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Original poster

Molloscum Contaiosum?

40 replies

FlyingFig · 01/04/2010 23:51

My Ds has had these awful spots for over a year now - everytime I think they are showing signs of going, new ones pop up.

They started on his face, and have continued in their cycle to affect his face/neck, apart from two on his balls that have been red and angry for over 12 weeks now.

From what I can gather, the spots going red are supposed to be a sign that his immune system is fighting the viral infection off - however he's had 2 lots of antibiotics so far due to infected spots and I'm a bit peeved that new ones are still coming up

My elder DD had them after DS, but hers went after 12 months and were limited to her upper thighs.

DS has ongoing health problems (from birth) and I'm wondering if this is why his are taking so long to go? Have tried Thuja caspules from H&B with no luck.

I just wish they'd (the spots) would go. I also realise that to anyone who hasn't experienced molloscum, this post will read as being odd

Any advice much appreciated.

OP posts:
yogabird · 02/04/2010 10:34

they will just go away - I know it is crap, it is easy to say from here but just try to ignore them, play them down with ds and try to not let him scratch them. They will go - it will seem like forever but they will and then one day you will notice that they have and it will take you by surprise and then it will all be over (mum of dds who seemed to have them for years and years and then one day - gone!)

Original poster
FlyingFig · 02/04/2010 11:32

It's reassuring to speak to someone who's Dcs are finally free from them - they're bloody awful though, I thought I'd heard of every childhood ailment going but these are a new one on me!

I think I got a bit excited (for want of a better word) when they went red, as I hoped that would be the end of them.

Thanks again

OP posts:
Summerfruit · 02/04/2010 11:36

Well, my dd had it, not a lot but massive spots. I sqeezed them all and afterwards they were all gone !

PacificDogwood · 02/04/2010 11:43

DS2 has them and hates them. It's been a year so far...

When they go red and inflammed that is a sign of them going. Antibiotics can only help with the redness and discomfort; they do not treat the actual molluscum as they are caused by a virus.

I would squeeze them if DS2 let me, but alas...

If you do nothing, they will go eventually, and there won't be any scars (squeezing carries the risk of scars).

And yes, if your DS has ongoing health problems he might be more prone to them and it may well take longer for them to disappear.
FWIW, my 3 boys have always shared a bath/towels etc and the other 2 have not got them - go, figure!

hedgepig · 02/04/2010 21:38

my DS1 had them and like yogabird described one day they just weren't there, he had them for a couple of years. But they weren't red unless they got knocked and so had a bit of infection in them. I just dabbed them with TCP and it seemed to stop it getting any worse.

Could something he is washing his face/neck with be irritating them and hence the redness?

Interestingly DS2 (17months) has one molloscum spot and has had for a couple of months but he only has the one, I've been expecting it to spread but it hasn't.

I hope you DS get rid of them soon.

justallovertheplace · 02/04/2010 21:46

My ds had these, and like others they just diappeared. They were horrendous at the time and tbh he was young when he got them and it definately made my PND worse as I worried so much about how he could have got them. I would say squeeze the bigger ones. It somehow gets the immune system to realise they're there and then attack them. He has no scars at all one year on, and they really will just disappear overnight. Quite amazing really. SO please don't worry, and don't waste money on expensive remedies

MinicronPerseiEgg · 02/04/2010 22:00

I tried Alypaly's method, it worked for DD. You pierce a couple of the largest spots with a toothpick dipped in iodine.

The spots react (go all red and angry looking) then this sets up a reaction and all the spots go red, then they all go! It took about a month from the piercing, it was amazing.

It's the trauma to the skin, it makes the body recognise/fight them. Or something (Alypaly will probably be along with the details!)

Anyway, it's one of the best things I've ever learned from MN. DS has them now, I'm waiting for a couple to be big enough to pierce. It only takes one go, and yes DD cried but it was over quickly and was less nasty than that whole squeezing thing, which I'd tried before.

MinicronPerseiEgg · 02/04/2010 22:02

FlyingFig, your DS's ones sound awful, btw, Horrid to have them all sore on his face and balls. Really hope it clears up soon.

Original poster
FlyingFig · 02/04/2010 22:52

Thanks everyone.

The ones that first appeared (on his top lip) have left pitted scars, but quite small and I think I only notice them because I know the scars are there.

I managed to squeeze one on his hand last year, but since then he's not keen to let me near them (can't say I blame him ).

