Molluscum contagiosum is a very common infection in children and sometimes adults caused by a poxvirus (molluscum contagiosum virus). The result of the infection is usually a benign, mild skin disease characterized by lesions (growths) that may appear anywhere on the body.
The lesions, or warts known as Mollusca, are small, raised, and usually white, pink, or flesh-colored with a dimple or pit in the center. They often have a pearly appearance. They’re usually smooth and firm. In most people, the lesions range from about the size of a pinhead to as large as a pencil eraser (2 to 5 millimeters in diameter). They may become itchy, sore, red, and/or swollen.
Mollusca may occur anywhere on the body including the face, neck, arms, legs, abdomen, and genital area, alone or in groups. The lesions are rarely found on the palms of the hands or the soles of the feet.
Molluscum is transmitted not only by direct contact with the bumps, but also by touching an object that has come in contact with the bumps. The virus can also spread to other parts of the body. It is commonly transmitted through sharing bath toys, pool toys, towels and clothing.
Having a child with molluscum contagiosum may create some very real and very difficult challenges in your day-to-day life. Many are aware of some of the unfun ways in which molluscum may impact how you live. Because it is contagious it can be transmitted from person to person quite easy.
Treatments for these warts vary from freezing and burning them off, to just simply leaving them alone and hoping that in a few years they will go away.
Our Story
About ten years ago my oldest daughter contracted molluscum from a neighbor. It started with one tiny wart on the back of her leg. Because I was unaware of what this was, I decided to take her to a dermatologist. After explaining to me that this was molluscum, the dermatologist decided to treat the wart by freezing it off. The very next day my daughter woke up with three more in the same area that the other one had been treated.
I immediately took her back to the dermatologist. Again they removed them.
Exactly 3 days later, molluscum came back with a vengeance. She was covered in warts!! They were up-and-down her legs and arms! They covered her torso and neck!! I was in absolute shock I could not believe what was happening!! When I contacted the dermatologist they had absolutely no answers for me as to why they spread.
It was obvious at this point, burning them off was a bad idea. From that moment I decided to take the natural approach.
After repeated trips to the dermatologist and no explanation for what was happening, I knew there had to be something to fix this horrible plague. It was time to put my trust back in mother Earth.
After countless sleepless nights of research, I finally felt confident I knew how to treat this unbearable virus. The next evening we started her treatment. Despite that she was basically 60% covered in warts, they were all dead within 24 hours. Defeating this virus was one of the best days of my life as a mother 100%!
How to get rid of Molluscum Contagium for good!
Items Needed
– Organic Applecider vinegar
– Cotten balls
-Large heavy duty band-aids
To treat the wart, start by soaking a cotton ball in your Apple cider vinegar. Place the wet cotton ball directly on the wart and cover completely with a large band-aid. (I preferred to do this in the evening that way she was able to sleep with the band-aids on) The cotton ball should not be visible sticking out from the band-aid.
A key factor is making sure that your cotton ball will stay wet overnight. You want to make sure you cover it completely so that it will stay wet. If necessary you can use things such as saranwrap to cover the entire area if your band-aid is not big enough. Make sure you cover it securely.
In my daughter’s situation, the warts covered such large areas of her body that I actually had to cut pieces of T-shirts, soak them in vinegar, and ducktape them on her.
If the clusters or warts on your child’s body are covering a large area you may have to improvise.
For children, I recommend doing this treatment at bedtime. After an overnight or 11-12 hour duration (which is necessary to kill the virus), the warts should become white, and sometimes have a black top.
This is an indicator they are dead!
Once they are white or have that black top you can be assured that particular wart is dead. The unfortunate part is that these worts spread so fast as you treat some, more can pop up. Continue to treat any new ones that come up with the same method.
My daughter’s case was so horrible it took us a complete 3 days to kill all of the warts. I was still paranoid for months afterwards.
Cautions
Apple cider vinegar is acidic, therefore it may burn the skin. It is a good idea to test a small area before you treat large areas. You also want to make sure you get the cotton ball over the wart area and not bare skin. Keep in mind however, the acidic effect is what you need to kill the virus. When I treated my daughter, some of the areas bothered her, as where other areas did not. As much as she did not like it, we knew it was something that had to be done.
For the next couple days keep an eye on other areas of your child’s body. If a new one pops up, treat it immediately until the virus is completely gone, out of the system. Sometimes a new one can already be on its way to the surface when you are treating the others, so it is important to look for these signs a few days later. If done properly, this method WORKS!!
Honestly to this day, I still cannot believe this is not a standard treatment at the dermatologist or local pediatricians. After our ordeal, I contacted our dermatologists and told them what I had done to treat the warts and that it worked!!
They basically told me I was crazy and they had never heard of such a thing, nor would they ever offer that to their patients. In my personal opinion, the medical field is supposed to help. If something works, why not offer it and help? Lucky for us mother Earth does, and always has.
To the the struggling parents out there that are dealing with molluscum, this is my own personal story and how we defeated something they said we never could.
No more living in fear that your child is going to give it to the neighbor, or siblings. Worried that you can’t take your children to that summer pool party in fear somebody may see. No more listening to your child cry because they are embarrassed or uncomfortable. No more stressing!
Thanks to the natural simple healing ingredients, we no longer have to live with molluscum.
Stay Wild
Sources Below
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK441898/
https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/molluscum-contagiosum/treatment.html
Kayce Heister
Kayce is a Clinical Herbalist, Naturopathic Practitioner (HHP), Active Forager, Wild Food Chef and Mother of three. She has spent the last 20 years practicing herbalism and natural health, and spends most of her time educating others on the amazing potential the natural world can offer.