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Q. My son has molluscum on his back. The dermatologist says he can scrape it off but that might leave some scarring. He also said it will go away by itself in about two years.
Is there a natural remedy for molluscum? Two years is a long time!
A. Molluscum contagiosum, a small flesh-colored, pink or white bump with a center dimple, is a skin condition caused by a virus. There may be one bump or many, and children are most susceptible.
Dermatologists have several possible treatments for the bumps of molluscum, but they do go away on their own. Sometimes they disappear in six months, but it can take as long as four years. Scraping or freezing them off may leave scars.
A few readers have shared herbal remedies that might be worth a try. One wrote: “I successfully used Australian lemon myrtle extract ($8) to cure a dermatologist-confirmed case of molluscum contagiosum on my 5-year-old daughter. The doctors were surprised and shocked.” In one small study, topical application of Australian lemon myrtle, Backhousia citriodora, worked within a month (Biomedicine and Pharmacotherapy, May, 2004).
Another reader treated her child with a homemade salve of Aquaphor ointment (2 oz) mixed with lavender (20 drops) and thyme (10 drops) essential oils. She warns against putting thyme oil directly on the skin.
Binky
OR
Thanks for Epsom Salts idea! My daughter had MC and started 2 lbs of Epsom in bath, and she had to full body soak for 30. Spots under water entire time. After a week they were gone. It works.
Lucien
Ontario, CANADA
We are currently dealing with our 9 year old daughter who has them mostly behind her knee and on her bum. We tried Podofilm, but this is not good to use around genitalia ( from our Dr. ), however after doing some reading, the best results ( although slow process ) has been using the small round band aids and soaking the padding with apple cider vinegar using a q-tip. Leave them on for approximately 6 hours, then remove and shower. They are all shrinking, but this is not an instantaneous process, it takes time and everyone must remain patient. We have been struggling with this since spring and only in the last two weeks have we seen a considerable change after we started using the apple cider vinegar.
Rachel
Utah (UT)
Has anyone dealt with this while pregnant or with a newborn baby? My little niece infected me while I was pregnant and now they are popping up all over my dominant hand and wrist. My baby is 5 weeks old now and I am terrified I am going to spread them to him especially since the are in such an exposed and used part of my body. How am I supposed to do anything when they are on my hand? Has anyone had them with a newborn before and if so what did you do?
Toni
Sydney, Australia
Hi Rachel. I did not experience what you are experiencing right now. But I want to share with you and everyone here the amazing help that apple cider vinegar did to my son’s molluscum. I put a drop (undiluted) of acv on a cotton ball (small balls same size as that of each bump), put it on top of the bump and secure it with a plaster/bandaid/medical tape. I did this every night before bedtime. The acv will burn the bump. repeat this until each bump turns black like charcoal and until it falls off. Don’t try to take them off. They fall off when they are completely burnt and virus dead. Also, after shower, fill a bucket of water and dissolve a couple of tablespoons of epsom salt in every 5 liters. That would be your final rinse. These are the only things I did and used for my son. He got cured after few weeks. Be patient.
Jill
My 6 year old son has them on his stomach and chest. I gave him a salt bath and now they spread completely over his entire back and now there is even more on his chest and stomach. Has anyone had them spread more after the salt bath? I’m not sure if I should continue with the salt baths. Maybe they will start to go away? This virus is so awful.
kristy
Okay, i’m a 19 year old very active and health conscious female, so initially i had only about 5 small bumps but quickly that spread into about 30 all over my pubic area…….. this is the magic cure.
2 tablespoons of unfiltered apple cider vinegar 3x a day mixed in 8 oz of apple juice (because it tastes disgusting in water). Mine is almost 100% gone in two weeks!!
i tried a million things and ended up with huge scabs/burns all over me but i’m telling you…this is the cure.
add a multivitamin and extra vitamin C pill as well as a healthy diet and no alcohol as will as exercise and you are all set!!!
Kia
Did you drink the apple cider mix?
John
Sydney
We have also been wrestling with molluscum on our three children. Over a period of 2 years each of them has become infected. We tried lots of remedies and techniques. Our conclusions in summary:
– hygiene – wash hands, cloths, and especially towels more often; dont use soap bars!
– avoiding contact – not allowing the children to share baths; covering their bumps with clothing or bandaids.
– lotions – we tried them all! – best by far was apple cider vinegar and Mollenol
We still get outbreaks but with the above techniques it is now not a hassle and we can knocked on the head any new bumps within a couple of days.
Hope this helps others.
Mrs. Bond
Edmonton Canada
This was such a great help. Thank you everyone for posting. I took everyone’s ideas and tried everything and finally my son is on the mend and instead of over 150 warts he is now only about 40 after only 2 weeks.
What I have learned.
Tea tree oil did nothing
Coconut oil we found out he was allergic too
Acid stuff doctor gave us in the beginning just made it spread to his arms.
What worked!
Duct tape duct tape duct tape!! Cannot express this enough
I put apple cider vinegar on a little piece of cotton put it on the wart then put duct tape over during the day for 6 hours. Took it off wart would be either black or white (white would eventually turn black after a few hours of air) did about 12 a day. They would scab up and fall off then would either go away in a few days or I do another treatment.
