Dr. Alai is an actively practicing medical and surgical dermatologist in south Orange County, California. She has been a professor of dermatology and family medicine at the University of California, Irvine since 2000. She is U.S. board-certified in dermatology, a 10-year-certified fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology, and Fellow of the American Society of Mohs Surgery.
Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.
The diagnosis of molluscum is based
simply on the skin appearance. Most pediatricians and family physicians diagnose
this condition during an in-office skin exam.
A few other medical conditions may look just like molluscum and need to be
examined more closely by a dermatologist. A dermatologist may therefore be consulted for atypical
cases of molluscum.
While typical cases do not require special tests, cases that are more
difficult may warrant a relatively painless in-office skin scraping by a
dermatologist using a microscope, glass slide, and potassium hydroxide to
rapidly detect the small poxvirus particles. Rarely, a small skin biopsy may be
used to help the doctor confirm the diagnosis.
Other times, a skin bacterial culture may be taken by a cotton-tip applicator
to assist in detecting a secondary bacterial skin infection, such as Staphylococcus.
How is molluscum contagiosum treated?
There are many good treatment options
for treating molluscum. Some physicians may also suggest not treating the
molluscum contagiosum, allowing it to go away on its own. The specific treatment
depends on the areas involved, number of bumps, age of the individual, and
underlying health conditions.
Many available wart treatments are also used to treat molluscum. It is very
important to keep in mind that regardless of the treatment, multiple and repeat
treatments may be required to get rid of all of the molluscum. Treatments should
be scheduled every two to three weeks for best results.
Home remedies for mild cases of molluscum include one or a combination of the
following:
using an over-the-counter salicylic acid patch like Trans-ver-sal
or Compound W;
self-freezing every two to three weeks with an over-the-counter home wart
freezer device;
applying a very small piece of duct tape or
electrical tape applied to the individual molluscum bumps daily; and/or
squeezing out the
small center core of each bump.
Professional medical treatments may include one or a combination of the
following:
freezing with liquid nitrogen, called cryotherapy;
burning using light electrocautery;
painlessly applying cantharidin "beetle juice" or "blister beetle
fluid";
manually extracting the core using a special tool called a comedone
extractor;
applying chemical acid;
surgically removing using a small, sharp,
spoon-like instrument called a curette;
applying retinoid like tretinoin (Retin-A) or tazarotene (Tazorac) cream at home daily;
applying topical immune activating medications like imiquimod (Aldara) cream;
applying topical chemotherapy cream like 5-fluorouracil
(Efudex or Carac);
applying topical antiviral medications like new Cidofavir cream
(off-label use);
taking oral cimetidine (Tagamet) used for weeks to months for
individuals with a large number of lesions (off-label use); and
using laser therapy
in some cases.
Most cases of molluscum contagiosum are
easily and fully curable. There are very rare, long-standing cases of molluscum
contagiosum in immunocompromised people that may not be curable.
The word "rash" means an outbreak of red bumps on the body. The way people use this term, "a rash" can refer to many different skin conditions. The most common of these are scaly patches of skin and red, itchy bumps or patches all over the place.
Acne is a localized skin inflammation as a result of overactivity of oil glands at the
base of hair follicles. This inflammation, depending on its location, can take the form
of a superficial pustule (contains pus), a pimple, a deeper cyst, congested pores, whiteheads, or blackheads. Treatments vary depending on the severity of the acne.
Cysts are saclike structures that can occur throughout the body and usually contain a semisolid, liquid, or gaseous substance. Infections, tumors, genetic conditions, chronic inflammatory conditions, and wear and tear can cause cysts. Though some cysts may be palpable, others may not produce any symptoms. Treatment depends upon the location and cause of the cyst.
Itching can be a common problem. Itches can be localized or generalized. There are many causes of itching to include: infection (jock itch, vaginal itch), disease (hyperthyroidism, liver or kidney), reactions to drugs, and skin infestations (pubic or body lice). Treatment for itching varies depending on the cause of the itch.
Eczema is a general term for many types dermatitis (skin inflammation). Atopic dermatitis is the most common of the many types of eczema. Other types of eczema include: contact eczema, allergic contact eczema, seborrheic eczema, nummular eczema, stasis dermatitis, and. dyshidrotic eczema.
Folliculitis is a skin condition that causes small red bumps to form around the hair follicles. Skin bacteria such as Staphylococcus and Pseudomonas my infect the follicles. Treatment involves over-the-counter bacterial washes, topical antibiotics, and/or topical steroids.
Scar formation is a natural part of the healing process after injury. The depth and size of the wound incision and the location of the injury impact the scar's characteristics, but your age, heredity and even sex or ethnicity will affect how your skin reacts.
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