Malte (Usa) on 10/31/2010
Replied By Alison (Pendleton, Or, Usa) on 01/19/2011
But I ended up finding a PERFECT gentle face soap with tea tree in it as a main ingredient - it is inexpensive and we have been using it as his all-over body wash because it is so gentle. His spots got a little red, then started to flaten out and scab over, and are healing up great now!
The soap is Desert Essense Thoroughly Clean face wash, you can by a 32 oz bottle for about 15 bucks and we dilute it by half when we use it - very inexpensive and doesn't irritate sensitive skin even though it has a lot of organic Tea Tree in it. And it is really working!
Replied By Thankgodforacv (La, Ca) on 01/27/2011
This is what I did:
I would pour a little bit of ACV on the cap (just enough to cover the bottom)
Then I would dab a cotton ball in ACV (In the beginning I would drench the cotton ball but this left me and my bed smelling like vinegar so I needed a new option)
I would brush the cotton ball over the bump and then apply 2 bandaids to safely secure the cotton ball to my skin.
I would leave this on for 24 hours (at least) without touching them!
Then I would take them off and take a shower with some Tea Tree oil soap that I got from Trader Joe's (they have both bars of soap and liquid form)
Then I would repeat
noticed immediate results within days! The leisions started to get red and then eventually dry out and become some dark color. I kept doing the ACV until it looked like it was scabbing over then I would dab some Neosporin and place a little square bandage over them.
I am still in the process of applying Neosporin as I learned my lesson from not applying Neosporin on a leision that I had on my forearm and now it looks as if I will have that scar there as a constant reminder. But for the most part, I am done with this nasty little chapter in my life! :) Being contagious and quarantined (if you know what I mean) was the worst part of this whole ordeal! Lol
PS: I also tried using tea tree oil for a few days but I couldn't stand the smell and it didn't seem to work as fast as ACV.
Replied By Michmom (Monroe, Mi) on 03/20/2011
Alternatively, I squeezed the waxy core out of a few of them and then used the spray bandage. Those scabbed over faster then the ones I just used the brush on bandage on, but it took longer for the scab to heal and, well, it's not easy to convince a 5 year old to let you squeeze his bumps. The brush on was easier in the long run.
Replied By Scruff (Austin, Tx Us) on 04/14/2011
Ive had MC for about 7 months, it has slowly spread from my elbows first to my knees, where I rest my elbows and to my lower back, I think from scratching.
Ive tried the Z-derm with no luck, tried Tea Tree oil, nothing. So finally I got really tired of these bumps and yesterday tried a couple different things.
With some bumps I used a shaving razor to cut the bumps heads off, soaked the razor in straight bleach while doing so, and then dabbed undiluted bleach on them for a while. The others I didnt use the razor but then wrapped myself in paper towels and Apple Cider Vinegar, then saran wrap over that and taped it up. I left it for 10 hours.
What I found was that some of the un-razored bumps were more red and raised, only about 3 of Im guessing 200 bumps turned black. BUT the ones that I had razored off were all black.
Today I got the razor and bleach out, spend an hour shaving them all down. Blood was pouring out everywhere but I kept swabbing with the bleach until I had them all cut. Then I used the AC Vinegar again and wrapped up like a mummy. This was about 3 hours ago and while it stings terribly, I can see theyre turning black.
I suppose the AC Vinegar works, but with my case it took removing some of the top layers of skin for it to get in there.
Replied By Antimc (Somewhere, In Europa) on 05/09/2011
I thought I had folliculitis, as some of you did. I only had a few bumps that seemed to come and go over a period of a few months. I completely sympathize with those of you who are really stressed out about it!
I thought I'd share a few hints that I found to help me treat MC around my genitals.
First, DO NOT SHAVE your genital area if you suspect that you have MC. You will self-innocculate yourself further.
Second, I found that I did not have to bandage the bumps. I tried with most of them, but either the ACV dissolved the adhesive in the bandage, or the bandages wouldn't stick due to the nature of the male anatomy! The only thing I found to work were water proof bandages (which do not come off for a few days no matter what you do! I don't recommend them for your genitals!! ) or a spray skin adhesive. I live in Europe and I don't recall ever seeing those products in the USA.. but worth a look if you must.