Now a another big help was at night I put on a lotion I made. Two pumps of Goldstein anti itch lotion with 2 -4 drops of purification essential oil from young living. This allowed the skin to recover at night and in the morning lots of the dead warts would vanish!!
My son has had this for over a year the problem was desperate and I would be up at night researching the heck out of everything. Remember that what might not work for you might work for someone else I was patient and tried a little of everything till we got it right. Just take the time to research and give it a try.
Angela
Los Aneles, CA
My 2 years old son has had MC for 6 months now. It started with one bump on his back and now he has over a dozen. It’s all over his back, legs, stomach and private area. What can I do that’s safe for a 2 year old? Please help!!!! Thank you :-)
rachel
ohio
I have been suffering from molluscum for 7 or 8 years. My bumps almost disappear, but then come back with a vengeance. Currently I have a really bad outbreak on my upper right thigh. I have 2 young kids, and am scared to death that I am going to spread this to them. I’ve gone to the Dermatologist to have them burned off which is horribly painful. I’ve read on this site that tea tree oil, Epsom salt, coconut oil, and Apple Cider Vinegar have seemed to have the most success. Anyone out there that has had this condition for as long as I have, I ask what treatment finally got rid of these horrible bumps? By the way my dermatologist tells me I have a bad immune system, yet I maybe only get one cold a year. Please any advice would help!
Katherine
Washington DC
Hey all,
I’m finally getting out of my bout of MC, and I am so happy to tell you that this will end! I’m a 26 year old female, very active, working and studying, always on the go. It’s also been hot as hell right now, and I know how hard it is to have to wear long sleeves/pants while you get through this. Treating this was very emotionally draining, exhausting, and a big learning experience.
I was diagnosed two months ago when my doctor pointed bumps out on my inner thighs that I had figured were just the worst, most persistent ingrown hairs ever. They were quite inexplicable really, and I had a few too close down there for comfort. I didn’t realize that I’d been treating and spreading them by shaving and different ingrown hair remedies. SO
I started the Braggs ACV cotton ball/bandaid remedies. I blew through boxes of bandaids, the vinegar hurt, bandaids added to irritating my skin. This was hard, but it worked. If you’re persistent, you can get them in less than a week. But more may pop up, like they did with me… it seems once I started treating them, more popped up all over my legs and thighs. Not cool. After two weeks or so, it seemed they were all gone, I was healing. I moved on. Then I shaved, a few days later I felt a bump. I noticed another, and another on a my chest! It started again…part two.
I started bathing in EPSOM SALT. This is KEY. It works. I added sea salt and ACV to my baths when things were bad. but, I made a HUGE mistake, I rubbed my body down in sea salt too. I read somewhere that someone had success with this tactic, I ignored my common sense… and they spread. all over my legs. all over my chest. a few on my arms. I couldn’t believe it. I breathed, stayed calm as I could. But I cried. I scoured the internet for help, doctors were no help.
Now, let me tell you secret number two that rescued me from my scrub mistake. COCONUT OIL. I’m in love with it even more than I was ever before (I’ve always loved it). Here is how I got rid of my horrendous molloscum in two weeks.
For the bad, obvious bumps, I ACV cotton ball bandaided them morning, mid afternoon, and night. I q-tipped tea tree oil on the bumps before I put the acv soaked cotton ball over it, I swear this really helped speed up the process. Be careful with tea tree on your skin! It can really burn, so use caution/don’t over do it.
Along with the ACV bandaids, I took morning and night baths in hot water with at least three cups of Epsom salt, plenty of sea salt, and apple cider vinegar for a week. After a week, I switched to just Epsom and sea salt, and cut out the vinegar.
I’m a grown person so I could handle all this mix, maybe a child will need to tone down the mixture.
The bumps swell, they get soft, turn white…do NOT scrub them. I lathered and rinsed off with soap after every bath. Now, for the best part… COCONUT OIL. I added a few drops of Tea tree to the coconut oil, and put it all over my body. I know you’ll think youre spreading it, but you’re not. It’s anti microbal and amazing. Morning and night. You’ll be greasy, so wear loose clothing as you can and let it soak in before you put on your regular clothes. It may look like new bumps are appearing on your skin. Don’t stress (I had a mini panic attack). The coconut oil and bathing will make them disappear in no time. It prevents them from spreading as your bumps heal. Don’t bother ACV bandaiding any baby bumps. I swear… this combination, you will be set!
I also am taking 200mg of citadel (tagamet) three times a day, and Thuja homeopathic pills (5 of them three times a day) for about two weeks. I think the Tagamet really helps kill them faster, and doesn’t let those new baby bumps get by! Its worth a try, but I would consult your doctor if you have a medical condition.
I was desperate and tried all these remedies, and I am finally healing! No new bumps for over a week and I’m now just showering as usual, lathering up in coconut oil morning and night, and continuing tagamet and thuja for at least another week to be sure. I’ll be taking nightly epsom baths for the next week and using coconut oil for at least another two weeks just to be sure, and theyre both very nice for the skin.
It’s been really hard. I’ve been covering up my body on the hottest days of summer because they spread everywhere. But it WILL pass. keep your head up. be smart, wash your towels, clothes, sheets after every contact with your skin (lots of laundry but worth not spreading it!). epsom salt, ACV, coconut oil, and tea tree are a killer combo. tagamet and thuja may help too.
