In healthy people, molluscum contagiosum usually clears on its own without any treatment, with the bumps fading over about 6 to 12 months CDC. The full natural-resolution range runs much longer, and some cases linger for years before the last lesion disappears. New bumps can keep appearing while old ones heal, which stretches out how long the infection seems to last.
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 |
How long molluscum really lasts untreated
For an otherwise healthy immune system, clearance usually comes within roughly 6 to 12 months. But molluscum doesn't behave like a single bump that comes and goes. It spreads to nearby skin through scratching and shaving, so while one cluster resolves, a fresh crop can surface. This rolling cycle is why some people carry it for several years before they're clear. People with weakened immune systems, from HIV, chemotherapy, or immune-suppressing medication, tend to have larger, more numerous, more stubborn lesions that resist self-resolution.
None of this means you have to wait it out. For genital lesions specifically, clinicians recommend removal rather than watchful waiting, both to limit spread to partners and because genital bumps are harder to keep covered.
What molluscum contagiosum is
Molluscum contagiosum is a benign, common, usually mild skin infection caused by a poxvirus called the molluscum contagiosum virus CDC clinical. The virus infects only the top layers of skin and doesn't circulate through the body the way many other infections do, part of why it's so often harmless. In children it usually spreads through ordinary skin contact and shared items. In adults, infections often result from sexual activity, so genital molluscum gets grouped with sexually transmitted infections.
Symptoms — and the quiet reality
The hallmark is small, firm, pearly bumps, typically about 2 to 5 mm across, white, pink, or skin-colored, ranging from pinhead to pencil-eraser size. Many have a tiny dimple or dip in the center, the most useful clue for telling them apart from other skin spots. They can show up almost anywhere on the body, though the palms and soles are rarely affected. Some people find them itchy or sore, and scratching an itchy bump spreads it further. You can read more on what the molluscum contagiosum bumps look like and how they progress.
Molluscum often causes no discomfort at all. Many people don't notice the bumps until a partner points them out or until they multiply. Because they're painless and small, they're easy to mistake for clogged pores, warts, or pimples, so a clinician's eye matters before you assume you know what they are.
How molluscum spreads
Molluscum moves by direct skin-to-skin contact with an infected person, including sexual contact. It also spreads through contaminated items like towels, clothing, and pool or gym equipment that touched someone's lesions. The third route is autoinoculation: when you touch, scratch, or shave over your own bumps, you carry the virus to new patches of skin and seed fresh lesions. Shaving over a genital or thigh cluster commonly spreads it across an area by accident. For the full picture of whether it counts as an STD and how transmission works, see is molluscum contagiosum an std? how it spreads.
How it's diagnosed
Most cases are diagnosed by eye. The central dimple and the firm, pearly texture are distinctive enough that an experienced clinician can usually identify molluscum on a quick exam, sometimes confirmed by gently expressing the waxy core or by examining a sample under a microscope. There's no blood test for it.
Because adult genital molluscum is often acquired sexually, it's reasonable to get screened for other infections at the same visit. Many of those are diagnosed from a simple urine cup, a self-collected swab, or a quick exam, with results usually back in a few days. Testing is free or low-cost at health departments, Planned Parenthood, and Title X clinics. If you're not sure when to screen after a possible exposure, check the guidance on when to test after exposure, and you can get tested when the timing is right.
Treatment options
Healthy people usually recover without treatment, so for non-genital bumps in someone with a normal immune system, watchful waiting is a legitimate choice. When removal is wanted, and it's recommended for genital lesions, options include cryotherapy (freezing the bumps off), curettage (scraping them away), laser, and topical agents such as salicylic acid. Each removes lesions directly. None cures the virus instantly, and new bumps can still appear afterward until the infection runs its course.
If you start a prescribed course, a cream or another medication, finish all of it even after the bumps look better, and ask whether your partner needs treating so you don't pass it back and forth. The full rundown of methods, what each feels like, and recovery is covered in molluscum contagiosum treatment & removal options.
| Approach | What it involves | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Watchful waiting | No procedure; let the immune system clear lesions over months | Healthy people with non-genital bumps |
| Cryotherapy | Freezing each bump | Limited number of lesions, including genital |
| Curettage | Scraping lesions off | Defined, accessible bumps |
| Salicylic acid | Topical agent applied over time | People who prefer a home-applied option |
| Laser | In-office removal | Stubborn or numerous lesions |
What can happen if you leave it alone
Molluscum is rarely dangerous, but waiting it out has real downsides:
- Continued spread — every untreated cluster is a source for autoinoculation (seeding new bumps on yourself by touch or shaving) and for passing the virus to partners.
- Secondary bacterial infection — bumps that are scratched open can become inflamed and infected, sometimes leaving redness or scarring.
- Scarring — picking at lesions or aggressive removal can leave small marks, so genital lesions are better handled by a clinician.
- A longer overall course — because new bumps keep appearing, an untreated infection can drag on well beyond the typical clearance window, especially if it isn't kept covered.
How to prevent spreading it
While you have molluscum, the goal is to stop both autoinoculation and contact with others:
- Wash your hands often, especially after touching the area.
- Don't share towels, clothing, razors, or other personal items.
- Cover the bumps with clothing or a bandage to limit contact.
- Don't scratch the bumps, and don't shave over an affected area; both spread the virus.
- For the sexually transmitted route, condoms used every time lower risk, though they don't cover every spot a bump could be. Routine screening still catches infections that have no symptoms.
When to see a clinician
See a clinician if the bumps are in the genital area, if they're spreading quickly or becoming numerous, if any look red, swollen, or painful (a sign of secondary infection), or if you're unsure they're molluscum at all. People with weakened immune systems should be evaluated early, since lesions tend to be more extensive and persistent. A clinic visit also lets you confirm the diagnosis and screen for anything else acquired the same way. If cost or access is a concern, you can compare testing providers to find a low-cost option. Clinics handle this daily.