Molluscum Contagiosum Explained: Symptoms, Treatment, and Prevention

Molluscum contagiosum is a viral skin infection that can affect people of any age, especially children. Lesions may be more extensive or last longer in people with a weakened immune system. The bumps often clear without treatment in about 6–18 months, although they can last longer. Having molluscum contagiosum does not mean that a child or adult has poor hygiene.

Symptoms of molluscum contagiosum

Molluscum contagiosum develops when the body is infected with a virus of the Poxviridae group — the same family of viruses as smallpox. The virus stays in the outer layer of the skin rather than entering the nervous system or bloodstream the way many other diseases do. Because the infection occurs only in the outer layer of the skin and does not enter the body through the bloodstream or nervous system, patients do not first feel feverish, run-down, tired, or achy. Instead, the symptoms are mainly local, with an incubation period that averages from 2 to 7 weeks and can extend up to 6 months.

As a result, some people notice the symptoms of molluscum contagiosum only after this period has passed. From about six months onward, an infected person will find bumps on the skin, either as single bumps or clustered in groups of as many as 20. At first they are small red bumps that are not painful, though some people may have a little itching. How long it lasts varies from person to person: some recover in just a few months, while others have it for a long time, with the bumps spreading over several years until they look alarming and undermine the person’s confidence.

The clearest sign is small, flesh-colored bumps on the skin that look white inside. They are not painful, but they may swell and itch at the same time, and some have a dimple in the center. The areas of the body where they appear most often are the neck, abdomen, arms, legs, inner thighs, and skin that touches or rubs together frequently, such as the creases of the joints, as well as the genitals. They are rarely found on the palms of the hands or the soles of the feet.

These symptoms usually appear about two months after infection. In people with weak immunity, or with an underlying condition that affects the body’s immune system, molluscum contagiosum can become more severe: the bumps may grow as large as 15 millimeters and can be harder to treat. A report from the ACD, the American dermatology institute, states that the virus is found more often in hot, humid climates.

For this reason, people who live in such regions, especially those who also have an allergic skin rash (atopic dermatitis), are more prone to it. Molluscum contagiosum is also more common in people who have an HIV infection: when immunity begins to fall, it is found in 5–18% of people living with HIV, often spreading over the whole body and persisting in those whose immune systems are severely compromised or who have progressed to AIDS. Molluscum contagiosum has also been found to be associated with other forms of immunodeficiency.

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Signs to watch for with molluscum contagiosum

• Molluscum bumps are small, about 2 to 5 millimeters, with a shiny, smooth surface.
• They are flesh-colored like the surrounding skin, or white or pink, and dome-shaped or dimpled in the center.
• These molluscum bumps can appear anywhere on the body.

It is worth repeating that molluscum contagiosum is a contagious disease. It is not necessarily transmitted directly through sex, but that can happen too if you are not careful and do not take proper precautions.

Complications of molluscum contagiosum

• In people with an allergic skin condition, there may also be a red, itchy rash around the molluscum bumps; this red, itchy rash clears up once the condition is treated.
• Molluscum contagiosum on the eyelids can cause conjunctivitis.
• Picking or scratching the lesions can cause a secondary bacterial infection with inflammation, and when the bumps break open they can leave scars.

How molluscum contagiosum is spread

As mentioned, having sex without a condom with someone who is not your own partner is only one risk. There are also many other ways it can spread — for example, sharing items with someone who is infected and coming into contact with the virus (clothing, spoons, forks, drinking glasses, towels, and so on).

Some people do not realize they are infected; once they scratch, the virus spreads to other parts of their own skin, or onto other people’s bodies. Young children in particular can catch the disease this way. Swimming in the same pool can also pass the disease to others if an infected person does not protect themselves — for instance, by covering the area where the bumps are. In general, children are at greater risk of infection than adults because their immunity is not yet very strong.

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How to prevent molluscum contagiosum

The virus spreads through direct skin contact with the bumps, sexual contact, and shared items that touch lesions, such as towels, clothing, or sports equipment. Avoid picking, scratching, or shaving over the bumps. Cover lesions during activities that may involve skin contact, wash your hands after touching the area, and do not share personal items. Condoms may reduce risk when lesions are on skin they cover, but they do not protect every exposed area.

How molluscum contagiosum is treated

Many people with a healthy immune system do not need treatment because the bumps can clear on their own. A clinician may offer treatment when lesions are bothersome, numerous, genital, or at risk of complications. The appropriate option depends on age, location, number of lesions, pregnancy, and immune status. Do not squeeze the bumps or use an over-the-counter treatment without advice, especially during pregnancy. Seek medical care if lesions become very red, painful, produce pus, or occur near an eye.

Verified references

Links and relevance to the article’s main topic were reviewed on 13 August 2026. Each source supports only the scope stated in the original document and does not replace personalised medical, legal, or service advice.

1. CDC: About Molluscum Contagiosum Accessed 13 August 2026