Molluscum contagiosum bumps are small, firm, pearly papules about 2–5 mm across — white, pink, or skin-colored — and their giveaway feature is a tiny dimple in the center. They appear in clusters, can show up almost anywhere on the skin, and feel firm rather than soft. In adults, genital clusters often come from sexual contact CDC.
with the right treatment
testing, not symptoms, decides
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Curable? | yes — with the right treatment |
| If you may have it | get tested — testing, not symptoms, decides |
What molluscum contagiosum bumps look and feel like
Molluscum is a benign, usually mild skin infection caused by a poxvirus called the molluscum contagiosum virus. The virus infects only the top layers of skin, so the bumps stay surface-level and don't spread internally. The classic lesion is a small, firm, raised papule that's smooth and shiny — people often call it "pearly."
The most useful diagnostic clue is central umbilication: a small dip or dimple in the middle of each bump, sometimes holding a waxy white core. Not every lesion shows it clearly. But when you see a cluster of dome-shaped pearly bumps with center dimples, molluscum jumps to the top of the list.
- Size runs from a pinhead to about a pencil-eraser (roughly 2–5 mm), so they're small and easy to miss at first.
- Color is white, pink, or skin-colored, and the surface looks smooth and slightly waxy.
- They're firm to the touch, not soft or fluid-filled like a blister.
- They often come in small groups or lines rather than as a single isolated bump.
- Some itch or feel a little sore, and scratching can irritate the surrounding skin CDC clinical overview.
Where the bumps show up — including the spots people overlook
Molluscum can appear almost anywhere on the body, with the palms and soles being rare exceptions. In adults who get it through sexual contact, the lesions cluster on and around the genitals, the groin, the lower abdomen, the inner thighs, and the buttocks. The virus spreads by skin-to-skin contact, so the bumps tend to land wherever skin touched skin.
Easy-to-miss sites are part of why molluscum lingers. Bumps tucked in skin folds, at the base of the pubic hair, or in the crease between the buttock and thigh get overlooked during a quick glance. Scratching or shaving can also spread the virus along a line of broken skin, leaving new bumps trailing across previously clear areas. If you want to limit that scatter, see how to stop molluscum from spreading on your body.
How soon the bumps appear after exposure
Molluscum doesn't show up overnight. There's an incubation period after the virus reaches the skin before the first visible bumps emerge, so it's common to have no idea exactly when or from whom you picked it up. That gap is normal for this virus and doesn't mean anything went wrong.
Because timing is fuzzy, testing for other exposures has its own schedule. If a recent sexual encounter is on your mind, check when to test after exposure so you sample at the point a test can actually detect an infection rather than too early.
What people mistake molluscum bumps for
The pearly, dimpled look overlaps with a few other common skin findings, so people misjudge them. Sorting them out comes down to texture, the center dimple, and how the bumps behave over time.
| Condition | How it differs from molluscum |
|---|---|
| Acne / clogged pores | Acne bumps tend to be tender, can hold pus, and come and go with oily skin; molluscum is firm, painless, and dimpled in the center. |
| Genital warts (HPV) | Warts are usually rough or cauliflower-textured and lack the smooth waxy dome and central dimple of molluscum. |
| Herpes | Herpes forms fluid-filled blisters that break into painful sores; molluscum bumps are solid, firm, and not blistered. |
| Folliculitis / ingrown hairs | These center on a hair follicle, are often red and tender, and resolve in days; molluscum persists and shows the telltale dimple. |
In practice: blisters point toward herpes, rough texture points toward warts, tenderness with pus points toward acne or folliculitis, and a firm pearly bump with a center dimple points toward molluscum. When several bumps share that pearly-dimpled look, molluscum is the likely answer.
Complications if molluscum is left untreated
Molluscum is usually self-limited and not dangerous, but a few problems can develop. The most common is autoinoculation — spreading the virus to new areas of your own skin through scratching, shaving, or rubbing, which turns a small cluster into a wider patch. Sexual partners can also catch it through ongoing skin-to-skin contact.
Scratched-open bumps can develop a secondary bacterial infection, where bacteria enter the broken skin and cause redness, warmth, or pus that needs its own treatment. Irritated lesions sometimes turn red and inflamed as the body's immune response kicks in, which can look alarming but is often a sign the infection is clearing. People with weakened immune systems can get more numerous, larger, or more stubborn bumps. If you'd rather not wait for the bumps to resolve on their own, review the molluscum contagiosum treatment & removal options.
Who should get screened
Molluscum itself is diagnosed by sight, but genital molluscum in an adult is a flag that the same skin-to-skin contact could have transmitted other infections. A new genital bump is a reasonable prompt to check on everything else at the same time. Anyone who is sexually active and notices new genital bumps, has a new or multiple partners, or has a partner with molluscum or another STI is a candidate for a broader checkup.
This diagnosis is common and treatable — clinics handle it every day, and it says nothing about you as a person. If you're due for a fuller workup, you can get tested for the infections that travel with the same contact.
How molluscum is tested
Most cases are diagnosed from a quick visual exam of the characteristic bumps, sometimes with a simple sample if the picture is unclear; results from any lab work usually come back in a few days, and testing is free or low-cost at health departments, Planned Parenthood, and Title X clinics. For the full walkthrough, see how to get tested.
When to see a clinician
See a clinician if you have new genital bumps and aren't sure what they are, if bumps are spreading, becoming painful, red, or draining pus, or if you have a weakened immune system and the lesions are widespread or stubborn. A clinician can confirm the diagnosis on sight, rule out look-alikes, and offer removal if you want it. Don't try to squeeze or dig out the bumps yourself — that spreads the virus and risks scarring.