Tips to Avoid Spreading Molluscum Contagiosum by AAD dermatologists

ROSEMONT, Ill. - Molluscum contagiosum is a common and highly contagious skin condition caused by a virus. According to dermatologists from the American Academy of Dermatology, the condition mostly affects children — adults are often immune to the infection — and causes pearly, flesh-colored bumps to appear on the skin. The bumps can appear anywhere, and while they are usually harmless, they often multiply and spread to other parts of the body and to other people. During the infection, which can last several months, some molluscum bumps become red, swollen or crusted, which can worry parents. However, these changes are usually a sign that the body is fighting off the virus.
"Molluscum contagiosum spreads through skin-to-skin contact or by touching or sharing things that have the virus on them, such as clothing and towels," says board-certified dermatologist Elaine C. Siegfried, MD, FAAD, a professor of pediatrics and dermatology at Saint Louis University School of Medicine. "Although the condition will eventually clear on its own in people with a healthy immune system, this takes about one year, and people who have molluscum can easily spread the virus to other parts of their body and to other people."
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