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General health

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Original poster

Molluscum Contagiosum

17 replies

Richie · 18/07/2007 15:52

Hello fellow netters,
It's been a long LONG time since I last went into this area of the mumsnet site, and have spent the last 2 days reading threads and answers, on all different topics. (If only I had time to do that!!! EAK!!)
My issue is regarding my dd. She is 4, and has had 'this condition' (molluscum contagiosum) for about 18months. 2 visits to my GP have identified what it is, (first diagnosis was incorrect) but have been told that it is very common, but that this condition does clear up in a matter of months. (18 months to me seems excessive!) If anything, they have recently become slightly worse, more widespread, (initially just behind one knee) now they appear behind both knees, a few inside of her elbows, couple on her tummy, and now quite a few on her inside thighs. My hubby keeps pestering me to get her back in front of the doctors in order to get her a referral to a skin specialist. It does look a bit unsightly, and I know that it CAN be a bit contagious, (if one isn't careful enough eg changing towels, washing hands, changing pyjamas every nite, etc), she does scratch a bit from time to time, and causes them to bleed a bit. I've researched this on line, and saw pictures of sufferers worse than my dd, and have taken photocopy of stuff in library that says the same kind of thing as my GP did. Does anyone have any advice? How long will this last? Will a skin specialist really help any more? I'd be very grateful for any comments! Thanks in advance.

OP posts:

CarGirl · 18/07/2007 15:57

My gp told me that it is a virus that is clever and doesn't easily get detected by the bodies immune system hence they can linger for years. However, once they get infected etc the body usually realises that they are there and gets rid of it.

When dd got this (presumably caught from her best friend who has it quite badly) they really irritated her so she scratched them lots and they went within a month! Dd has excema which is why I think they irritated her skin so much.

Dd's friend never scratches hers and has had them for years, another friend scratched her daughters when she was asleep and they too disappeared very quickly after that! Finally dd's friends have got infected very recently on her face and they've now started to go although she still has them elsewhere but perhaps her body will start to get rid of them now?

coddy · 18/07/2007 15:57

sh ened to get chicken pox
that clared it up here

Meeely2 · 18/07/2007 16:02

my DS has had this for about a year. A skin specialist will not help anymore than your GP no, it's a virus and as with most virus's (chicken pox, the common cold) it will take as long as it takes to clear up. My sons is still getting worse at this stage, new spots everyday, bt they don't bother him, he doesn't scratch and occasionally if we are quick we can squeeze one or two! The centre works its way out on it's own, and if you can get hold of the head and pull - it will bleed, sometimes loads, but once gone it clears up quickly and doesn't come back.

I was told its a member of the pox virus, but not as severe hence it takes longer to go, kids with senstive skin and ecsema (*sp?) are more prone than others. eg i have twins and one has it and one doesn't.

It's just insightly not harmful.

Meeely2 · 18/07/2007 16:02

UNsightly

jura · 18/07/2007 16:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

Richie · 18/07/2007 19:15

Well, already I feel better, thank you, thank you!! Hello CarGirl, what invaluable information yr GP gave u. Thanks for passing it on. I have to admit, that thinking about it, dd has started to scratch a bit more recently, making the occassional one bleed quite a bit, and I think you are right, Meeely2, those ones on her did disappear, following her scratcing but it has been difficult to decipher this as there are so many there.... Dear Jura, seems like the quicker they come, the quicker they go, yeah? & conversley the slower they appear the slower they go. Dear Coddy, my dd has not had chick pox. Sometimes, I REALLY wish she had. But interesting info - thx. Mmmmm thanks all, lots of food for thought here.

OP posts:

hurricane · 18/07/2007 21:05

My dd's lasted about six months. Tried both the Elizabeth ARden cream and manuka honey and neither worked. Think these are bit of a myth and waste of time and stickiness tbh. Think the only thing you can do is wait for them to go when they go. Wouldn't scratch, pick or squeeze either if you can help it as this can cause scarring.

neva · 18/07/2007 22:00

My daughter has had this for about a year now. The only remaining patch is behind one knee. Seems to be worse where she has a bit of eczema. Maybe the scratching spreads it? However, you can't stop a child with eczema from scratching.It hasn't spread to anyone else in the family. Doctor told me it would last a long time and you just have to wait for it to pass.

