A common viral skin infection producing small, firm, dome-shaped bumps, treatable in the clinic with cryotherapy.
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At a glance
- Who it affects
- Often children or people with small viral bumps.
- What you notice
- Firm, dome-shaped bumps with a central dimple.
- What helps
- May settle or may be treated with an office procedure; choice varies.
What we do
A doctor may confirm the diagnosis and discuss whether to observe or treat. The course varies.
What you can do
- Avoid scratching or sharing towels.
- Cover lesions for close contact.
- Ask if bumps spread.
Read the full page on Molluscum contagiosum
What it is
Molluscum contagiosum is a common viral skin infection. It produces small, firm, dome-shaped bumps on the skin.
How we treat it
Molluscum contagiosum is one of the lesions listed in Dr Satish’s cryotherapy leaflet as treatable with cryotherapy — freezing the lesion with liquid nitrogen as an office procedure. See the cryotherapy page for what that involves.
A note on this page
The clinic’s patient leaflets do not yet include a sheet devoted to molluscum contagiosum, so this page is deliberately short. Ask Dr Satish at your consultation for advice about your own case.
Reviewed by Dr. D. A. Satish · date to be confirmed
The information on this website is for general education only. It is not a substitute for a consultation, a diagnosis or a prescription. Always see a qualified doctor about your own condition.