Molluscum contagiousum

Dear Ask The Doctor: My son is 6 years old and has been diagnosed with molluscum contagiousum. i have taken him to see a demertologist 3 times already and he has perscribed him different types of ointments and nothing has worked. the last cream percribed was aldara cream 5%, i have applied it on him but the papule get iritated, they itch and sometimes bleed. my son is so tired of having them and embarsed of them, What can i apply, dont know what to do? do you know if Terrasil® cream really work? please advice

Dear Janie:

I realize how worried you are about this viral infection. Certainly it is more common in children and the firm bumps (papules) are painless and usually disappear within a year without treatment. If the papules are scratched or injured, the infection can spread to surrounding skin and then recur from time to time.

In patients with a normal immune system, these lesions would go away by themselves in a period from 6 to 12 months. Aldara 5% would help your son’s immune system to increase its effectiveness to combat this virus.  Sometimes medical treatment might have to be accompanied by removal of the papules by:

• Scraping (curettage)
• Freezing (cryotherapy)
• Laser therapy

These treatments can be painful, so a topical anesthetic can be prescribed before these procedures to lessen discomfort.

I would suggest you to discuss these treatments with your doctor. I am sure that they might have not proposed them yet due to your son’s age. I wish him a prompt recovery.