Let others know what works – this website and a few others is the only way I got through this. Good luck!!
Amy
Westminster, Md
Just wondering how long to sit in the vinegar bath and what form the coconut oil you used was in. Thanks!!
Kia
Which is better, sea salt or epsom salts? And how much to use in a large bucket of water (I don’t have a tub)? Is ACV safe to use on genitals?
Liz
Orange County
Daughter has had lesions since she was 9 months old. Her first lesion I thought was a skin tag. I then messed with it and popped it before I knew what it was. It came back and was just there for two years! I never asked what it was just didn’t pay much attention to it. When she was three I started her in school in the summertime. She started to get really hit and sweaty and one day I saw her scratching her bump. When I looked at it it was inflamed and red. Then there were two huge bumps and little bumps all around . I started to wonder what the heck it was. Diagnosed it myself about 5 months later basically thinking it would go away. Found a site about ACV. Didn’t work at all and it hurt. So
I left them alone. Got essential oils for Christmas and recently tried the oregano oil on one. I didn’t dilute it enough and my daughter was in serious pain and I felt horrible! Just placed a couple dabs on the infected area. She was crying so hard that I wiped it off right away. Didn’t think anything of it but one of the bumps started to turn black and then scabbed over. Took about 2 weeks after the initial use. So tonight I tried it again dabbing just the bump with the tip of a qtip. She said it was hurting but I let it sit a little longer. Make sure you are diluting the oil enough, I made the mistake twice! Crossing my fingers it works on the second biggest bump! Directs Oregano essential oil worked for me!
Allison
Boston
My daughter is 3 years old turning 4 in a few months. At her 3 year appt I talked to the Dr about these little bumps I saw and she said it was molluscum and would go away on its own in a few months. Well almost a year later they were still there and spreading rapidly. They started on her underarm but now were spread to her belly, back, down her arm and a few were on her neck. I started to get very nervous as the bumps were spreading closer to her face and I was afraid they would start to cover her face as they did her body. I brought my concerns to her Dr who once again said there was not much that could be done but gave us a cream for some that were getting red and irritated. She said they could burn some off but at this point she had 75-100 so that was’t going to work and would be painful.
I started researching and spent months trying to find the right approach before trying a treatment with Apple Cider Vinegar. We are now 3 weeks into it and she is bump free! So here is what we did. I bought Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) with “the Mother”-a huge bottle of it. After her bath I set out a bunch of bandaids and broke apart some cotton squares I had for make up into small pieces. She had SO many bumps this process seemed overwhelming so I just started with a small area on her back. I dipped the cotton into a cup of ACV, put it on the bandaid and placed it directly on the bump. Sometimes I could get 1-3 bumps covered with one bandaid if they were close enough. And I did this to cover about 10 bumps the first night. My daughter has very sensitive skin and true fear of bandaids so I was very nervous that this would not go well. I created a sticker chart with her and explained that every night she was brave as we covered her “bumps” she would get a sticker and once we filled her page with stickers she could pick out a small treat. This step was crucial as this process was not easy for her but this helped her be more invested in it. I would also give her bandaids and a small cup of water and cotton to use on her barbie’s “bumps”. They next morning when she woke up I was amazed as some of the bumps had already turned black which meant they were gone and the others were changing as well-some a little red or more white which I read was a good sign and was encouraging to keep going. I then covered the entire area with Coconut oil to help calm the irritated skin but coconut oil and it’s antibacterial benefits have also proved to help with molluscum so this was a win win. I did not cover the bumps all day with a bandaid or anything. We reported this process with ACV every night and coconut oil every day. Once any of the bumps turned black I would stop treating them directly with the ACV. Additionally I started to add about 1/2 cup of ACV to her baths (that she would take every other night) and made sure to really soak the affected area for about 10-15 minutes before we would apply the bandaid. After about 3 nights of the treatment she started to say that some of her bumps hurt when I applied the ACV-if anything ever hurt I would just take a break and apply coconut oil and then come back to it in a day or two but sometimes they would just go away. I read somewhere that someone had more success when they kind of picked at the bumps before applying the ACV-I tried this but my daughter said it hurt so I did not push it and was still successful with just applying the ACV.
Most bumps would turn black in about 1-2 nights-some larger ones took 3-4 nights max. Some bumps never turned black but instead get very white and seemed to go away as well. I only treated one area at a time, and my daughter had so many bumps which is why it took about 3 weeks for them all to clear. The hardest to treat where the ones under the armpit just due to getting the bandaids to stick. It does look much worse before it gets better. After the first few days her skin was red with some black bumps and I began to question if this was a good idea but she said it did not hurt and the bumps were going away. I am so happy we stuck with it.
Once the bumps turned black they did scab a bit and some of the skin was red around them. I regularly applied coconut oil to help the skin heal or a little Neosporin. The bumps that were first to turn black are now completely gone and the skin it back to normal-no scarring.
She earned a special toy for being so brave and such a trooper through the process-but she is even more excited that her bumps are gone and so am I. I just wanted to share my success with this treatment as I was at such a loss and relied on blogs and info like this to find something that worked. Good luck!
