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Molluscum contagiosum is one of the viral-type skin diseases that often affects patients in childhood. Children aged one to ten years are most susceptible to it. The cause of its occurrence is the Poxviridae virus, one of the pathogens included in the smallpox group.
Such a disease is very contagious and is transmitted by contact: with close physical contact with the patient, using contaminated toys, bed linen, dishes, personal hygiene items.
The disease manifests itself only as a rash, without causing discomfort and without causing any inconvenience. It usually goes away on its own without proper treatment within a few months. However, many patients seek medical help to protect relatives and friends from possible infection, and also because of the unaesthetic appearance.
What is this disease
A characteristic, and also the only symptom of molluscum contagiosum, is a rash, which is small pimples on the skin and mucous membranes.
The rash usually has a rounded and convex shape with a flesh or pinkish tint. This disease is characterized by small depressions in the center of each pimple. The sizes of mollusks usually vary from one to one and a half centimeters in diameter, but most often such pimples merge and form solid huge mollusks. Initially, the rash affects separate areas – the neck, face, thighs, abdomen or armpits, but can spread throughout the body. The palms and feet are the least susceptible to such rashes.
When pressing on the element of the rash, a white curd mass can be released from it. In this case, there is practically no doubt about the presence of molluscum contagiosum. However, for complete confidence and a correct diagnosis, you need to contact a dermatologist. Any rash requires immediate examination, as many serious diseases can cause it as one of the symptoms.
In adulthood, this disease can be transmitted sexually. It has especially negative tendencies with HIV infection, since in this case the disease can proceed quite peculiarly and difficultly, and the period of therapy can be quite long.
Treatment and removal of molluscum contagiosum
What type of treatment for this disease is suitable in a particular case, the specialist decides after the patient seeks medical help.
Therapy for molluscum contagiosum is of two types:
- medication, with the help of various antiviral drugs;
- operational – removal of mollusks in various ways.
The antiviral drug imiquimod, which has an indirect antiviral effect, is most often used in medical treatment.
This also includes cauterization of rashes with silver nitrate or similar drugs.
Operational methods include:
- curettage;
- cryotherapy;
- diathermocoagulation;
- removal with tweezers;
- laser removal.
Molluscum contagiosum is removed on an outpatient basis. In some cases, local anesthesia may be used. But it is worth noting that almost all types of surgical methods, with the exception of diathermocoagulation, proceed quite painlessly. But the treatment of small patients or overly emotional patients requires a special approach, so local anesthesia is used more to calm them down in doctors’ offices. As an anesthetic, a cream containing lidocaine is most often used, which must be applied to problem areas approximately one to two hours before the procedure.
After the operation, the affected area is treated with an antiseptic solution.
Curettage. This procedure can be easily performed in the outpatient setting. A curette is a small, pointed spoon that is used to remove tumors from the surface of the skin. An experienced and qualified specialist can do this in one simple movement in an almost bloodless way. After such removal, small scars may remain on the skin.
Removal with tweezers. This procedure is widespread in modern medicine. It consists in the fact that tweezers are brought under the base of the mollusk, and then, with one quick and sharp movement, the skin formation is plucked from the surface of the skin. After healing of the resulting wound, small scars may form. Bleeding after such an operation is small.
Diathermocoagulation. The essence of this method is the impact on the affected area with radio waves. Under the influence of electric current, the tissues are heated, which helps to cut off the formation and at the same time creates a cauterizing effect. This method is considered bloodless, however, scars on the skin after such a procedure may remain.
laser removal. This is a completely bloodless and maximally sterile procedure, as it is carried out by a non-contact method. With this method, the neoplasm tissue is evaporated layer by layer with a laser beam, without affecting healthy areas of the skin. The field of laser removal of molluscum contagiosum leaves no traces on the skin.
Removing the mollusk with liquid nitrogen
Cryotherapy is considered one of the innovative and most effective methods of removing molluscum contagiosum. With this procedure, you can easily get rid of neoplasms without injuring healthy areas of the skin. The basis of this method is the freezing of the formations that have appeared with the help of liquid nitrogen. Even when using local anesthesia during the procedure, the patient may feel a slight tingling in the treated area, burning and mild pain. At the end of the session, a slight swelling appears in the affected areas. And in place of the formations, dry crusts form, which in no case can be torn off, since it is under them that a new layer of skin is formed.
The advantages of this method are:
- no bleeding;
- no side effects;
- good cosmetic result;
- absence of scars on the skin;
- organotypic recovery.
The disadvantage of the method is the noisy operation of the applicator, which can frighten small patients.
After any procedure, you must follow some rules to speed up tissue healing and avoid re-infection:
- Do not comb the affected areas.
- Bedding, personal hygiene items, toys and clothing should be thoroughly laundered or replaced.
As a rule, one session is not enough to completely get rid of molluscum contagiosum. Approximately two to four weeks after the first procedure, you need to visit a doctor for an examination, where he will tell you how many more sessions you may need.
Summing up
Removing a mollusk with liquid nitrogen is the most popular method of getting rid of this disease today. With it, you can absolutely bloodlessly say goodbye to molluscum contagiosum once and for all. Moreover, this method has the best cosmetic result, does not leave scars on the skin and is suitable for the treatment of young patients. Before undergoing the procedure, it is necessary to consult with your doctor in order to avoid negative and unnecessary consequences.