There's another obvious scar just under his tear duct - I didn't squeeze that one but it's still left a noticeable scar.

In some ways it's been easier for him not to notice he's got them, with them being on his face - I think they've spread to his balls via him scratching and then shoving his hands down his pants? (typical man?!).

He has a lot of problems with his stomach and digestive system and is under the care of a surgeon/gastro paed but they don't seem concerned and put it down to 'one of those things'. Which is fair enough, but when it's one of your own, it's hard to adopt the same attitude, isn't it?

Thanks again.

OP posts:
alypaly · 03/04/2010 01:01

hi minicron....was just going to post my method....but you beat me to itGlad they have all gone and stayed away. Doubt if they will come back now.

flyingfig....DS probably needs some antibiotic cream for the ones on his balls....but the prick/iodine method really worked for me,minicron and many others. go to docs and get some bactroban cream for the ones on his nether regions.

UpToMyTitsOf · 03/04/2010 01:28

Is the iodine sold over the counter?, if so, under what name?

alypaly · 03/04/2010 01:34

its under the name iodine ticture in a small bottle. Use a cocktail stick and prick as many of the molluscum as LO will let you. Stab them as hard as you dare. I got the info from one of my dermatology books as my gp said there was nothing he could do. DS1 had approx 200 of the things all over him. The stabbing set a few of them off and they went red and inflamed. This set off a chain reactiona nd then they all disappeared. I think only 2 marked him with a teeny white mark.

alypaly · 03/04/2010 01:35

glad theres another night owl

UpToMyTitsOf · 03/04/2010 01:36

thank you

Original poster
FlyingFig · 04/04/2010 21:43

Thanks alypaly - not sure DS will let me prick them but I might be able to do it once he's in a deep sleep?

I'm that fed up with the darned things that I'm willing to try anything .

OP posts:
Earlybird · 04/04/2010 21:45

How old is your ds?

If he won't let you prick them, would he be able to prick them himself? Might make him more willing to try/persevere, if he is in control of any painful stabbings...

bramblebooks · 04/04/2010 22:28

colloidal silver spray worked for us anyone else used it?

Seona1973 · 04/04/2010 23:05

colloidal silver never worked for dd and neither did zymaderm. Only time and the surgeon removing some from her arms and face when she went for an eye op (thank you surgeon!!) helped.

alypaly · 04/04/2010 23:35

when i followed the instuctions from my dermatolgy book...i pricked them with this iodine tincture and a cocktail stick. One or two went very red and inflamed which set this chain reaction off. They all went inflamed bit by bit and then just went away. I believe the body just needs a gentle push to let it recognise that these are a foreign virus and that it needs to react. The pricking recreates this reaction and then the body destroys them. It worked perfectly for both DS's

Original poster
FlyingFig · 04/04/2010 23:40

Earlybird - he's 4, and they're on his face and neck so no chance he could prick them himself. He can't even master a knife and fork but that's probably another thread .

Have never heard of Colloidal spray or zymaderm - would try either if I thought they'd help though.

OP posts:
SoMuchToBits · 04/04/2010 23:40

Ds had them for a couple of years - we mostly just left them. Then one became really inflamed and infected when we were staying with ILs in Scotland. We took him to the GP who squeezed it and loads of stuff came out - it was painful but healed up ok. After that most of them disappeared. The y don't seem to have come back again.

They seem a real nuisance at the time, but now have just gone.

alypaly · 04/04/2010 23:46

somuchtobits showed the reaction that i was talking about...one inflamed one that triggers them all to go.

Original poster
FlyingFig · 04/04/2010 23:50

Ah - that's where I'm not sure then. DS has had lots of inflamed ones, so much so the GP has prescribed antibiotics and told us that these infected ones are a sign of them going.

But they still show no signs of vanishing.

New ones still pop up. Grrrr to Molloscum!

OP posts:
alypaly · 04/04/2010 23:58

they are contagious so try and keep a seperate towel/flannel etc. I am sure Gp is right ,how long have they been infected/inflamed for. DS1 was so embarrassed when he was at school. The other childrenused to call him warty,which i thought was horrible.

fidelma · 05/04/2010 00:02

I took my DD to the hospital as she had them for so long.The Dr said that she shouldn't say but if she poped them they would go away.DD aged 5 did this herself and they all disapeared.

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