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Molluscum contagiosum is a viral skin infection that produces harmless lesions on the skin's upper layers.

Usually, the bumps are not painful and disappear on their own, without the appearance of scars. If you notice you have contracted the virus, there's no reason to panic since you can quickly deal with the disease.

How Does it Spread?

Molluscum contagiosum can spread over the victim's body when you scratch. It can also pass from one person to another through direct contact with an infected person. When you touch contaminated clothing, this can also facilitate the spread of the infection.

Molluscum contagiosum is more common among children but can occur among adults with weaker immune systems. Treatment options for the disease include surgery and several medications. It's advisable to immediately consult a doctor if you think you or your child has contracted this infection.

How to Prevent the Virus from Spreading

Molluscum contagiosum mainly spreads through contact. The following ways are useful to avoid the spread of the virus:

• Cover the bumps with long-sleeved clothes
• Ensure you continuously wash your hands
• Avoid sharing contaminated items.

Treatment

People with a healthy immune system need not seek any drastic measures against the disease. The lesions will fade away on their own with time. However, there are some cases where treatment is necessary. These include when the bumps occur around the genital area or in case the lesions are considerably large and occur around the neck and face. The following are the available treatment options for the disease:

• Cryotherapy: This involves freezing each bump with liquid nitrogen.
• Laser therapy: The doctor destroys each bump one by one using a laser.
• Curettage: Involves piercing the bump and scrapping it off the skin.
• Topical therapy: The doctor applies creams that contain acids and chemicals to the bumps to facilitate the peeling of the skin's top layers.
• Oral therapy: Used as an alternative treatment for molluscum contagiosum among small children since it's less painful than other treatments.

Some of these treatment options can be painful and cause scars. If the doctor deems it necessary, they might use anesthesia. Each lesion is treated separately in all the above methods, so the procedures may take a long time and involve more than one treatment.

Molluscum contagiosum should heal with time if you have a healthy immune system. When you search for a "dermatologist near me," choose professionals with the best treatment option for this disease. Contact us today to help gain that flawless skin you've always desired.