Carly R
Maine
My daughter has had these bumps for almost a year with them spreading from a few to at least 75-100 all over her but and a few on the insides of her leg. Our pediatrician said there wasn’t much that could be done and suggested tea tree oil. I applied this and her skin became very rough and red and the bumps were still there. I then remembered this site and looked up and read what people tried.
I decided to go with the salt baths since this seemed pretty benign and easy for a 5 year old…what five year doesn’t like an extended bath time? I also followed the bath time up by rubbing the coconut oil on her bum, this was to help with the rough skin.
Her bumps have now all gone down and am just continuing to apply the oil. Can’t wait to tell her Dr about this.
Samantha
I’ve had my MC for about three months now. My doctor said they go away on their own in about two months but it only seemed to get worse, so after a month of that I decided to use the prescription cream called aldera. It works but at a very slow rate and also doesn’t stop them from spreading, as I have developed many new ones without ever scratching. I’m going to try the Epsom salt baths tonight snd hope I see more results
Abby
denver
Given the amount of research I did online trying to find a solution for our daugher’s molluscum, I had to share the medical cure we finally found. Her case was extreme – the worst the pediatric dermatologist had ever seen with hundreds of bump everywhere but her face. We tried everything: vinegar baths, bleach baths, zymaderm, essential oils (clove, lemon myrtle, tea tree, etc. etc.), duck tape, potassium hydrochloride, tagamet, salicylic acid, and on and on. Nothing worked.
The dermatologist recommended immunotherapy since she had too many to freeze or scrape them off. She injected 3-4 of the bumps with the yeast candida in a specific region at a series of 3 appointments 3 weeks apart. First we injected 3 bumps on her back. The next appointment was 4 on her torso and bottom. And finally 4 on her arms and legs. The results were amazing, but mainly kicked in after the second appointment. They just started to disappear, no matter the developmental stage they were in. The ones she had scratched took longer to heal, but also went away. We are now focused on helping her skin be as healthy as possible so the scars can fade.
I hope this helps others fighting this horrible virus. Please ask for a derm referral and that they do the candida injections. It does an amazing job of stimulating the child’s immune system to fight it off. Good luck!
AAS
Hi, just wanted to update everyone on my MC treatment. After 2 months, I am completely MC free! Because I am in my twenties and very sexually active, I did everything to get rid of it ASAP. At night, I would take hot epsom salt baths (2 cups/bath) and shower right afterwards. Also, I dried off my hair and extremities with a towel, but when I got anywhere near the affected area I would use paper towels and pat dry. After I got out of the shower, I would lather coconut oil onto the affected areas. I also took 2 Tagmet pills 3 times a day as well as Lysine. I developed this routine after spending countless hours scouring every web page and compiling info about what seemed to work best. It took about 4 weeks to see any changes, but at one month, I could definitely begin to see the changes. I stopped using the coconut oil just after a month but continued with the epsom salt, Tagmet and Lysine. Now 25lbs of epsom salt later, I’m back to my old self. I developed red spots on my arms after the first few epsom salt baths, which led me to think I was allergic to it; turns out it was a heat rash from making the baths way too HOT. Just be aware in case this happens to you.
To summarize: Hot epsom salt baths did the trick. Trim, don’t shave. Coconut oil makes your skin soft. Try epsom salt before wasting $30 on Zymaderm like I did. Be patient and don’t get discouraged if you don’t see results within the first few weeks. Thank you everyone for the input, and happy holidays! :D
Toni
Sydney
Hi there AAS. What do you think about the sea water? Instead of Epson salt bath? I started bringing my son to the beach. Today is just the second day. I let him stay in the water for half hour.
AAS
TX
I can’t comment on sea water, but I did try the dead sea salts when I thought I was having a reaction to the epsom salt. I think it’s the magnesium sulfate that kills the MC virus so your method may or may not work depending on the level of MgSO present in sea water. I like to stick with techniques that have proven to be effective. However, if your technique works for you, comment back and let us know.
BB
Hawaii
Hi, I was wondering if you bathed your whole body in the epsom salt bath? And how long did you bathe in it? Also I was wondering if you rinsed off after applying the coconut oil?
Have you try using the tea tree oil either?
I’ve noticed I had it for 3 weeks now and I want it gone because I’m also really sexually active. So please help me!!!
Lc
My daughter had this twice. Both times were treated with tea tree oil on qtips morning and night. It dries them out amd they eventually just die. It lasted about 3 weeks. I used a lot of clean qtips, washed towels everyday and had her wear pajamas only once. No tub baths! I have never used tea tree oil for anything else but I was amazed at the results. Use 100% high quality tea tree oil.
SJ
Newcastle
Hi, I have MC and want to try the Epsom Salt baths. Just wondering though, did you disinfect the bath tub after each use? Or is it unnecessary? I have a housemate and would hate to put her at risk!
Garda Collison
Tampa
See the thyme and lavender treatment – it really works!
A.J.D
I’m 19 year old male, and have MC for 3 months now! About 7 on my face and 4 in the genital area… It’s very worrying seeing it spread and I am trying a couple of remedies.
Iodine did not work at all..after using it for 3 weeks it only stung and left red rashes on my face which practically highlighted the suckers.
I’m currently using this cold sore cream my pharmacy gave and also thyme oil. The thyme oil burns like hell!! Especially after I accidentally got it in my eye (there’s two directly under my eye). I’m seeing no change and I’m losing hope..