Third, I would wash, or shower before popping the bumps. I sterilized the bump with either ACV or rubbing alcohol before I popped the white lump out. As soon as I got the lump out, using fingernails to push from under the lump, or extracting with the fingernails, I put a soaked cotton pad over the opening. (It will bleed for a bit and the ACV turns the blood brown.)
I popped as many as I could find in one afternoon and treated them. After, I thoroughly swabbed/soaked the area with ACV and let it sit for a few minutes to let it air dry.
Use several swabs, and dab the ACV when applying over an area. I think I would use a spray bottle next time. I think it might be a good way to prevent spreading it around by touch??
4th, WASH your hands!! I had a few spread to my chest and thigh while I was treating myself, but they too disappeared quickly. Change your underwear often.. twice a day or so.
5th, I applied the ACV in the morning, afternoon and again before bed.
6th, I have somewhat sensitive skin, but the ACV did not bother me (using 5%). However, I had one or two spots that were quite sensitive. I started to think that maybe I had herpes too! But I stopped applying the ACV to them and they cleared up within a day. I think the ACV was burning them.
I stopped applying the ACV about a week after I started. It's been 4 days since then and I can hardly even tell where the bumps were now. Just one or two that look like they might have been a pimple.
Lastly, I've also gotten myself tested for HIV and STI's.. MC is much more contagious than some STI's, and you can get it even if you're careful!
Thank you to everyone who has posted their hints. They helped me a lot!
Good health to you all.
Replied By Moproblems (New York) on 07/24/2011
Replied By Rachel (Florence, Alabama) on 08/10/2011
Replied By Datdude (Norfolk, Va) on 09/20/2011
Replied By Rem (London, United Kingdom) on 09/20/2011
Noticed a couple of bumps in the pubic area and figured they were just pimples or maybe clogged pores as I'd done a couple of pretty big overnight dance parties. After a couple of days these 2 pores turned into about 20. I saw a doctor in London scared to all hell that it was Herpes or Genital warts and the doctor barely gave it a glance and said it was folliculitis, gave me a course of antibiotics and said to keep the area clean and dry.
I finished the antibiotics with no change, in fact the number of bumps seemed to have increased and now trailed up toward my belly button. I quickly made another appointment with a different doctor as I was then in a different country and that doctor after a really good look said it looks like MC and said it was pretty harmless and would clear up on its own however to speed it up he prescribed a dry scalp ointment which had salcylic acid in it.
The ointmint was terrible, really smelly and a dull orange colour. I tried it but it just wasn't practical.. also after the first night I noticed even more bumps some appearing on my chest and one on the tip of my penis.
I hit the net to find some answers and have come across a number of home cures. I'm not keen on popping the bumps as I'm worried this will scar. So instead I've purchased some tea tree oil and some Apple Cider Vinegar.
It's my first night trying this, I've dabbed 4 bumps with tea tree oil and placed a bandaid on, soaked a small part of tissue with APV and bandaided this on to another 4 bumps. In addition as I'm in a massive hurry for a miracle fix I've also dabbed all other visible bumps with APV and let it air dry.
Will see if there is any improvement tomorrow.
As to how I got this condition I'm not certain, I'm very careful with contraception and I have only had a couple of partners this year. Most recently was an ex girlfriend who stayed for a weekend, I didn't notice anything on her though but I guess if it was in early stages then maybe I wouldn't. The only other possibility would a girl who I stayed over with, we didn't have sex but hands went to places so I guess if this is as contagious as people say then that would be possible. What bugs me is that the doctor that diagnosed me with MC didn't mention anything about it being contagious.
Anyway I'll post up with my results tomorrow.
Replied By Rem (London, United Kingdom) on 09/20/2011
Replied By Rem (London, United Kingdom) on 09/21/2011
Replied By Rem (London, United Kingdom) on 09/25/2011
Replied By Jennuk (Manchester, Uk) on 09/27/2011
I do not know what to do, I am 23 years old and Have had molloscum for nearly 5years on my genitals!! I don't know how I got it as I never had sex with anyone, and I went to the derm when I was 19 and they just said they couldn't do anything and gave me an acid cream, which I used for 1 year to no avail. I now have a lot of them, and am frustrated. I can only apply the apple cider vinegar with a q -tip due to the area, but have seen no change at all.
