The most common symptom of molluscum contagiosum (MC) is the appearance of small lesions or abnormal patches on the skin. This is usually the only symptom. The lesion may be firm, raised, and painless. The lesions usually appear in small clusters or are spread widely across different parts of the body. They are usually two to six mm in diameter.
You may notice that some lesions have a tiny grey head in the centre and look pearly. This head may rupture, causing a thick yellowy-white substance to escape. This substance is highly infectious. You or your child should avoid handling or squeezing the lesions as this can spread the infection to other parts of the body. In children, the spots of molluscum contagiosum can appear on the hands, arms, face, neck, chest, and stomach.
In sexually active adults, the lesions can usually appear on the genitals, inner thighs, and groin area, spreading upwards over the abdomen. Very rarely, lesions may develop in a number of other places in both adults and children, including: on the palms of the hand, on the soles of the feet, inside the mouth, or around the eyelid. Otherwise healthy children and adults will usually have no more than twenty lesions on their body.
Over a period of approximately six to twelve weeks, each lesion crusts over spontaneously before eventually healing. The lesions do not usually leave scars, but you may notice that each one leaves a tiny patch of lighter skin or a tiny pitted mark. As the virus that is responsible for MC can spread to new areas of your skin, you may find that new lesions form as the old ones are healing.
This can mean that an episode of molluscum contagiosum may last for quite a long time, although in most cases the infection will clear up within 18 months. The lesions of molluscum contagiosum are not usually painful but it is normal to have some mild redness and swelling around each lesion as it starts to heal.
In about one in ten cases, patches of eczema can develop around lesions. Eczema is a skin condition where the skin becomes itchy, reddened, dry and cracked. This is thought to happen because some people are particularly sensitive to the effects of the virus that is responsible for MC. Children who have atopic eczema, which is where skin is particularly sensitive to substances such as dust mites or pollen, are particularly vulnerable to this additional symptom.
It is difficult to know exactly how common MC is in children because the condition is not classed as a notifiable disease. It means that general practitioners do not have to report cases to the authorities, unlike more serious types of childhood infections, such as measles. Many adults with molluscum contagiosum are also thought to be reluctant to report their symptoms to their general practitioner or local sexual health clinic due to embarrassment because of its association with sexual activity.
Molluscum contagiosum can be spread by skin-to-skin contact, or through contact with objects that have been contaminated by an infected person, such as towel or clothing. Children can catch it after close physical contact with another infected child. Adults may catch it after sexual activity. The outlook for molluscum contagiosum is good, because the condition is usually mild and gets better by itself without the need for treatment.
Some people may decide to have treatment for cosmetic reasons. This is usually the case for people who have a weakened immune system, because they usually develop a more extensive form of the infection. Treatment for molluscum contagiosum usually involves destroying the lesions, which can be done in a number of different ways.
Natural drugs for molluscum contagiosum not only have a direct virucidal effect, but provide total systemic support. The lipophilic characteristic of natural drugs for molluscum contagiosum allows them to penetrate deeply. They are absorbed in the skin and into the system in trace quantity, which provides the most rapid absorption.
The natural extracts of natural drugs can enter cell membranes with incredible swiftness and have a direct antiviral effect against molluscum. It not only eradicates the existing infection but also helps prevent autoinoculation. Natural drugs are thus highly unique and have profound curative effects as treatment for molluscum. To learn more, please go to http://www.naturespharma.org.