WHAT ARE THEY?Water warts(official medical term: mollusca contagiosa ) are warts on the skin, caused by a virus. It is a contagious condition that is mainly seen in children, from about the age of 1 year. Skin-colored, spherical bumps appear on the body. They are also called bowler hat warts or air pimples . Water warts look very different from regular warts, which usually appear on the hands and feet, and they are also caused by a different virus. They disappear on their own within 6-12 months. It is a harmless condition.
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| water warts (molluscs) |
water warts (molluscs) |
water warts (molluscs) |
HOW DO YOU GET WATER WARTS?Water warts are caused by an infection with the molluscum contagiosum virus, also known as the Molluscipox virus. This virus belongs to the poxvirus group. Young children, especially those aged 1 to 5, lack immunity to this virus and can easily contract it through contact with peers who have the virus. The virus can be transmitted through direct skin contact, through play and sports, but also via objects such as toys, towels, or swimming pool visits. The risk of infection is higher if the skin is damaged, for example, by scratches or open scrapes. Children with atopic eczema have a higher risk of infection.
Adults can also get water warts, but this is less common. It can occur in adults who never had them as children or whose immune system is weakened. Adults can contract water warts from children, but also through sexual contact with someone infected with the virus. When an adult has a high incidence of mollusc contagiosa, one should be aware of the possibility of reduced resistance to infection. This occurs with the use of immunosuppressive medications such as prednisone, but also with diseases in which the immune system is compromised, such as HIV infection.WHAT ARE THE PHENOMENA?Water warts develop within 2 weeks to 6 months after infection with the molluscum contagiosum. They are spherical bumps, 3-10 mm in size, skin-colored or white, sometimes slightly shiny. The surface is flattened, sometimes with a small indentation. It takes 6-12 weeks for them to reach their maximum size. There can be just a few, but also many, for example, 100. They mainly appear on the torso, neck, and around the armpits. They can also appear on the face, for example, on the eyelids. Eczema can develop around the water warts. This is especially common in children with atopic eczema. Water warts can burst by scratching or spontaneously. This releases the contents, a white substance called molluscum scum. The warts can become infected. Later, a scab forms and the area heals. This usually doesn't leave a scar, but it can.
In adults, molluscum contagiosum is usually contracted through sexual contact and is not found on the torso, but around the genitals or anus. A condom doesn't protect, as the molluscum contagiosum usually lives on the surrounding skin, not on the genitals.
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| water warts (molluscs) |
water warts (molluscs) |
water warts with eczema |
HOW IS THE DIAGNOSIS MADE?Water warts are identified by their appearance. Occasionally, they are difficult to identify, requiring further examination. For this, the wart is removed ( biopsy ) under local anesthesia and sent to the laboratory for further examination.WHAT IS THE TREATMENT?Because molluscum contagiosum disappears on its own within 6-12 months, treatment is usually unnecessary, and spontaneous healing can be expected. For children, this is often the wisest decision, as the removal methods can be painful and traumatic.
Sometimes, however, removal is requested. This can be for cosmetic reasons, or if they cause problems such as inflammation, infection, or eczema around the warts.
There are several methods for removing warts:Scraping away (curettage) with a sharp spoonA molluscum condylomas can be scraped off with a sharp spoon (curette). This is too painful without anesthesia. In children, the skin can be numbed beforehand with anesthetic cream (EMLA cream). This should be applied an hour beforehand, a thick layer, covered with plastic wrap. Tegaderm patches are included in the package for this purpose. Plastic cling film can also be used. This cream should remain in place until just before the procedure. The doctor will remove the plastic and scrape the wart away immediately behind it. Despite this anesthesia, it can still be too painful and traumatic for young children. If this proves to be the case, it is better to discontinue the treatment and wait for spontaneous healing. In adults, a molluscum condylomas can be effectively numbed with an anesthetic injection and removed with a spoon.
Aftercare consists of washing with Betadine iodine soap for two days to prevent infection. Scraping off a molluscum condylomas can leave a small scar.Freezing with liquid nitrogenIn this case, the wart is frozen, just like with regular warts. A blister may develop. The wart will later fall off. Liquid nitrogen is very cold (196 degrees below zero). Sprays are also available at the drugstore that you can use to freeze a wart yourself. These don't freeze as deeply as liquid nitrogen. It's not yet clear whether this works as well as the actual liquid nitrogen used in a doctor's office, but it's not dangerous to try.
Burning (electrocoagulation):
A wart can be burned away with a device called an electrocoagulator by briefly touching it with a needle or a small ball. An electric current generates heat, which burns the wart. This requires anesthesia, either with anesthetic cream or injections with anesthetic fluid.
Burning (laser):
A water wart can also be burned away with a laser, for example, a CO2 laser. This also requires anesthesia. The effect is the same as burning with the electrocoagulation device.
Applying wart solutions:
The same solutions used for common warts can also be used for molluscum condylomas. Examples include Wartec, Condyline, and Podophylline collodion.
Applying creams:
Aldara cream (imiquimod) and tretinoin cream (vitamin A acid 0.05 or 0.1%) are also used for molluscum condylomas. Both creams can irritate the surrounding skin.WHAT ARE THE OUTLOOK?Generally, water warts disappear on their own within 6-12 months. However, some people may continue to experience them for several years. |
