Molluscum Contagiosum
Small, pearly bumps with a tiny central dimple, from a common skin virus. Mostly in kids, harmless, and gone on its own in 6 to 18 months. Patience is the main treatment.
Quick answer: Most children with molluscum contagiosum don’t need treatment: the spots clear on their own, usually within 6–18 months, and no treatment has clearly beaten waiting in trials. Avoid picking or scratching, which spreads it. There’s no need to miss school or swimming. See your GP for spots near the eye or spots that are painful or oozing.
The molluscum ladder
Most children need nothing but time. No treatment has clearly beaten waiting in trials, so climb only for a good reason.
- Step 1 · Self-careLeave it aloneThe immune system clears the virus itself. Spots often go red and angry just before they vanish: that’s the good part.
- Works
- About 7 in 10 clear by 18 months (average about 13 months); about 1 in 8 still have spots at 2 years
- Cost
- Free
- How long
- 6–18 months
- Watch for
- Picking and scratching spread it. New spots can keep appearing for a while.
The most effective treatment is a calendar.
- Step 2 · PharmacyTreat itchy eczema around the spotsMoisturiser, plus a mild steroid cream on itchy, inflamed skin nearby.
- Works
- Not tested in trials; low risk, and less itch means less scratching and spreading
- Cost
- About $10–25 for moisturiser or hydrocortisone cream
- How long
- Steroid cream a few days to 2 weeks; moisturiser ongoing
- Watch for
- Stinging on broken skin. No strong steroids on the face without advice.
Scratching is molluscum’s favourite travel agent.
- Step 3 · PharmacyWart paint (salicylic acid) on a few spotsIrritates the spot so the body notices it. Protect the skin around it with petroleum jelly.
- Works
- Evidence weak: no treatment clearly beat waiting in a Cochrane review; may speed clearing a little
- Cost
- About $10–20 a bottle
- How long
- A few weeks
- Watch for
- Redness, stinging, blistering. Not on the face, genitals or broken skin.
Aim small. Painting the whole child is not the plan.
- Step 4 · ProcedureFreezing or scraping by a doctorFor a few stubborn spots in older children or adults.
- Works
- Removes the spots treated; no good trials show faster overall clearing than waiting
- Cost
- GP visit, often bulk-billed or a gap of about $40–90
- How long
- 1–3 visits, a few weeks apart
- Watch for
- Pain, blistering, scarring or pale marks. Not a toddler favourite.
Great for an adult with three spots. Less great for a five-year-old with thirty.
Save your money
Popular, heavily marketed or often asked about, but the evidence is weak or says no.
- Tea tree oil and other “natural” remediesOne small trial, and they can cause skin irritation or allergy. Mostly tea tree oil and hope.
- Imiquimod creamNo better than a dummy treatment in children in good trials, with more side effects.
- Cimetidine tabletsAn old heartburn tablet that did no better than a dummy treatment in a trial.
- Apple cider vinegarNo trials, and it can cause chemical burns on young skin.
What you can do
- Keep nails short. No scratching, picking or shaving over spots.
- Don’t share towels, baths or clothes. Cover spots for contact sports.
- No need to miss childcare, school or swimming.
- Moisturise dry skin.
See your GP if
- Spots near the eye or on the eyelid
- Spots are painful, swelling or oozing pus
- An adult with spots on the genitals (a sexual health check is worthwhile)
- Many large spots, or a weakened immune system
See a doctor the same day for a red, painful eye, spreading hot red skin with fever, or a child who seems unwell.
Common questions
How long does molluscum last?
It clears on its own, usually within 6 to 18 months, sometimes longer.
Should molluscum be treated?
Leaving it alone is the best approach for most children. No treatment has clearly beaten waiting in trials, and picking or squeezing spreads it.
Can my child go to school or swimming with molluscum?
Yes, there’s no need to miss childcare, school or swimming. Don’t share towels, baths or clothing, and cover spots for contact sports.
Why have the molluscum spots gone red?
Spots often go red and inflamed just before they clear, which is a good sign. See your GP if they are painful, swelling or oozing pus.
Is molluscum contagious?
Yes, mildly. It spreads by skin-to-skin contact and by sharing towels, baths and toys, and children can spread it around their own body by scratching. Using separate towels and covering spots for contact sports helps.
What does molluscum look like?
Small, smooth, pearly or skin-coloured bumps, usually 2 to 5 mm, often with a tiny dimple in the middle. They often appear in clusters in skin folds, on the trunk or behind the knees.
Can adults get molluscum?
Yes. In adults it’s often spread by sexual contact and appears on the genitals, lower tummy or inner thighs. Lots of large spots in an adult can be a sign of a weakened immune system, so see a GP.
Helpful resources
- Raising Children Network: MolluscumPlain-language guide for parents, including school and child care. Free, Australia.
- KidsHealth NZ: MolluscumShort guide on spread, hygiene and when to see a doctor. Free, New Zealand.
Evidence and more information
- Healthdirect: Molluscum contagiosum
- NHMRC Staying Healthy: Molluscum contagiosum
- Perth Children’s Hospital: Molluscum guideline
- Cochrane: Treatments for molluscum
- Lancet Infectious Diseases: How long molluscum lasts, cohort study (2015)
maladywise.com/molluscum/