Probably to those who do not have children around this sounds more like gastronomy than health. But not. Molluscs are a very common benign pathology among the smallest, although they can appear at any age.
It is a virus from the family of pox virus that causes the appearance of pinkish pimples that can appear in isolation or in groups. And since they generally don’t bite, they can go completely unnoticed by the .
Benign, but highly contagious
The Dr. Stephanie Patrizia Barbeito Pagliucaa member of the Dermatology Group of the , explains that:
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“These bumps typically appear on the face, neck, armpits, and top of the hands in children.”
What does characterize this virus is that it is very contagious. It is transmitted by skin-to-skin contact, and in environments such as sports facilities or swimming pools.
This form of transmission makes it very likely that outbreaks will appear in nurseries and schools.
They can be sexually transmitted
But although we have already seen that children are the main ‘victims’ of this viral infection, the elderly are not free from suffering from it either.
The doctor explains that in sexually active adults and in some immunosuppressed individuals, molluscs can also appear.
At these ages, their location is different and they usually appear on “the genitals, in the lower part of the abdomen and in the upper inner part of the thighs in adults.” Those are the most affected areas, as long as the infection is sexually transmitted.
How to identify them?
Dr. Barbeito Pagliuca explains that the number of mollusks that appear can range from 1 to around 20. Regarding their size, they start out very small, “it can be like the head of a pin” and grow until they reach the size of a “pencil eraser,” explains this expert.
The SEMG specialist lists the characteristics of the bumps:
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“They have relief, they are round and the color of the skin.”
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“They’re small, typically less than 6mm in diameter.”
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“They usually show a small hole or dot at the top, near the center.”
How are they treated?
At this point, the experts explain that the treatment of molluscs will be different depending on the characteristics of the patient. Specifically they depend on:
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The age of the patient, his state of health and his medical history.
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If the disease is in its beginning or already more advanced.
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The patient’s tolerance to certain drugs.
In the day-to-day consultations for molluscs, the most normal thing is that the doctor decides not to intervene. In other words, “letting the contagious molluscum disappear on its own without any treatment,” explains Barbeito Pagliuca.
Of course, you have to be patient because these pimples take time to disappear. Sometimes 2 or 3 months, but as the expert points out, this time can take up to 6 or 18 months.
On other occasions, the specialist may choose to treat the molluscs. Doctor Barbeito explains the different techniques to end them:
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Remove them with a scalpel or tweezers.
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Through cryotherapy.
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Make a scraping of the mollusk with surgical instruments (curettage).
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Application of creams or suitable chemical agents for its elimination.
Is it possible to avoid contagion?
If a family member has molluscs, which is very common in the case of children, there are recommendations to prevent them from infecting other family members.
To this end, the family doctor specializing in dermatology explains what we must take into account:
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Do not touch, or rub the shellfish.
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Wash hands frequently with soap and water.
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Keep the areas where the grains have appeared clean.
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If possible, shellfish can be covered, either with clothing or with dressings, to prevent them from coming into contact with other skin. This is especially indicated when we are going to practice contact or water sports.
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Do not shave or wax the areas affected by molluscs.
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Moisten the skin if it is dry.
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Do not share towels, clothing or other personal items.