I’m going to start bathing in Epsom salts and then rubbing coconut oil, I really hope it works as my
girlfriend can barely touch me in fear she will get infected too, the positive reviews on it encourages me so I’ll repost in a week and update on the situation.
AAS
TX
I’m 24 and recently got MC. At first I thought it was just ingrown pubic hair, but it soon spread all over my pubic area. I just took my first hot Epsom salt bath and also just finished lathering on coconut oil. I’ll report back on the progress. BTW, Walmart has 8lb bags of Epsom salt for $5. Thanks for all the input everyone.
Claudia
Arkansas
How long were the baths you took? I’m trying to get ride of MC !
Jane Ross
My granddaughter was just diagnosed with molluscum and her pediatrician said to use zymaderm, an over- the- counter treatment. After trying to find it at two drug stores, I found it online. Comments regarding its use were quite positive and I am ordering some for her to try.
Toni
AJD, any update? Thanks.
SH
A follow-up to my earlier post: it seems like Epsom Salt works MUCH better in the bath than Dead Sea Salts. After posting, I even began taking hot baths with Epsom Salt and it disappeared much faster than in the lukewarm baths! It seems that the heat must open up the pores and expose the skin to the salt (specifically, the magnesium sulphate in Epsom Salt), which the virus seems to hate. When taking a hot bath, just make sure not to scrub his body or touch his spots to unaffected parts of his body.
I stopped the coconut oil, but the baths work wonders. I’m down from hundreds of spots to nothing!
Also, Morton makes an Epsom Salt lotion. This works a bit slower but it does not seem to spread it, and can be more convenient than taking a bath.
Good luck to you! I hope this works as well for your son as it did for me!
C.D.W
Found out a week ago my son has this virus! Doc says up to two years. Also, I didn’t know what it was and put Hydrocortisone cream on it and apparently that is a major NO! It made his 5 bumps go to about 50 under his armpit. Going to try the Dead Sea Salt bath with Coconut oil and hope for the best. Good Luck to all!
E.H.
I don’t know if you read the comments about bathing in dead sea salts, but I found out about it from the site and tried it. It’s for my daughter. We had been battling it for ever, it seemed. The dead sea salts worked miracles! I highly recommend it! Bath in 2 cups of it each night for 30 minutes and you will immediately see results. My daughters are almost completely gone and we’ve been doing it a little over 2 weeks. I hope this helps! Please don’t be depressed about this, cheer up! Hopefully this is your answer!
OH
Hi! I was just diagnosed with molluscum a week ago and it’s been a serious bummer. My sister and I picked it up from an unsanitary waxing salon. SO BEWARE.
It’s safe to say I will never wax again. My doctor prescribed the Aldara cream, but she said it could take up to four months for it to work! Plus it doesn’t stop them from spreading, so I’ve been using that and then on the nights when I don’t use that I’ve been using tea tree oil.
My spots started as 12 and have now increased to twenty in just four days. I was just wondering how long the salt baths took for you to get rid of the lesions completely, and if you have had any re-occurrence of lesions since they cleared up! Thank you for this post! I know I haven’t had them long, but I already just want them to go away!
OH
Hi I was just diagnosed with molluscum and I have been using the tea tree oil for 4 days now. How long did it take for your son’s lesions to clear up using the tea tree oil?
SH
I am writing to try to prevent any unnecessary suffering I can by sharing what worked for me to get rid of the god-awful molluscum that has been plaguing me—in A WEEK.
Yep!!
The short answer is this: bathing in Dead Sea Salts/Epsom salts each night (2 cups of salt, soak for at least 30 minutes) and then slathering my body in coconut oil infused with clove oil. I’ve been suffering from molluscum for 7 months—and spending hours each day for the past 3 months applying bandages soaked in Apple Cider Vinegar—and the bathing/coconut oil has rid me of dozens of spots within four days!!
So PLEASE try it—it won’t hurt or sting like ACV, it won’t scar (it’s in fact really GOOD for your skin), the coconut oil soothes itching, and your suffering will finally be OVER.
I read about the sea salts and coconut oil on this site–THANK YOU, J.B. and Lauren!!
(Note: I only used tepid—not hot– water to bathe in because I was terrified it would spread the virus. I bathed my leg in tepid water for a week to make sure it wouldn’t spread before soaking my whole body in the tub. I was also scared that the coconut oil would spread the infection. Neither, thank God, did. I CAN’T SPEAK TO WHETHER BATHING IN HOT WATER WOULD SPREAD IT, THOUGH).
Coconut oil has lauric acid in it which is anti-viral. I bought Extra Virgin Coconut Oil and added 10 drops of clove oil for each tablespoon of coconut oil (had to warm it in the microwave to make it spreadable). I also added 10 drops of something called “Thieves Oil” which has clove oil, cinnamon oil, lemon oil, and eucalyptus; this smelled great and the cinnamon oil seemed to improve the circulation.
