you probably [don't] know much about mini warts (or technically speaking molluscum contagiosum). every summer parents bring their kids in with curious little “rashes” that just don’t seem to go away. they are tiny firm raised flesh-colored bumps that often show up in the armpit the back of the knees the trunk the forearm or the inner thigh. (the only place they don’t show up are the palms and soles. ) so what are they? a virus. yes these tiny warts are caused by a virus. and yes that means they are contagious. they spread from person-to-person by direct contact with the spots. and kids can spread them around their own bodies by scratching and picking at them. the spots are kind of itchy but they are really more of a nuisance than a serious health issue. kids with eczema tend to have more problems because the itchy spots lead to scratching which leads to eczema flare-ups. if left alone the molluscum eventually goes away. but “eventually” can mean 6 months or 4 years. molluscum isn’t just a summer virus but i do see more kids with it after spending their summer in the swimming pool. studies looking at the ability of the virus to spread in a chlorinated pool have been inconclusive thus far. thus there are no regulations restricting kids from public swimming pools when they’ve got those spots. (besides the fact that one in 10 kids would have to stay out of a pool if there was a rule… that’s how common molluscum is! ) the molluscum virus also seems to spread through non-chlorinated water (like your bathtub). if one of your kids has molluscum do not let him share a bath or a drying off towel with your other kids. about 40% of kids with molluscum will spread it to their sibling. if you want to get rid of the molluscum before they decide to go away on their own i suggest speaking to your child’s doctor or consulting a dermatologist. there are a variety of methods none of which is 100% successful or pain-free. so you should consider the options before proceeding.
what are mini-warts?