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Original poster

Molluscum - advice please!

45 replies

cuppachai · 06/04/2014 11:58

I know this subject has been done to a death many times on MN, but I was looking for advice as DS is suffering. My question is - can it be Molluscum if the spots never actually get very big? DS has had these spots on the backs of his kness, spreading up his legs, in the crease of his elbow and spreading under his armpit. Some of them look like tiny white heads which he scratches and then they look like angry red spots. We have repeatedly told him not to scratch but it is to no avail. The skin surrounding the affected areas is so sore and eczema-like. He's itching it a lot and it's painful.

GPs have said it's molluscum and to leave it to go away on it's own, but really - no-one can leave their DC's skin in such a state and just hope it goes away in 2-4 years! I've searched previous threads for advice and the main thing that seems to help them go is to 'pop' them and get the central core out, HOWEVER this is where I'm struggling as DS's haven't ever got to the stage of being that big that we could actually pop them. Do Molluscum start out tiny and get bigger or are our GPS mistaken and DS doesn't actually have it? It seems to be in the typical places you would find molluscum.

Any advice gratefully received!

TIA

OP posts:
Original poster
cuppachai · 06/04/2014 12:51

bump

OP posts:
ilovepowerhoop · 06/04/2014 13:00

yes they can start small and get bigger. There is a Molludab stuff advertised on here but dont know if it works. I tried a couple of things on dd's but they didnt really make a difference and they went away eventually. DS only had a few and they lasted less time than dd's.

www.molludab.co.uk/molluscum-contagiosum?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=ppc&gclid=CIDKn8jny70CFQEXwwodHF8Amw

Original poster
cuppachai · 06/04/2014 13:41

Thank you - will have a look at the molludab stuff. Desperate to get rid of them now as they seem to be spreading so fast. DS had eczema very badly when he was little and I was dreading him getting this (he caught it from neighbour's child) as I had a feeling it would spread ridiculously with him. He has scratched his skin day and night from day dot :/

OP posts:
samsonthecat · 06/04/2014 14:02

DD2 had this. It's clearing up now thank goodness. The gp prescribed an emollient to moisturise the skin and stop the itching and steroid cream for when they were really red and enflamed.

Jaffacakesareyummy · 06/04/2014 14:08

Go to a private dermatologist and they could freeze one and once one gets damaged the body fights them all.

ToffeeWhirl · 06/04/2014 14:14

Yes, sounds just like molluscum. Both my boys had this. DS1 had it for two years and then, just as his disappeared, Ds2 caught it. So we lived with the little buggers for four years in all. I did try to squeeze them out with tweezers but they are dreadfully painful, so I didn't get far with that. I then tried the dr's recommendation (to wait). Sometimes the boys scratched them by mistake and then they would become very red and angry and eventually disappear. Eventually, I got really fed up with some stubborn ones on DS2, so I pricked them with a needle dipped in iodine (recommended on some MN threads) at night, when DS2 was sleeping. The last one was quite big, so I did actually squeeze the core out with tweezers (oddly satisfying) whilst DS2 slept.

All the molluscum had eczema around them, by the way. I think they irritate the skin.

The cream advertised on here wasn't around when my boys had it, so no idea if it works or not.

AvonCallingBarksdale · 06/04/2014 17:15

DD had this for about 18 months. she had small ones at the beginning, then a few of them became really big. I did pop one of the larger ones, which she still remembers now Blush It hurt a lot..... However, it did start to gradually disappear after that and now you wouldn't know she'd ever had it, and her trunk was covered!! So, whether it was the popping, or just coincidence and it was on its way out anyway, I don't know.

Weeteeny · 06/04/2014 20:56

Hello, my little DS 's first molloscum appeared in his armpit about 8 months ago, like your little one he has eczema and within a few months he had them down his arm, the crook of his elbow and the back of his knees. We left alone as they were not too noticeable , however just before Christmas they started spreading aggressively and he had over 100 on his arm alone and they had become pinker in colour and were very noticeable to others.
I took him to the GP and he referred him to a dermatologist as he really was in terrible state. Apparently they can pop them to remove them but this can leave scarring, we were so desperate we were willing to try anything at this point.
However between the GP and the Dermatologist one of the spots became infected and sore in his armpit and I think this triggered his body's immune system to start fighting back. Amazingly they all disappeared within 2 weeks, and he really did have over 100.
It is distressing and I really feel for you, I think the various products you can buy on line are hit or miss, unfortunately you need to wait till their immune system kicks in.
DS2 now has 6 on his torso, and we are leaving alone.

Original poster
cuppachai · 07/04/2014 09:38

Thanks so much for replies. It really is a horrible thing for them to have. We started moisturising the skin with dermol which seems to be helping the eczema and dabbing tea tee in the spots. It all looks a lot less angry but who knows if more will crop up Hmm he is starting to be conscious of them as other kids at school ask what they are. I've asked at two chemists for iodine but neither stocked it so we started with tea tree at weekend.