I know I should probably go back to the dr but I am worried why my immune system is not fighting it off and that there is something really wrong. I just want a normal life, and possibly a sex life one day. I don't know what I did wrong to deserve this. I have other skin conditions too which I suspect interfere with my immune system and are maybe why it will not fight it off :(
Replied By Rem (London, United Kingdom) on 09/27/2011
As to your specific problem with the location of your molluscum I've read through a lot of websites and with Apple Cider Vinegar although most successes are with plastering some soaked cotton or tissue on to the molluscum overnight I've seen some posts, normally from parents who don't want to put their children through the pain of taking plasters off everyday, instead give their children baths with a cup or so of vinegar, perhaps thats something that might work for you.
The ACV plastering seems to be working for me. I've had to go two nights without doing any more as I was traveling but it looks like the break has given my skin a chance to heal with the inflammation on the scabs going down alot. Still too early to say if the bumps are gone or just hidden at the moment. Will have a better idea in the next day or so. Fingers crossed.
Replied By Rem (London, Uk) on 09/29/2011
Just a couple of more notes on what I've been doing in addition which may or may not be helping. I've purchased some organic body wash with tea tree oil in it as well as some organic Aloe Vera moisturizer with Vitamin E. I'm washing the area with the body wash and I'm also trialing moisturising a small portion of the irritated red skin patches to see if they heal quicker than the non treated ones. I've also started taking some multivitamins which will hopefully up the immune system and speed up healing.
All I need now is this pubic area to react the same as everywhere else and I might just be on the road to being molluscum free.
Replied By Rem (London, Uk) on 09/30/2011
Replied By Theresa (Lyndhurst, New Jersey) on 10/01/2011
Replied By Rem (London, Uk) on 10/03/2011
I'm very happy to say all those very angry bumps which I posted about on the 25/9 are now almost entirely healed, thats some 40 bumps gone now leaving just a slight red pigmentation which is getting less everyday. On the 30/9 I started treating my tea tree oil bumps now exclusively with ACV and they are now the very angry red scabs which should be fully healed in about a week.
As for the pubic area after a bit of a trim I could see there were approximately 90 bumps, after a good amount of ACV soaking the majority of these appear red and swollen with a few with black scabs. What I'm doing now is evey morning and evening before my showers (its a good idea to shower twice a day here) is see if there are any bumps that don't look like they are dieing and hit them again with tissue soaked with ACV sellotaped to them and leave that overnight or during the majority of the day until the tissue dries out. One thing that I must say is important is if the burning gets actually painful I would suggest removing the soaked tissue, twice now I've just left it and it leaves quite an inflammed mess, the most recent one looks like it could scar but fingers crossed it won't.
Feeling really positive now, I think I'm through the worst of it and I'm just needing my body's immune system to do the rest.
Replied By Mother From Virginia (Va) on 10/11/2011
Replied By Lora (Atlanta, Georgia) on 12/21/2011
Like others have posted, we dipped the tip of a Q-Tip in the tea tree oil and gently and carefully touched the Q-Tip to the bump for just a second. We did this every night after his bath. The tea tree oil has a strong odor that he didn't enjoy but after a few weeks all was clear and we discontinued treatment. That was months ago and no problems since.
Replied By Sickofmolluscum (Roanoke, Virginia) on 01/27/2012
Replied By Sickofmolluscum (Roanoke, Va) on 01/28/2012
Replied By Deb (Birmingham, Uk) on 03/30/2012
Replied By Hatedit (Alberta, Canada ) on 10/16/2012
Please, if you are skeptical, before you buy the expensive creams/lotions/harsh wart solutions, please try this! You have nothing to lose! Make sure to buy the organic acv, that worked best for me! For those of you on here who say it's not an std, I am curious why you think that because everywhere on the internet is scareing the hell out of me saying it is an std and that something is wrong with my immune system in order to catch this. I do not sleep around but havnt been perfect in my lifetime! I am really depressed and worried about that, any reassurance would help! Thank you so much for all the posts!
Replied By Andrea C (Cardiff, Wales) on 10/17/2012