Meanwhile, internally, take Tagamet (Cimetidine), which will enhance T-Lymphocytic activity. I took 400mg 3 times a day. It definitely didn’t make my spots disappear, but it did keep them from reaching mature size. By the time I found the sea salt and coconut oil/clove oil treatment, I had dozens of small spots. (My derm froze the first set of spots—which were twice as big as pimples—and left scars. I don’t know why, but after she treated them, I found new spots popping up all over my body. But the Cimetidine seemed to keep them small; few ever developed a visible white core. I think the sea salt and coconut oil /clove oil worked so quickly because the Cimetidine kept the spots so small.)
Also, I took Lactoferrin to enhance my immune system. I also took 10,000 IU Vitamin D, Zinc, Vitamin C, Oregano Oil (which has anti-viral activity) and Holy Basil; who knows whether they did anything.
I have heard that there are four different strains of molluscum and that they look different and likely respond to different treatments. My mature molluscum (the first round) looked like really large pimples, not dimpled warts. This sea salt bath and coconut oil/clove oil moisturizing treatment worked wonders for these spots—and SO FAST!! I hope you try it because I want to spare you the months of misery I went through before I discovered this.
HL
We had this same problem with our kids a few years ago. The derm prescribed low dose Retin-A to dab onto each wart every night, to irritate it into dying. It took a long time, and after a while it looked like I was holding cigarettes to my girl’s skin! Round angry red marks that looked like burns. Irritate indeed! Many tears! After she got rid of them (2-3 months), sure enough, my son broke out. I started using teat tree oil. It too irritated them, and did irritate the skin though not as bad as the Retin-a. And they cleared up in half the time.
Also made sure to spray out the tub with vinegar between their baths, no baths together, no sharing towels, fresh towels every day. These spread from person to person like wildfire! Esp kids.
Looking back, I probably would have done the bath with dead sea salts, then stirred up a mix of coconut oil with some tea tree oil, thyme and lavender oil. I think this might have been quicker.
Make sure to cover the blisters and healing warts with sunscreen, as they can scar when exposed to sun as they are healing.
Good luck!
cc
You probably no longer use this, but if you do happen to see this, I’m in a very similar situation and I am feeling desperate and depressed. If you have anymore info of how to get rid of it, or ANYTHING please please reply.
j.s.
Yes I would also like to know what is AVC And how often is it used? How long does it takes to work
Liz
Please elaborate about the ACV. Did you use it topically? Internally? How much? How often? Thank you
shim
For people suffering from this nasty disease. There is only one cure for it. Use AVC. It is a molluscum killer ! give it 3,4 days.
Jenny
How often do you apply the lemon myrtle?
Lauren
I want you to remember something “IT WILL GO AWAY”
Remember that… this isn’t some disease you will have for the rest of your life, this doesn’t KILL anyone, it doesn’t burn.. or itch.
It just actually looks gross and can effect your love life (For a SHORT TIME)
The longest it can last is 4 years.. hey could last a lifetime
I became infected in the summer of 2011. So I’m going on two years now.
As an attractive 25 year old female, I was extremely embarrassed with only a couple bumps that I WISH I went in for right away. Thinking it was herpes or genital warts, and at first. I began CUTTING THEM OFF! (Ya bad idea with anyone who knows anything about MC) SO two bumps became 20, which became 40, which then spread to my buttock, and back of my legs to about 100.
I’m a massage therapist so I couldn’t deal with the smell of the natural remedies
Year One:
ACV: I noticed a change of the bumps turning white, however I wasn’t consistent with this method
because of the smell.
ZYMADERM: Made a change right away by making them smaller, but they never disappeared and I spent about $90 on three bottles.
Lemon Myrtle oil: Smells ok, and gives you a clean feeling, however I didn’t notice a difference.
Tea Tree: Didn’t notice a difference, (I put it on at night and showered in the morning) but wasn’t consistent with the three times a day, due to smell
Year two: (I started become desperate. I was ready to try ANYTHING)
Imiquimod: This stuff is expensive, and for me made me sick to my stomach. Its also made for genital warts and increases immunity. It doesn’t smell and I saw more of a change on the small bumps than the big ones. If you’re paying more than $100 for a box, its a waste of money.
Freezing: This worked for me. It doesn’t hurt as bad as you think it, just don’t let anyone look down there..It looks ugly. This is for the BIG BUMPS. I had to go in about 6 times, and I still have a purple like scar from some, but it was worth it. With my insurance the entire process total cost me over $250 total.
WHAT WORKED FOR ME!!!
******Coconut Oil: This was my FAVORITE CURE. I’m not here to sell you. I’m here to help you. You can buy this stuff at walmart or trader joes for like $6. No side effects. It doesn’t smell.. It smells good!!! If you like coconut.
I found this out by accident because I started using it as a moisturizer. and I noticed one day all the bumps on my legs were gone.. I mean alot of them.
There was a study done with coconut oil extract:
https://www.vmvhypoallergenics.com/skintelligencenter/published-studies/42-published-studies/76-coconut-oil-extract-2-monolaurin-cream-in-the-treatment-of-molluscum-contagiosum
Where 15 out of 28 people were completely cured.. I mean COMPLETELY all bumps were gone.
I’m not saying this is a save all. But if you have tried everything rather than spending $100 on people trying to sell you stuff. Try coconut oil.
I only put it on after I shower in the morning. and I have gone from 40 bumps to like three small ones.
Remember… This will end!!!! Good luck
Toni
Sydney
Hi Lauren, how did you use the coconut oil? As in just apply it all over your skin and on the bumps itself? Thanks.