OP posts:
goldenlula · 08/04/2014 10:09

Ds2 had it for about 18 months, but due to another problem his often got infected for the last 10 months of it. The cores came out if the infected ones. We didn't try any treatments with him and was lucky he only got 1 on his face, the rest were mainly behind his knees and elbow areas, with a few elsewhere on his legs and arms and ankles.
As ds2 finally finished dd started. She has them around her armpits and the back of her knee. Not many though and we are about 6 months in now. If they start spreading I may try the molludab. And I am not sure if ds1 is starting as he has a weird spot on his back that could be the start.

Original poster
cuppachai · 08/04/2014 10:43

It's a bloody nightmare. I've ordered some lemon myrtle oil and shower / bath liquid soap stuff from amazon, apparently it has had success in clinical trials or something. Holding out hope as DS's skin is so sore and dry around them and new ones have cropped up now. :(

OP posts:
ilovepowerhoop · 08/04/2014 10:45

that molludab website says it is available on prescription so you wouldnt need to pay for it if its for a child.

molluscumfamily · 09/04/2014 10:26

There is really so much information about molluscum and so many conflicting "cures".

I did a lot of research on the issue when my family caught it. Number one: DONT pop, scratch or squeeze them. It just spreads the problem. Eczema is often associated with molluscum too. See the picture of my 5 year boy.

For what it is worth I recommend you have a look at what I think is the best site for information and a guide to treating the bumps. My whole family caught it - yes it is highly contagious. It should be covered and treated but worldwide doctors are telling people not to worry about it. With all my children infected and both parents we had to find a cure that was good for very young children and adults. It seems to me that the best cure combines the good work of apple cider vinegar other natural products like clove oil and tree oil. But you also need to change the way you shower, wash clothes etc. Anyway, it worked wonders for us!

We used the advice on this site to heal them: - www.curemolluscumcontagiosum.com

Fluffalump · 09/04/2014 10:29

I have to say I did pop them when my twins caught them and when the central core came out they went away so I would hav to disagree with the advice above ( sorry)

AvonCallingBarksdale · 09/04/2014 14:00

Me too, Fluffalump. I'm of the "whatever works" school of thought and, for us, popping did work Smile

radioalice · 10/04/2014 10:06

My advice wold be to go and see a dermatologist. I have unsuccessfully tried all sorts of natural remedies when my daughter had molluscum, and I wish that I would have gone to the doctors sooner. She had a lot of spots but they all disappeared within a week after he popped them.

Fragglewump · 10/04/2014 10:18

My gp told me to spray colloidal silver on them when my ds had them. It seemed to work. I just bought if from a health shop.

ilovepowerhoop · 10/04/2014 10:57

colloidal silver never worked on my dd's molluscum

HRHLadyG · 10/04/2014 14:45

Squeezing the centre (hard and waxy) out of larger ones seeme to stop the spread. Be very careful not to touch them....... and it does hurt!

Doshusallie · 10/04/2014 14:49

I did try to squeeze my DS's but he wouldn't let me near them as they were too painful.

I bought a silver particle spray and an elderflower cordial drink from a herbal remedy site online and treated them with these - all his were gone in two weeks as a result. Can highly recommend.

Doshusallie · 10/04/2014 14:50

this

Doshusallie · 10/04/2014 14:52

and this

CharityCase · 10/04/2014 14:54

I live overseas. Here they use cantharadin. The doctor paints in on and then it causes blistering and that lifts the core out. Looks terrible for a few days but no scarring. Not sure if you can get it in the uk though.

Theonlyoneiknow · 10/04/2014 23:28

Feel your pain.

DS had over a hundred on his torso and face. I followed GPs advice initially and did nothing. I then saw a homeopathic GP at the practice who gave him thuja 30c, one tablet twice a day. Alongside this I bought some lemon myrtle oil which I diluted with olive oil. One drop of lemon myrtle oil to 10ml of olive oil (can reduce this but try initially as it is strong). I also out drops in the bath, however showering is better as mollescum can spread easily in the bath. I used a cotton bud and dabbed every spot with the lemon oil mixture. Then when the spots started to get angry and look like they were going to erupt I put a bit of Manuka honey cream on with a plaster on top. A few weeks later all gone. They have left tiny tiny dimples in his skin but they are skin toned so don't see them.

DD also got it but her spots were less but more stubborn. They are still ongoing, one on her face has become infected and left a mark that I am worried might scar. Will put a pic up tomorrow. We are following the same method.

I have read success stories about dabbing with tea tree oil or sudocream but we didn't try that.

As they sit on the skin the body doesn't know they are there so can't fight it. It does make sense that if you pop one then it should kick things off. We never squeezed any of DSs but have DDs as one was along her nappy line and I didn't want it to burst and spread the contagious stuff around.

molluscumfamily · 11/04/2014 05:42

Molluscum appears in many forms from small beginning stage bumps to full blown pus heads as big as a pea. It is the pus that is contagious on contact and it is this that spreads the skin virus over the sufferer and to other people. Squeezing may have worked in some cases but it is very risky in that it may spread.

Squeezing out the pus also only works if the person has a very small number of advanced stage bumps. Look at the picture I have uploaded on my 15 month old boy. Squeezing would have not been the best thing here.

We cured this cluster of molluscum by systematic application of apple cider vinegar, clove oil, and iodine (only on the burst lesions). Following the guide on www.curemolluscumcontagiosum.com to cure them in 4 days and to stop the spread to other parts of his body.