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Original poster

Molluscum contagiosum and plasters?

23 replies

Fagin99 · 02/08/2023 10:15

My 16-month-old dd has somehow caught Molluscum contagiosum (confirmed by GP). So far, it's just three spots on her arm which have been very inflamed and red. The doctor prescribed Fusidic acid which I've been putting on with plasters 2-3 times a day. I've noticed a yellow fluid in the plasters when I've changed them, so I've religiously kept them covered to try to stop it spreading. However, it's been a week now and the yellow fluid is still oozing out.

For anyone who has managed Molluscum with plasters - how long did you use plasters for? Was it weeks? And how long did the spots ooze for before healing? Thank you very much x

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 02/08/2023 10:27

Were you told to use plasters?
Sounds like the skin is too moist so I'd leave the plasters off.

lucasnorth · 02/08/2023 10:30

Reason for plasters is it spreads by contact.
We struggled with it for ages OP, sorry. But we weren’t ever prescribed the acid so maybe that will speed things up for you?

dementedpixie · 02/08/2023 10:33

We didnt use plasters when dd had it. You could keep the lesions covered by clothing instead of plasters or wait until the skin has dried out before putting the plasters on. Oozing yellow fluid doesn't sound good.

dementedpixie · 02/08/2023 10:37

Fucidic acid is for treating bacteria so they might be infected. It is not for treating the molluscum itself.

I'd let the skin dry out a bit tbh

Original poster
Fagin99 · 02/08/2023 11:31

Thanks everyone for your replies. Yes, the fucidic acid was given to treat a possible bacterial infection as the spots looked so red and angry, but i was expecting it to look better by now to be honest. I think I'll call the GP again and check it's still OK. They weren't a lot of help with the actual molloscum. Just "it will get better eventually". Interested to know if anyone has any success stories! Thanks.

OP posts:
SirSamVimesCityWatch · 02/08/2023 11:34

We weren't prescribed anything for dd's. Just 'it will go on its own' which it did, eventually - took almost a year! And now younger dd has it too.

We didn't use plasters - the spots weren't weeping or anything and there were far too many of them to try putting plasters on them all. Which is probably why younger dd now has it but it would have been ridiculous, like trying to put plasters on individual chicken pox spots.

JobChangeSoonPlease · 02/08/2023 11:47

It takes 18-24 months to go away. Pops up all over the body. You are lucky if it does not give nasty ones on the face. The acid will only cure/prevent the bacteria. It's a virus so you have to let it run its course. Good hygiene and covering up infected areas with loose cotton clothing can reduce the spread a bit.

Original poster
Fagin99 · 02/08/2023 13:10

Just in case anyone's following: I spoke to the GP again and they suggested carrying on with the fucidic acid for a few more days, and to continue with a dry dressing over the top until it stops oozing. The doctor wasn't concerned that it was yellow in colour so I've stopped worrying. She did reiterate it can take months to go completely. Ugh.
Thanks again for your replies.

OP posts:
Neonlights86 · 02/08/2023 13:15

My eldest daughter who is 9 has literally just got rid of them; and she had them since last June

My youngest who is 6 had some that appeared a few months ago and has Gained a few spots since then

If you do get any helpful advice from a GP please write it on here 😊

GP told us there is no treatment and it would go away within 2 years

Iwasrightallalong · 02/08/2023 13:20

im struggling with it now with my two year old, he’s had it on and off for about 4 or 5 months, initially thought it was chicken pox. The spots will disappear but then a few weeks later start up again and he has a few that are really red and scabby looking for which we got fusidic acid just in case. They take so long to heal don’t they, I’m really worried my poor boy will be covered in scars because of them.

Throughabushbackwards · 02/08/2023 15:09

We got rid of DS's molluscum (that was all over him - torso, legs, arms - for a year or so) by popping them to get the white doughnut shaped core out, then, TCP and a plaster until healed. That seemed to stop them spreading, it was when they grew to a size where they burst and became weepy that they were spreading, so this method stops that from happening.

