Molluscum Contagiosum
Common, generally harmless, and often resolving on its own -- treatment is frequently optional rather than necessary.
Book a Consultation for Your ChildSmall, pearly bumps on your child's skin?
This is the classic presentation of molluscum contagiosum -- an evaluation confirms the diagnosis and discusses whether treatment or watchful waiting fits best.
Spreading to new areas or bothering your child?
If it's spreading significantly or causing discomfort, we'll discuss active treatment options appropriate for your child's age.
What Is It?
Molluscum contagiosum is a common viral skin infection in children, presenting as small, smooth, pearly bumps, often with a characteristic central dimple. It spreads through direct skin contact or shared items, which is why it often appears in small clusters among children in close contact with one another.
Because molluscum commonly resolves on its own within months to about a year without treatment, watchful waiting — combined with simple hygiene guidance to limit spread — is often the most appropriate approach, and this is explained clearly to parents as a legitimate medical choice rather than a lack of care. Active removal remains an option where the child is bothered by the lesions or a parent prefers it.
Risk Factors
- Direct skin contact with an infected child
- Shared items like towels or bathwater
- More common in children than adults
Symptoms
- Small, smooth, pearly bumps, often with a central dimple
- Can appear anywhere on the body, commonly in clusters
- Generally not painful, though can be itchy
Treatment
- Watchful Waiting: Since molluscum commonly resolves on its own within months to about a year, monitoring without immediate intervention is often the most appropriate approach.
- In-Clinic Removal: For lesions bothering the child, spreading significantly, or where a parent prefers active treatment, gentle removal appropriate for a child's age.
Our Specialists
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