Molluscum

Molluscum shows as white or pink bumps on the skin. They are small (usually 1–5 mm across) and round in shape. If you look very carefully (ideally with a magnifying glass), you will usually see a small dimple in the centre of each one. There are usually several, often scattered on the lower abdomen among the pubic hair, or on the upper thighs. In men they may be on the penis, and in women on the lips of the vagina. Sometimes they can be difficult to distinguish from genital warts.

In time, molluscum usually goes away on its own. Strangely, molluscum usually goes away faster if the lumps become damaged. Therefore a doctor or nurse will treat them by piercing each one with a sharp sterile needle and digging out some of the material inside. Large molluscums can be treated by freezing (cryotherapy). In dark-skinned individuals, treatment may leave a tiny pale area. You should avoid shaving over molluscum, as this may spread them or encourage scarring.

Molluscum is not dangerous. If you scratch the lumps, they could become infected, leaving a scar after healing.

Written by: Dr Margaret Stearn
Edited by: Dr Margaret Stearn
Last updated: Friday, February 12th 2010

Useful contacts for Molluscum

Click to see all the contacts that you may find useful in relation to genital infections | Molluscum

---

Add a comment

A problem shared is a problem halved: help others by sharing your frustrations or successes at tackling your health problem.

We have noticed that many of your queries are answered on the website, so please search for your problem before submitting a comment. As all comments are moderated, there will be a delay before your comment appears.

Display Name Age: 123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839404142434445464748495051525354555657585960616263646566676869707172737475767778798081828384858687888990919293949596979899 100+ Sex: Male Female Country: Select Country United States United Kingdom Afghanistan Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Bouvet Island Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia Comoros Congo Congo, The Democratic Republic of The Cook Islands Costa Rica Cote D'ivoire Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guinea Guinea-bissau Guyana Haiti Heard Island and Mcdonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq Ireland Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macao Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco Mongolia Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands Netherlands Antilles New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Reunion Romania Russian Federation Rwanda Saint Helena Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and The Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Georgia and The South Sandwich Islands Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand Timor-leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States United States Minor Outlying Islands Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela Viet Nam Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, U.S. Wallis and Futuna Western Sahara Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe Comment:

Submit

Discussion content reflect the view of individual participants only. Health Press bear no responsibility for accuracy of participant comments and will bear no legal liability for discussion results. Comments will be moderated before posting and Health Press Ltd reserves the right to delete any material.

Comments on this article

Posted by Lovabrotha on 31/12/2009 at 06:45:00 pm

I recently just had unprotected sex with someone about two weeks ago..... I have always had lumps around my pubic area but thought nothing of it.... After my last sexual encounter I have just recntly notice a single lump on my shaft ( slightly reddish) it hurts slightly during an erection but aside that it doesn't disturb me..... Is this a serious problem ???... This first time I have ever had any growth on my penis

Posted by ... on 14/03/2009 at 10:13:00 pm

ive had this problem for agess and doctors misdiagnosed me sooo many times once it was so painful and i couldn't walk so i was admitted to hospital and even they misdiagnosed me. thank you sooo much for this help