Molluscum Contagiosum ( Riddhi) PDF

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MOLLUSCUM CONTAGIOSUM What is Molluscum Contagiosum? Molluscum Contagiosum is a skin condition which is a result of infection caused by the virus which is a poxvirus Molluscum contagiosum. It leads to small bumps or lesions known as mollusca. These are raised, small and commonly of white, pink or skin-color. It is spread by direct contact with the contaminated person or thing. They disappear on their own but may sometimes take as long as 4 years. They are generally smooth textured and of size of a pinhead to as large as a pencil eraser. These may occur anywhere on the body be it, neck, arms, face, abdomen and genital areas and rarely on the palm of the hand or sole of the feet.

Signs & Symptoms of Molluscum Contagiosum A person can easily tell whether or not they have molluscum contagiosum as the lesions or rash is itself the tell-tale sign of molluscum. The bumps of mollascum:  Are soft and smooth and may have a small dent in the center.  Can appear alone or in groups, or rows.  Can get infected with bacteria if kids scratch or pick at them.  Can show up almost anywhere on the skin except for the palms and soles. In kids, they're most often on the trunk, arms, and face.  Grow over a few weeks. They can be quite large.  Often are painless, but can get itchy, sore, red, and/or swollen.  Start as very small spots about the size of a pinhead.

Who is at the risk to have Molluscum Contagiosum? Molluscum is most common in healthy kids between the age of 1 and 12 years. But it also happens in:  people who have health problems treated with the help of long-term steroid medicine use  athletes having close contact, such as wrestlers, or athletes who share equipment, such as gymnasts

Prevention To help prevent the spread of the virus of molluscum to other places on their body and to other people, one should:

 Wash your hands. Washing hands well and often with soap and water.  Don't share personal items. One must refrain from sharing any sort of personal items with others. This includes hairbrushes, clothing, towels, or other personal items.  Cover the bumps. Cover the bumps with watertight clothing when around others, in order to prevent direct contact.  Avoid touching the bumps. Do not touch, scratch, or rub or even shave over the bumps.  Avoid sexual contact. If someone has molluscum contagiosum on or near your genitals, they must not have sexual contact until the bumps are treated and have completely disappeared.

Treatment For Molluscum Contagiosum Since molluscum contagiosum is self-limited in most of the healthy people, it would be quite unnecessary to seek for treatment. However, there can still be reasons to treat it such as lesion visibility, any underlying disease, and prevention of transmission. Moreover, if the lesions are present in the genital area, treatment for molluscum contagiosum is recommended as there is a possibility that the person may have any other disease spread by sexual contact. The treatment options for molluscum contagiosum are: TOPICAL TREATMENTS There are a number of topical treatments (creams, lotions and ointments) that can be used to treat molluscum contagiosum which includes Podophyllotoxin cream (0.5%), which is reliable as a home therapy for men. It is not at all recommended for pregnant women. Although there is not enough evidence to know whether or not any particular treatment is more effective than the others but there are various options nonetheless, these treatments must be prescribed by a health care professional. These are:  Tretinoin  Salicylic acid  Potassium hydroxide  Podophyllotoxin  Iodine  Imiquimod (T cell modifier)  Cantharidin (a blistering agent usually applied in an office setting)  Benzoyl peroxide

CRYOTHERAPY This procedure requires the dermatologist to apply an extremely cold substance like liquid nitrogen to each molluscum spot, thus freezing the spots to destroy and remove them. Each spot is frozen for 5 to 10 seconds, in order to form a layer of ice over the spot and the surrounding area. You may need return for treatment and have several sessions of cryotherapy every 2 to 3 weeks before each spot clears completely. Because it can be a painful procedure, it’s not recommended for young children. Nonetheless, it may be an option for a teen or an adult wrestler who needs to get back to the sport.

CURETTAGE In this procedure, the dermatologist uses a thin, metal, spoon-like instrument medical device called a curette to remove the molluscum bumps by scraping them off from the skin. Provided that the hands are skilled, this is a simple and effective treatment because it causes little or no bleeding. Because your dermatologist cuts into the skin you may have a local anaesthetic before having this type of treatment. Moreover, the treatment can be frightening for young children therefore it is usually performed only on older children, teens, and adults.

DIATHERMY This treatment procedure makes good use of heat to treat and remove the spots which are formed on the skin surface. The area being treated is numbed with administration of local anaesthesia. After that a heated electrical device is used to burn off and get rid of the papules.

PULSED-DYE LASERS It is a relatively new type of treatment for molluscum contagiosum and it may be a treatment option for someone who has many bumps. It’s also recommended for patients with difficult-to-treat molluscum, such as people with AIDS. During this procedure, the dermatologist uses a powerful beam of light to destroy the cells that make up each spot. Studies show that this treatment procedure can effectively treat dozens of bumps in less than 2 minutes. A person may experience some sort of discomfort and skin discolouration in the treated areas, but the treated skin tends to heal completely between 1 and 2 weeks on the face and between 2 and 4 weeks on other areas of the body.The procedure may need to be repeated several times to clear all of your spots. It is strongly suggested to patients with difficult-to-treat molluscum, like people with AIDS....