No need to drink medicine “to boost immunity”: doctor about molluscum contagiosum

Molluscum contagiosum is a fairly common skin infection caused by viruses. Round, hard, painless bumps and pimples form on the skin. It spreads from person to person and through contact with contaminated objects (towels, clothes, etc.). Molluscum contagiosum is most common in children, less common in adults. If left untreated, they usually go away on their own over time. dermatologist Ekaterina Bakikowho used to talk about another skin disease - rosacea.

“In general, this is considered not a terrible problem. The virus is only superficial on the skin, inside the body everything is fine. In the worst cases, the pimples can become inflamed, itchy, and become infected, very spread. People with immunodeficiency can have a lot of them. Also, in children with atopic dermatitis, the mollusks may also spread more and itch more. First of all, if you have an infection, you should consult a doctor. If there are few shellfish and a small child has them, the doctor will suggest waiting until they pass on their own. After all, their treatment is painful, and the harm from such methods will be greater than from the mollusks themselves.

If the molluscs are spreading, causing discomfort, the child is older or it is an adult, the doctor may apply treatment. The treatment consists in the physical destruction of these pimples, unfortunately, there is no antiviral medication.

Doctors may prescribe:

• external caustic solutions and creams,
• freeze shellfish (cryolysis),
• crush or pierce them with a curette (curettage),
• bake with high temperature or laser.

Then the rash may appear again, so the treatment is repeated until the disease stops.

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As for prevention, the doctor advises washing your hands and your child. Teach her not to touch the clams, try not to scratch them. Adults - do not shave areas where they are. Do not share or borrow personal items. Avoid skin-to-skin contact with children or adults who have shellfish.

“Cover the shellfish with a band-aid when the child is in contact with others, swims in the pool.

If there is itching - use an anti-itch cream or solution, apply cold.

Children are not isolated from school and kindergarten, but mollusks should be sealed with a band-aid or covered with clothes..

What you should not do is to squeeze out the mollusks yourself, do not self-medicate - celandine, alcohol, acid, etc. This may cause scarring or burns.

“Do not wash children together, do not share clothes if one of them has an infection. No need to drink medicine “to raise immunity” - this does not affect the disease in any way. No need to panic and examine the child. Usually children are healthy and do not need tests. The very fact of the presence of mollusks does not indicate reduced immunity. The doctor will carefully ask you, and if there are serious doubts, he will prescribe an additional examination. Children with HIV who are taking immunosuppressive medications or immunocompromised children need special monitoring. The fact that a child is often sick or allergic does not mean a violation of immunity. No need to drink sorbents, wash the skin with antiseptics, etc.“.

Previously published doctor’s advice about “folk remedies” that can harm.