Treatment

The way to treat molluscum contagiosum depends on the location and number of lesions. Generally, treatment is unnecessary for mild cases, and there is no single convincing method proven to be absolutely effective. Be aware that treatment may lead to further infection of tissue on or near the infected skin, much the same as scratching infected tissue. However, treatment may be given for the following reasons:

Medical factors:

• Bleeding
• Secondary infection
• Itching and discomfort
• Potential risk of scarring
• Chronic conjunctivitis

Social factors:

• Beauty
• embarrassed
• Fear of infecting others
• Rejected by others

Many medical experts recommend treating infected tissues located in the genital area to prevent them from spreading. The virus lives only in the skin, and when the infected tissue stops multiplying, the virus disappears, so it can no longer infect others. The infection is effectively cured when all infected tissue has been removed. Molluscum tissue will not reappear unless the patient is re-infected. In practice, it is not easy to be able to detect all molluscum contagiosum-infected tissues. Even when it seems like they’ve all disappeared, there’s always a chance some may have been missed. If so, the virus may reinfect patients through a process of “self-inoculation”, even though no infection is visible to the naked eye.

Cryotherapy
Cryotherapy involves killing infected cells by “freezing” them with a spray of pressurized liquid, liquid nitrogen or nitrous oxide being the most commonly used liquids. This medical procedure may cause mild discomfort to pain, depending on the amount of liquid spray required and the site of infection. This procedure can be performed by any healthcare professional. Applying liquid nitrogen to an infected area may cause the patient to experience a burning or tingling sensation that may persist for several minutes after the medical procedure is complete. Scarring or loss of skin color can complicate treatment. Liquid nitrogen can also cause blisters to form in the treated area, which usually fall off within two to four weeks. Cryotherapy and curettage are not painless medical procedures and may leave scars and/or permanently discolor the treated skin areas.

Over-the-counter medication
In mild cases of infection, over-the-counter wart medications, such as salicylic acid, may help shorten the duration of the infection. Daily topical application of retinoid cream “Retin-A 0.025%” may also trigger viral breakdown. These treatments generally take several months to clear up the infection, and these treatments are often accompanied by severe inflammation and discomfort.

Immunomodulators 
Although the most appropriate doses of immunomodulators have yet to be determined, doctors still occasionally prescribe them. Immunomodulators are one type of immunotherapy. Immunotherapy primes the immune system to fight viruses that cause skin growths. Under normal circumstances, immunomodulators are used three times a week. After each use, the drug should stay on the skin for 6 to 10 hours, and then it should be washed off. The healing time varies from 4 to 16 weeks. Some small-scale studies point to an 80% success rate with such doses. There is another dosage regimen: three times a day for 5 days a week. Immunomodulators have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as prescription drugs for the treatment of molluscum contagiosum. Only 1% immunomodulator ointment will be applied in this treatment regimen. At the same dose, but with a concentration higher than 1% in the ointment, it may cause chemical burns or potential nerve damage.

Laser
Pulsed dye laser therapy may be a better treatment option for patients who are seeking treatment and who have multiple tissue infections with molluscum contagiosum. Very good results have been documented for the treatment of molluscum contagiosum with a pulsed dye laser. The treatment was well tolerated, leaving no scarring or abnormal skin pigmentation. Infected tissue heals within two weeks without leaving any traces. Studies have shown that 96%-99% of diseased tissues can be cured with only one treatment procedure. Using a pulsed dye laser can solve the problem quickly and efficiently, however its high expense makes it less cost-effective than other options. Furthermore, not all clinics have such laser equipment.

Forecast
All molluscum tissue will clear up naturally within two years (usually within 9 months). As long as the diseased tissue is still growing, there is a possibility of infecting others. When growth stops, the virus cannot spread.

Molluscum contagiosum is different from herpes. Herpes can remain in an infected person in a dormant state for several years before reappearing in the person. Molluscum contagiosum does not stay in the body of an infected person, they only grow on the skin and do not reappear by themselves. Unfortunately, there are currently no permanent antibodies against the virus, so re-infection is possible when the skin is exposed to an infected person.

The benefit of treatment is that it speeds up the breakdown process of the virus. This limits the size of the “acne” scar. If left untreated, molluscum contagiosum can grow to the size of a pea or pea. Although the virus will decompose naturally, it will also leave a larger hole due to its growth. With so many treatment options available, the best time to treat molluscum contagiosum without leaving any marks on the skin is when the affected tissue is still small.