SP
I want to try the Australian lemon oil extract for my son who has MC, what mixture should I use to dilute it to make it safe for his skin??? He has had the bumps for over 2 years now and even the derm’s treatments don’t seem to make much of a difference. I am desperate for a better treatment. Do I need the extract or essential oil, or is there a difference? Please be specific, I don’t want my son to suffer anymore than he already has! THANKS!
LW
Thanks so much for your informative post. Just one question: How long did you have your child stay in the salt bath each time?
Thanks again!
Tracy
What do you mean you had them surgically removed what was the surgery called?
slf
This is a follow up to my December post. I did try the dead sea salts, as mentioned in other posts, and it WORKED! I added about 2 cups of the salt to a large utility sink and filled it with enough water to cover my daughter up to her armpits. I did this 7 days in a row and then every other day until they all cleared. I did not see any improvement for about 2 weeks and then they all started to come to a head and dry up. It took about 1 month total to completely clear.
Coincidence? I do not think so, since she has had them for more than a year with no signs of prior improvement. I also put her in clean jammies every night and changed her bedding frequently in a hope to prevent further spread. It was not exactly cheap as I thought it would be. I spent probably a total of around $100 on the dead sea salts which I found at Whole Foods in a 5lb bucket. But I thought it was worth it since the virus was affecting her socially (playdates were on hold with certain friends for fear of spreading and no swimming last summer for same reason). Now the bad news: about a month after my 4 year old was clear of the bumps, I noticed some bumps on my 9 year olds bum. She said they had been there for months. Ugh! So now I am treating her with the baths. Hopefully the dead sea salts will do the same for her. Thank you again for this site.
slf
My daughter is 4 years old and has had molluscum for over 1 year now from her chest down. She has had around 20 spots at a time. I tried ZymaDerm after reading about it online. It did not work at all for us. I tried it twice a day for almost 2 months but had to stop because it started burning my daughters skin and bleaching her skin around the application spots (which I tried to keep just on the molluscum but some inevitably touched her healthy skin). Those particular molluscum spots are now gone (went away on their own 6+ months later) but her skin is still discolored. I have avoided any other treatments but am considering them again because she now has several spots near her genitals. Will try the salt water baths because they are inexpensive and hopefully have few complications. Will post a follow up if successful. Thank you for this site.
drq100
I have found a recently published scientific study showing a mixture of tea tree oil and iodine worked in over 85% of children with molluscum. An abstract of the study is here: http://jddonline.com/articles/dermatology/1751
A product called ZymaDerm uses this combination along with australian lemon myrtle.
The cider vinegar thing didn’t work well for us. It was very irritating, smelled, and didn’t appear to do much at all.
Elizabeth
Cantharone, a blistering agent extracted from beetles (also called beetle juice) is often applied by dermatologists to molluscum lesions. If you opt for beetle juice treatments, the doctor will apply a minuscule amount of the solution to each papule, and cover it with a piece of tape or a bandage. After you rinse the solution off 2 to 4 hours later, small blisters begin to form. They will scab over when left alone, and as the scabs fall off, there will be be no remaining growths. Cantharone is relatively painless, but can cause discomfort for small children as their sensitive skin begins to blister. Some scarring is expected, but if the blisters are left to heal properly, noticeable scars can be avoided. If your child has a beetle juice treatment, remind him not to pick at the blisters or the resulting scabs.
We had a dermatologist use this treatment on about 20 lesions on our daughter. It helped her immune system kick in and take care of the rest in a few weeks. They disappeared like magic. No scarring.
Lea
My youngest son had molluscum when he was around 6yrs old. We believe he picked it up from his big brother’s wrestling buddies, hanging out with them at tournaments. The doctor recommended getting a very expensive prescription, the insert stated it had NOT been tested for use on children under 12 so we opted not to experiment on our child.
What worked was putting a small amount of tea tree oil on a Q-tip and applying it to the bumps. It was rather strong, so we’d only do it once a day or so, but after having suffered with them for quite some time, they cleared up rather quickly!
Tgi
The apple cider vinegar did work for my 13 year old but it was painful for him. I took him off gluten and about 98% of them went away. He had them all over his legs, arms, back and getting off gluten was the key for him.
MFM
My daughter had Molluscum Contagiosum when she was a baby. We swam in the pool every day and I found the lesions got soft from being in the water. During our daily swims, I kept her distracted while we played together. Over the course of two weeks, I popped them off one by one. She was not traumatized by me or by having to see the doctor and the process left no scars. Good luck!
JannH
Another possible remedy for Molluscum contagiosum is cider vinegar applied to the bumps, not ingested.
I had never heard of molluscum contagiosum until I read this post on the People’s Pharmacy. Since I had three mysterious small bumps under my bottom lip at the right corner of my mouth, I searched for pictures on the internet and recognized them. I also searched for remedies beyond the ones mentioned here and found apple cider vinegar and iodine, which I had on hand.
Unfortunately the iodine cure required opening the bumps so the iodine could reach the virus; I wasn’t willing to do that out of fear of an infection. I tried simply applying iodine topically for about a week but it didn’t seem to help.
