What is Molluscum?
Molluscum Contagiosum is horrible, isn’t it? It is technically a Pox Virus that affects about one in every six children aged one to ten years old. It is commonly seen on the body, arms and legs.
Children are particularly susceptible to the virus and most often contract the virus in childcare situations or at pools.
Molluscum contagiosum results in raised, round, flesh-colored bumps (papules) on the skin. The papules:
- Are small — typically about 1/16 inch to 3/16 inch (about 2 to 5 millimeters) in diameter
- Characteristically have a small indentation or dot at their top
- Can become red and inflamed
- Can be easily removed by scratching or rubbing them, but this spreads the virus to adjacent skin
In children, the papules typically appear on the face, neck, armpits, hands and arms. In adults, molluscum contagiosum may be a sexually transmitted disease (STD) and is usually seen on the genitals, lower abdomen, inner upper thighs and buttocks.
The are small lesions that are flesh colored, dome shaped and pearly in appearance. Picking or scratching at them may lead to more because they do spread. Treatment may be needed but they generally do go away. Most doctors will say that they go away within a few months but AJ has had Molluscum show up since the appearance of his first one in November of 04.
He had a huge outbreak of them on his face soon after the first one and then minuscule outbreaks ever since.
This virus spreads easily through direct skin-to-skin contact and through contact with contaminated objects, such as toys, doorknobs and faucet handles. The virus also spreads through sexual contact with an affected partner. Scratching or rubbing the papules spreads the virus to nearby skin, as can shaving.
We treated the Molluscum around his eyes very carefully. In fact, our ophthalmologist told us that the only way to avoid getting the Molluscum into his eyes was to scrape them when they turned into “white-heads” because they were actually on his eye lids we had to scrape them as soon as we saw the waxy white material in the center of the papules. If we were able to scrape the entire waxy center out of the Molluscum and make the papule bleed profusely we knew that we had “killed it” as our Ophthalmologist put it. We actually managed to rid his entire face of the virus within a month (and he had an outbreak of about 40).
That is not a traditional treatment for Molluscum but it was the only option we had because they were so close to his eyes. Any other treatment would have actually damaged his eyes and if we had left them the virus would have gotten into his eyes and done damage there (according to our Ophthalmologist).
Wow — the more I read your blog the more similarities I find between your life and mine! Nicolas has molluscum and we have been referred to a dermatologist for follow-up because they are so close to his eyes. In fact, they are almost entirely around his eye and mouth. I am sure this has nothing to do with the fact that he cries and rubs his hands across his eyes and mouth thus spreading the virus. At our doctor’s visit last week, she recommended that we see an eye-doctor because she thought he could have vision problems — now I am wondering if this could be related?
Anyways — another great blog!
Oh, the poor thing! Yes, they can cause the eye problems. AJ was always touching them! I will find you a picture. Check back later tonight.