molluscum | Mumsnet

pranma · 2011-10-22T16:28:45+00:00

My dgs aged 2.7 has had these strange 'pearly' lumps on his face and body for some time now.The GP says they are not uncommon and should disappear by the time he starts school.In recent weeks two of these have developed infections requiring oral antibiotics after which they healed and disappeared leaving a faint scar.The most recent to do this was right on the corner of his eye[nearest nose].He also has 4 under that eye and one on his nose as well as a few on his back. Does anyone have any experience of these and suggestions for dealing with them.Thanks.

lilibet · 22/10/2011 17:35

Ds1 had molloscum all over his torso when he was small, it was a very long process to get rid of them. We used an echinacea supplement to boost his immune system, he's 18 now and once they went they never came back

Original poster

pranma · 22/10/2011 18:00

Thanks lilibet-how old was he when they finally went?

OP posts:

whyme2 · 22/10/2011 18:06

My ds had them on his face mostly - took around 12 months for it too totally clear. It did just seem to disappear overnight. He didn't have any infections though.
Don't think there are any proven treatments for the condition.

TheGoddessBlossom · 22/10/2011 18:09

My boy had molluscum contagiosum on his torso. I bought a herbal remedy solution from the internet, and it cleared it up in 2 weeks, entirely.

It was a siver particle spray and an elderflower liquid to drink (diluted). Can highly recommend it.

Original poster

pranma · 22/10/2011 18:13

TGB can you remember which site you used?
Thanks

OP posts:

TheGoddessBlossom · 22/10/2011 18:14

Let me look now, back in a sec...

TheGoddessBlossom · 22/10/2011 18:17

this was it

TheGoddessBlossom · 22/10/2011 18:19

except we only bought the elderberry and the silver particle spray, not the capsules, which is why I don't remember paying £42...more like £20-£25...

suzikettles · 22/10/2011 18:34

Ds's molluscum has just cleared up - it took about a year.

We didn't use anything on it as it'll go away on its own and his was confined to his torso with some spread to his arm. It did cause some very nasty infected eczema in his elbow crease just before it went away, but that seemed to be its last hurrah.

The way it works (afaik) is that the body finally recognises it as a virus and fights it causing all the spots to flare up and then it goes. Sometimes though a patch of spots flare up and fade but another crop appears elsewhere on the body. I think this happened about 4 or 5 times with ds.

Treatments seem to mainly be to do with trying to irritate the spots to speed this immune response up.

Original poster

pranma · 22/10/2011 19:41

Thank you all that is so helpful.
TGB I have printed out details of those products and will give them to dd who has been at her wits end.

OP posts:

bananafrosting · 22/10/2011 19:49

You could also try thuja and vit C, plus a tea tree cream, all of which I was recommended for DS's molluscum which had lasted 18 months, then suddenly disappeared. Possibly coincidence, who knows...

Original poster

pranma · 22/10/2011 20:23

At least it sounds as if it does go eventually-at least at two he isnt really aware and,although he is at pre school two mornings,he certainly hasnt been teased.Hopefully by the time he is 4 it will have gone.

OP posts:

GibberingGinger · 22/10/2011 22:36

My dd had it for about 9 months when she was 2. My ds had it for 2 months when he was about 1 yr, and my other ds has so far has it since June (so 4 months and counting) and he is 18months.

Hopefully they will do on ds2 soon. They are apparently harmless, but they are unsightly and I'll be glad when they are gone. Apparently they are common on kids with eczema, though ds1 doesn't have eczema, the other 2 do.

whyme2 · 23/10/2011 07:26

I think the virus burns itself out after 12 to 18 months. I know in our case it did. It also usually only affects pre schoolers as their immune systems are less developed.
I was relieved when ds's spots disappeared as they were right across his eyes and nose. He was just turned four and a half when they went. I was worried he would be starting school with them and I didn't want other children noticing.

DD had them for around 9 months. They were on her torso and she also had eczema too. She had a few nasty spots/dry skin and her spots were more spread out. The gp thought this was because we had to rub moisturiser into her skin which spread the infection out a little.

Again the both just cleared up within about 48 hours. It was quite amazing.

PlumSykes · 23/10/2011 07:30

DD had them for just over a year, DS has them now. Ugly, but they don't hurt them, and apparently very common.

BrandyAlexander · 23/10/2011 08:51

Dd's didn't last very long, thankfully. She also has eczema. The bumps were initially itchy so we put poxclin on her body and gave her piriton (first thing in morning and last thing at night) for a couple of days to relieve the itchiness. We change her clothes and pj's each day anyway but we extended it to changing her towels everyday. We bought her her own set of towels and face flannels so she didn't share them with anyone else and then washed them at 60. We also went from changing her bedding twice a week to every other day. We dressed her in long sleeves and trousers so she wouldn't be tempted to touch them and transfer them to elsewhere on her body.

All very hard work and expensive but the doctor told us not to do anything and that they would go by themselves in 12-18 months. We don't know whether the above worked but it was thankfully gone in a few weeks. We still change pjs, towels and clothes daily and the kids (baby and toddler) don't share towels.

Good luck, hth!

BrandyAlexander · 23/10/2011 08:51

Dd's didn't last very long, thankfully. She also has eczema. The bumps were initially itchy so we put poxclin on her body and gave her piriton (first thing in morning and last thing at night) for a couple of days to relieve the itchiness. We change her clothes and pj's each day anyway but we extended it to changing her towels everyday. We bought her her own set of towels and face flannels so she didn't share them with anyone else and then washed them at 60. We also went from changing her bedding twice a week to every other day. We dressed her in long sleeves and trousers so she wouldn't be tempted to touch them and transfer them to elsewhere on her body.

All very hard work and expensive but the doctor told us not to do anything and that they would go by themselves in 12-18 months. We don't know whether the above worked but it was thankfully gone in a few weeks. We still change pjs, towels and clothes daily and the kids (baby and toddler) don't share towels.

Good luck, hth!

Original poster

pranma · 23/10/2011 15:34

dgs doesnt seem to be itchy at all.His older brother has eczema but he doesnt so far so there may be a connection.Its the ones under and very near his eyes that have been most worrying especially as one became infected.Still you have all been very reassuring.
thanks again.

OP posts:

TheWoodiesinHongKong · 04/11/2011 03:42

DD's molluscum started in Feb of this year, I was told by GP, don't worry, it will clear up in 12-18 months. By July, she had 20 spots on one leg and over 30 on the other, with new spots appearing every day. The spots were itchy and bleeding and together with the eczema, I wasn't sure I could wait another 12 months for it to clear up.

I was recommened Dr Wheatgrass Skin Recovery Cream and used it for 2 weeks, no more spots. And so far, it hasn't come back. Worked for us!

iambach · 08/11/2011 17:28

my friends daughter had this and it was constantly becoming infected. I bought her some thuja (orally) and some tea tree oil (which was applied neat to spot heads twice daily with a cotton bud)) and it was gone within two weeks of starting this.