I then tried the cider vinegar. I made a band-aid out of a tiny bit of cotton, just large enough to cover all three bumps (they were close together), and a small piece of tape. I soaked the cotton with undiluted cider vinegar and placed my band-aid over the bumps for about 15 minutes. The cotton appeared almost dry when I took the band-aid off. I did this once a day for a few days. The bumps appeared to be shrinking. Then I became less disciplined and only applied the vinegar on days that I remembered. The bumps have continued to shrink and now are tiny. It’s been about a month in all. I will continue until they are gone.
One caution: While it may be tempting to do more than one 15-minute application of cider vinegar per day, keep in mind that it can “burn” the skin if left on too long.
YK
I tried using the lemon myrtle extract on my son for molluscum. The first time I tried it, he had no reaction at all. The second time, he began to scream in pain. I saw that his skin started to turn bright red, as if he had a first-degree burn. I quickly put him in the bathtub and called the pediatrician and then poison control, and both said to just keep him in the bath and perhaps use some soap, nothing else. Within a half hour, his skin was back to normal and he was not longer in pain. I have not seen any posts on this possible side effect of lemon myrtle extract but needless to say, I will not be using it again!
LtlLamb
My 2.5-year-old was diagnosed yesterday with molluscum contagiosum and I felt horrible. We are potty training her and I just kept treating her for diaper rash. I have no idea how she got this, but it is common in children so that describes 90% of everything she seems to catch. I just hate that it is on her tush.
I ordered some of the austrailia lemon myrtle treatments to try and clear it up. Otherwise the Pediatrician says it can be 2 years. Ugh. If any mom’s of tiny ones have any advice, I’m open to suggestions.
Paula F.
amazon.com, naturesgift.com, australianscent.com, oliveoilsoapfactory.com
to name a few.
Just go to Google.com and enter “Australian Lemon Myrtle Extract” into the search box to find the best deal(s).
b.s.m
Can anyone tell me where you buy the Australian Lemon Myrtle Extract?
Pat K
I would like to know where you can buy Australian lemon myrtle extract to treat molluscum on my face.
jr
My 10-year-old son has molluscum on his arms and torso. I fell asleep crying the night before I read this in our local newspaper because I heard the only treatment option was a very expensive prescription normally used to treat genital warts and that it didn’t work well anyway. I couldn’t believe the answer was right there in the morning.
Thank you so much. My son is involved in a lot of sports and some players started to ignore him because they think he has a horribly contagious disease. I will try this immediately.
MAOM7
My daughter had an intense infection of these when she was 2 years old. After a year, they had spread to her entire body, including one on the edge of her eyelid that was obstructing her vision. Just shy of 3 years of age, I agreed to surgery to have all of them removed. I don’t regret it at all and she has no scars to show for the ordeal (and no memories of it either!). They removed more than 70 of them from her face, neck, chest, tummy, back, behind, legs, feet, and genital area. Sometimes surgery is necessary. She is now 18 years old and gorgeous!
m.e.
I believe they mean that the oil (undiluted, before mixing with the aquaphor), should not me applied directly to skin. Most essentials oils are not used “neat”, as they may irritate, but are beneficial in a carrier substance… soap, lotion, hydrosol, etc.
ebm
It was mixed in with the other ingredients!!!!! Essentials almost always get diluted with a carrier oil (almond oil or olive oil, etc) before applying to skin.
beau10
The article was informative. However, the article ended with the description of one reader’s “homemade salve” that included thyme essential oil with “She warns against putting thyme oil directly on the skin”. How then is the thyme oil incorporated into the salve without it being applied to the skin?
PEOPLE’S PHARMACY RESPONSE: WE ASSUME THAT ADDING THE THYME OIL TO THE AQUAPHOR DILUTES IT ADEQUATELY THAT IT IS NO LONGER LIKELY TO CAUSE THE REACTION THAT STRAIGHT UNDILUTED THYME OIL WOULD.
J.B.
I wish I had known about the lemon myrtle extract.
I’ve used several remedies over the past year. Pure aloe vera and coconut oil both work topically, though rather slowly. 2 times a day was necessary and skipping days was definitely not recommended. A couple months showed great improvement and no new bumps. The coconut oil seemed better and faster than aloe, especially good at preventing new ones from showing up.
The bump will not come to a head with these treatments. The oils actually seemed to break down whatever contains/holds the virus inside the bump, or crosses the barrier, letting the oils in to kill or breakdown the virus/white stuff itself. The bumps go flat/spread out a bit into a dime sized red area, then go away.
But what I found was way faster was this: Pure Dead Sea Salts. 6 – 7 baths were all it took. Do them nightly, right in a row. Keep adding the salt until the bath water tastes nasty. (Took us slightly more than 2 cups in about 6 inches of water in a standard tub.) At least a 30 minute soak. It’s a different healing process than the oils. It brought several bumps to a head each time, drawing out and solidifying the white stuff to the surface where it could be removed, or friction from sleeping at night can rub them out.
We changed the sheets each night for added prevention. We followed up w/2 more baths, once a week after that to make sure any deep rooted infection was taken care of in case it was deeply embedded in the skin. It’s never come back.
Though I don’t know the mineral content of the salts, someone mentioned it might be the zinc in the salts.
Cindy B.
Oil of Oregano – diluted 50% or more if needed with olive oil – works wonders on any bacterial, viral or fungal infection.