems for most people who have them successfully treated they dont come back. What is this silver cure you mention? Is this a proven treatment? I am going to see my primary doctor tommorrow although i'm a little skeptical as it seems many primary docs arent really up on this virus. I want to get these little bastards off of me!
jjdog, thanks for your post and the insightful comments by the doctor. I too posted fairly recently and am printing out your question and the answers for my dermatologist to read as I'm fairly certain I too have Molluscum based on your description. Question: Did you notice the Molluscum clear up on it's own in an infected area and then re-appear 2-3 months later albeit maybe at a lesser degree?
I just placed an order for SilverCure tonight and hope this will help my condition.
Thanks again to all - this forum has been excellent.
I just placed an order for SilverCure tonight and hope this will help my condition.
Thanks again to all - this forum has been excellent.
Thanks again for your feedback Doc...didnt mean to start a scholarly debate! I'm just glad that this doesnt appear to be herpes! I'm gonna go get checked out soon. Thanks again
Ohh..one more thing. This question is open to anyone who knows the answer. If i go to my doctor and ask to be tested for stds which will i be tested for? (eg herpes, hpv, clymidia?) Do they test you for everything including HIV even if you dont ask? Just curious. Thanks
When I went here in England, they showed me a list of STDs that they tested for and informed me about those that they do not routinely test for. They recommended tests based on information about my previous partners that I discussed with them.
Just to throw petrol on the fire, my GUM clinician expressed the view that it is not very contagious and rarely transmitted from genital to genital. I guess the wide ranging view is because of the uncertainty. There is very little in-depth information available on the net and that which does exist is contradictory.
You are reading content posted in the STDs Forum
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Millions of people are diagnosed with STDs in the U.S. each year.
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