Doodledootoo · 18/07/2007 22:07

Message withdrawn

Original poster

Richie · 19/07/2007 17:46

Hello Doodledootoo, wow, how interesting. I shall certainly try the rubbing with towel....thanks for that.
Neva, yes, my GP said that scatching will spread them. Thanks for your info. though.
Hurricane, I'm really pleased you have told me about the Elizabeth Arden cream, as I was definitely gonna make it my mission to buy some next week. I will not bother now!
I have some organic formula Calming Baby Lotion which I shall use, just to soothe the area. (It's lovely stuff anyway)

OP posts:

jellysmummy · 19/07/2007 21:47

we've tried everything for dd1, she has had them for 2.5 years. Don't seem to bother her except when erupting, then screams like blue murder. Sadly she doesn't scratch so they don't get infected. Have squeezed some which hurts like hell but they do go away so far no scarring. She had a huge one on her bob which I squeezed eventually she wasn't impressed but it was very satisfying - for me . I have heard that tea tree oil works but she says it stings! It is the core that is the infectious part so if you do squeeze or help them on their way make sure you dispose of it without touching it. As an earlier MN said they take as long as they take but pissed off with them now

Hopeitwontbebig · 19/07/2007 21:54

My DS2 has quite a few on his bottom. Poor love was SO embarrassed when we took him to the doctors. He's had them for well over a year. They don't look like they are about to clear up any time soon. Our doc said the same that others have been told, ie virus etc.

Be interesting to see if a vigorous towel rubbing will help. Might give that a try!

DarrellRivers · 19/07/2007 21:56

So true about them getting infected, they then disappear.
DD's molluscum have been there for ever, and recently they got infected and now they've gone , hurray

bozza · 19/07/2007 21:58

DS and DD have both had them and they lasted for ages on DS - maybe a couple of years. He got them first and infected DD who was a baby at the time. Actually I think we cross contaminated because she had them on the sides of her body where you would pick her up IYSWIM. Both had chicken pox and it didn't clear it up in either of them so I am not convinced by cod's theory.

DarrellRivers · 19/07/2007 21:59

Agree that chickenpox doesn't always do the trick, DD's survived the pox.
Perhap Cod's were superinfected bacterially on top of the pox

CHOCOLATEPEANUT · 30/07/2007 19:50

my dd has these and they are really getting on my nerves.She started 6 months ago with a small crop of tiny little wart like bumps under her arm.The GP diagnosed it and now its in full force.I have read that it attacks weak skin and my dd has always been a bit dry and flaky under her arms on one side.

Its down right down one side and as her arm touches this its now on her arm too.She has the odd one on her other side which is only slightly dry.

They look awful and i have tried to squeeze the middle out when I can see it erupting but she screams the place down plus I am using zyaderm which has tea tree in it and when you apply this to the broken spots she screams in pain.I have tried scrubbing with an exfoliant in the bath and towel rubbing but it just seems to get worse and I dread bathtimes and adding the zyaderm as she gets very upset.

I cant belive its so common too, so horrible and yet 6 months ago i did not know it existed.

Sisterthree · 29/01/2017 01:27

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, and it is very contagious though many people are immune, many are not. The research I have read indicates that people who have eczema get it worse and for longer. All my children and both adults got molluscum and we have dealt with it now in total over 4 years as it went through the family (and back again). Good hygeine is really important but the worse advice we got from doctors (we saw 4 in total including two specialist dermatologist) was to leave it alone and do nothing. We did this for over a year and it resulted in the spread over the whole body of one of our children. Anyway, we had good success with only a couple of treatments, apple cider vinegar washes, and Mollenol where by far the best overall. Hope this helps others.

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