Signs and Symptoms
One or more small (1–10 mm) pink, skin-colored or pearly, dome-shaped bumps, often with a tiny dimple in the center, occur in clusters and sometimes in a straight line in molluscum contagiosum. The bumps are usually painless and may occasionally itch. Individual bumps may get bigger over the course of 6–12 weeks. Usually the bumps do not grow larger than 10 mm, but in patients with weak immune systems, they can be larger than a nickel.
Infections may be:
- Mild – under 10 lesions
- Moderate – about 10–50 lesions
- Severe – over 50 lesions
Common areas for molluscum contagiosum lesions are the chest, abdomen, back, armpits, groin, or backs of the knees. Occasionally, they can be seen on the face and genital region. Because the incubation period for molluscum contagiosum is 2 weeks to 6 months, lesions may not immediately be seen after contracting the virus. Molluscum contagiosum infection is self-limited, and lesions will go away on their own in 6–9 months, although they rarely can persist for a few years. As the bumps begin to resolve, they may initially appear more inflamed, with pus and crusting of the lesions, before they eventually fade. They usually do not leave a scar.
Who's At Risk
