Molluscum Contagiosum: Pictures, Treatment & How Long It Lasts
Molluscum contagiosum is a common, harmless viral skin infection that produces small, firm, pearly bumps with a characteristic dimple in the centre. It mostly affects children, spreads by skin contact and shared items, and clears by itself — although that can take anywhere from six months to two years.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Celina Kazumi Iwasa, MD · Last reviewed 2026-08-23
Quick answer
Molluscum contagiosum is a viral skin infection causing clusters of small, firm, dome-shaped pearly bumps with a central dimple, commonly on the trunk, armpits, arms and behind the knees in children. It is harmless and usually clears on its own within 6–18 months without scarring. Treatment is optional and is used for widespread, irritating or cosmetically troublesome lesions, or in adults with genital involvement.
One free scan gives a first answer — the 3-month plan tracks how it changes over time.
What molluscum contagiosum looks like
Individual lesions are 2–5 mm, firm, dome-shaped and shiny, with a small central pit (umbilication) containing a white waxy core. They usually come in clusters or lines where the skin has been scratched, and a red, eczema-like ring can appear around them.
Common locations
- Trunk, armpits and sides of the chest
- Backs of the knees and inner elbows
- Face and neck in young children
- Groin, genitals and inner thighs (sexually transmitted in adults)
- Anywhere skin has been scratched, spreading in a line
Typical signs
- Pearly, firm bumps with a central dimple
- Clusters of 10–20 lesions, sometimes many more
- Mild itch, or an eczema-like patch developing around lesions
- Redness and swelling as a lesion begins to clear (the BOTE sign)
- New lesions appearing along scratch lines
On brown and Black skin
On brown and Black skin the bumps often look skin-coloured, brown or grey rather than pearly white, and the central dimple is the most useful diagnostic feature. Lighter or darker marks commonly remain for months after lesions clear, particularly if they were scratched or treated aggressively.
Causes and triggers
Molluscum is caused by a poxvirus that infects only the top layer of skin. It spreads by direct contact and by contaminated objects, and it spreads readily on the same person through scratching.
| Trigger | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Skin-to-skin contact | Play, contact sports and close household contact are the usual route in children. |
| Autoinoculation | Scratching or shaving over lesions spreads the virus into nearby skin, producing lines of new bumps. |
| Shared items | Towels, flannels, bath toys, gym equipment and clothing can transmit the virus. |
| Swimming pools | Shared water and, more importantly, shared towels and floats are associated with transmission. |
| Sexual contact | In adults, molluscum in the groin and genital area is usually sexually transmitted and merits a sexual-health check. |
| Eczema and immunosuppression | Broken eczematous skin allows wider spread; immunosuppression can cause very extensive or large lesions. |
Conditions that look similar
The central dimple is the key feature. When lesions are inflamed or crusted, other diagnoses become worth considering.
| Condition | How to tell it apart |
|---|---|
| Warts | Rough, keratotic surface with no central dimple, and often on hands, feet or knees. |
| Milia | Tiny hard white cysts, most often around the eyes, that do not have a dimple and do not spread. |
| Folliculitis | Pustules centred on hairs, tender rather than firm and pearly, appearing after shaving or sweating. |
| Chickenpox | Itchy blisters at different stages with fever, appearing over days rather than persisting for months. |
| Basal cell carcinoma | A single persistent pearly bump with visible vessels in an adult, particularly on sun-exposed skin, needs assessment. |
Treatment options
Most guidance favours leaving molluscum alone in healthy children, because it resolves without scarring and treatments can be painful or leave marks. Treatment is reasonable when lesions are widespread, irritating, in awkward sites, or affecting an adult's genital area.
Watchful waiting
The default in children. Lesions clear on their own — often after a period of redness and swelling that looks like worsening but signals resolution. No scarring results when lesions are left alone.
Topical treatments
Prescription options include potassium hydroxide solution, cantharidin applied in clinic, podophyllotoxin for genital lesions in adults, and topical retinoids. These work over weeks and can cause blistering or irritation.
Physical removal
Cryotherapy, curettage or expressing the core can clear individual lesions quickly. These are uncomfortable, usually reserved for older children and adults, and carry a small risk of marks or scarring.
Manage the surrounding eczema
Treat eczematous patches around lesions with emollients and prescribed topical treatment — settled skin is less likely to be scratched, which limits spread.
Limit spread
Do not share towels, flannels or bath water; cover lesions with clothing or a dressing for contact sports and swimming; avoid shaving over affected areas; and keep nails short.
When to see a doctor
Molluscum rarely needs urgent care, but some situations warrant a clinician's assessment for diagnosis or treatment.
Red flags
- Lesions in the genital area of an adult (sexual-health assessment advised)
- Very widespread, large or rapidly increasing lesions, or any in someone immunosuppressed
- Lesions on the eyelid or affecting the eye
- Painful, hot, spreading redness suggesting bacterial infection
- A single persistent pearly bump in an adult on sun-exposed skin
Frequently asked questions
How long does molluscum contagiosum last?
Individual bumps last around 6–12 weeks, but because new lesions keep appearing an episode typically runs 6–18 months, and occasionally up to two years. It clears completely without treatment in healthy children and does not scar if left alone.
How does molluscum contagiosum spread?
It spreads by direct skin contact, by scratching lesions and transferring the virus to nearby skin, and through shared towels, flannels, bath water, clothing and sports equipment. In adults, lesions in the genital area are usually spread by sexual contact.
Should molluscum be treated?
In healthy children the usual advice is to leave it alone, because it clears without scarring and treatments can be painful. Treatment is reasonable when lesions are widespread, itchy or infected, in a socially difficult site, present in the genital area of an adult, or in someone immunosuppressed.
Can my child still go to school or swim?
Yes. Children do not need to stay off school or nursery and can swim, but lesions should be covered with clothing or a waterproof dressing where practical, and towels, flannels and floats should not be shared.
Why did the bumps get red and angry before disappearing?
A sudden red, swollen, tender appearance is usually the beginning of the end — the immune system attacking the virus, sometimes called the BOTE (beginning of the end) sign. It commonly looks like infection but settles over one to two weeks, leaving clear skin.
Do adults get molluscum contagiosum?
Yes. In adults it most often appears in the groin and genital area and is usually sexually transmitted, so testing for other sexually transmitted infections is recommended. Extensive molluscum in an adult can also indicate an underlying immune problem and should be assessed.
Not sure if it is molluscum contagiosum?
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Check your skin nowRelated guides
- Molluscum contagiosum: full clinical A–Z entry
- Eczema (atopic dermatitis)
- Folliculitis
- Skin rash types: identify a rash by pattern
- Skin symptom pictures library
This page is for general information and does not replace a medical consultation. If you are worried about a skin change, see a qualified clinician.