Franticbutterfly · 02/08/2023 17:47

My DD had this for about a year. She didn't get rid of it until one was picked (I guess the body then realised it should do something about it).

ClairLee · 22/02/2024 21:11

Hi my son how is 11 has got this skin virus
Just want to share what has been working for us ,we are in the UK.

Holland and Barrett’s
Dr organic Tea oil facial wash
Dr organic body wash we also use sudocream and tap on spot after showering we used also molladub on the larger ones and fingers crossed 🤞 it seems to be doing ok.
Changing bedding daily and shower twice a day, not Just wanted to share as it may help someone else.

Gingernormal · 22/02/2024 21:16

Molludab worked for us. Gone in a week after leaving them alone for months

lechatnoir · 22/02/2024 21:19

My dc had this (& interesting that the few families I know with it - all children but neither parent were affected) . Took at good year to clear up and my youngest who was literally covered on his trunk has some scarring but we tried the bursting method with his which I don't think helped (& it didn't get rid of it). Suggest getting a rash vest for summer as the number of people who rudely comment or look repulsed is staggering and can be quite hard for you and the child.

BananaSpanner · 22/02/2024 21:21

We also used Molludab. It was the only thing that seemed to have an effect.

NeedthatFridayfeeling · 22/02/2024 21:26

I know this doesn't sound nice but my daughter gets them on her leg, guessing from sitting poolside during swimming lessons, i hold an ice cube on them and pop them with a sterile needle, doesn't hurt her and then her immune system kicks in and they go within about a week. I read on here to try that as nothing else was working.

LaPalmaLlama · 22/02/2024 21:31

NeedthatFridayfeeling · 22/02/2024 21:26

I know this doesn't sound nice but my daughter gets them on her leg, guessing from sitting poolside during swimming lessons, i hold an ice cube on them and pop them with a sterile needle, doesn't hurt her and then her immune system kicks in and they go within about a week. I read on here to try that as nothing else was working.

Yep- I also did this. Problem with molliscum is that it lives in the upper layer of skin so the immune system doesn’t notice it. Basically all treatments ( Molludab, beetle juice, tea tree oil, apple cider vinegar, squeezing) work the same way- they irritate the skin which makes the immune system pop up to see what’s up, it “recognises” the molliscum as an intruder and kills it. I squeezed a few of DD’s, being really careful to remove the core with tweezers and wipe with an alcohol rub. A few days later all the rest flared up and disappeared.

They will go on their own but honestly dd had loads and it looked awful so I just decided to hasten the process.

NeedthatFridayfeeling · 22/02/2024 21:40

@LaPalmaLlama she didn't have too many but she hated them, poor kids, and so frustrating that it can take so long to clear up, she's happy for me to pop them now after seeing how fast they go. Hopefully they'll all be done with it soon!

BamberGirl · 22/02/2024 21:41

My son had this, was awful. We used the spot in verucca treatment you can buy, it sort of forms a cap over them so it helped to stop spread. It also soften them and then after a few days I would squeeze the white ‘pearl’ out of the middle…they then healed quickly.

it was awful though, squeezing them not fun for either of us but they were spreading fast and even to genitals.

I think the verruca stuff with a plaster on top might work.

none of this is recommended in the label of the Bazooka medicine but I’d read online people suggesting soaking spots in apple cider vinegar. The verruca treatment is also acidic and the way it dried to a cap seemed to help.

it’s so horrible and so contagious, be absolutely scrupulous with hand washing etc if you do squeeze.

BamberGirl · 22/02/2024 21:44

Relieved to see I’m not the only one who tortured by child!

getting the core out seemed to be key, it had a root/tail bit if I remember right 🤢

children are teens now and no scars!

LaPalmaLlama · 22/02/2024 22:25

I would creep into her room with a head torch and do it while she slept 🤣🤣

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