Molluscum Contagiosum question

[Unregistered]

I contracted molluscum contagiosum on my genital area 2 years ago, and I got it treated with liquid nitrogen, and it was quick, easy and went away within 2-3 days after the brief 10 minute session.
Well now out of nowhere, it has came back. I've read on the internet saying it can be spread through towels and clothing.
But the question I have is, if you've had molluscum contagiosum and it can be spread through clothes, 'Does the virus stay in your clothes even after washing them?'
Because I have been wearing an old pair of pants the last while and coincidentally the virus arose again. If it stays in clothing i'm going to get a new wardrobe. Hopefully i'm completely wrong though. Anyone know the answer?

[Unregistered]

That would be very scary if molluscum could live on clothes for 2 years. I have molluscum and was very upset to hear how long it takes to go away. I had mine frozen and more came after those. I am currently putting duck tape over each individual bump (about 25) it takes a long time. I don't know what will work. In response to your question I was wondering if you have been with the same sexual partner or have you been with this person again? Maybe, did you not notice tiny bumps over the years and just happened to notice a larger one recently? From what I have learned this seems to be a common virus, so you could have even got it from a new partner. Are you in frequent contact with a particular person that may have it and has not treated it. I would greatly appreciate a response because I can't get support from anyone on this matter. I hope my suggestions will help to figure out where your reaccurence has come from.

[Unregistered]

Molluscum is very tricky to get rid off but I've never heard of the virus living longer than 24 in clothing or towels.
Covering the spots up is probably the best thing that you can do so you don't accidently spread them around. I tried 4 different types of treatments (nitrogen, acid, cutting, and also aldera). I think going to the dermatologist was the best thing I could have done since the creams took a long time to work and I did not like the nitrogen or acid treatments.

Here is a really great website and resource.
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/mollu...tm#avoidspread

[Unregistered]

Thank you for the website link, I actually have been there before, very helpful. If you wouldn't mind, I was wondering how long you had the bumps and when did they go away? Was it overnight? Did they just stop reappearing after getting them treated at the derm? How long have they been gone for? Everyone I have heard from only currently has them, is not rid of them. I hope these aren't too many Q's but did you end up spreading it to any family members?

[Unregistered]

I had them for 7 months. I went to the doctor once a week and treated at home as well. I was very aggressive in my treatments. My doctors often did not understand why the bumps bothered me so much but we took care of it.
No one else caught the bumps since I made sure to keep any of the affected areas under clothing. The bumps would take forever to heal and felt like they kept spreading. At first they were contained in the genitals but them my stomach and legs got them as well. I put the aldera cream on the new bumps as soon as I saw one starting and that really helped speed up my recovery time. Also, I used the aldera cream EVERYWHERE... not just were I saw bumps. This helped prevent the spreading of bumps. I hope this helps.

Thank you for the website link, I actually have been there before, very helpful. If you wouldn't mind, I was wondering how long you had the bumps and when did they go away? Was it overnight? Did they just stop reappearing after getting them treated at the derm? How long have they been gone for? Everyone I have heard from only currently has them, is not rid of them. I hope these aren't too many Q's but did you end up spreading it to any family members?

[Unregistered]

Thank you soooo much for responding back to me. You have no idea how much anxiety is relieved just by hearing your story. I can't afford to go to the Dr. once a week, but I will get the cream, I have no insurance and I have heard that it is expensive. When you used it all over your body did it leave any scars anywhere? I heard that it is bad to put on skin. I do not care about any pain, I just do not want scars. If I can find a way I will go to the derm. every other week. I'm so discouraged because after the shower this morning I seen about 10-15 new ones in addition to the 25-30 that I have! One more question, how long have you been free of this tourture? Again, thank you so much.

[Unregistered]

I'm not sure how much the cream costs before insurance but it was worth it. I did not get any scarring from the cream (just the acid treatments lefts scars). To be clear, I only used the cream in affected regions but the entire affected area. The doctors said that it might dry my skin out but that did not happen. I usually had break outs when I was very stressed so try to relax. I'm know how you are feeling and I am sorry. My last treatment was just early Nov.... so not that long ago. Also, I purely went to the doctor out of anxiety. I did not want anything spreading. The bumps probably would have gone away in the same amount of time if I just went every two weeks as well. After you get the cream, treat the bumps right away when you see them developing. It makes the healing time shorten by weeks. When I saw the bumps developing and used the cream, they went away within days versus weeks with the nitrogen treatment.

Thank you soooo much for responding back to me. You have no idea how much anxiety is relieved just by hearing your story. I can't afford to go to the Dr. once a week, but I will get the cream, I have no insurance and I have heard that it is expensive. When you used it all over your body did it leave any scars anywhere? I heard that it is bad to put on skin. I do not care about any pain, I just do not want scars. If I can find a way I will go to the derm. every other week. I'm so discouraged because after the shower this morning I seen about 10-15 new ones in addition to the 25-30 that I have! One more question, how long have you been free of this tourture? Again, thank you so much.

[Unregistered]

I will definitely get the cream and maybe freeze some more of them. I currently have duck tape on them. I had duck tape on previously for 6 days, took it off, showered, and put more duck tape on. Obviously this is not working yet because they are still spreading, but considering the incubation time these bumps could have been starting a few weeks ago, unless I am not clear on this. I do have a doctor's appt. tomorrow, first one in a couple of months since I've had this. I will ask for the cream and ask to have some more prominent ones frozen, which is only a few, the others are sooo small. Sometimes I can't tell if it is dry skin bumps or a real bump, but I think I know this virus better than that and they are probably all bumps. I choose to get them frozen I guess because I had no problem with it before, the healing time was quick. Although, I have post-inflammatory pigmentation that she says will go away eventually. She also said I am very contagious when they are healing from the freezing, so that makes me worry since I have family that uses the same bathroom with me (any pointers on this). All of your answers have helped me to cope. It is really nice to know I am not the only one who has this. I do understand that this is not life threatening and it actually is going to go away, but as everybody knows that has this we fear that it will be noticable and that we will give it to somebody. Oh, and the fact that it is impossible to live a normal life because of the clothing you have to wear and gross, not shaving my legs or my armpits, going through the routine of individually treating these bumps, and doctors appointments. I'm so afraid to spread it in any way. What do you do in the summer about hiding them, hopefully mine will be gone by then. I'm so happy for you that yours are gone, and no reacurrence in a couple of months! I just want to say also that I am sorry for the anxiety you had to go through, nobody should have to go through this. We just need to come out stronger and smarter in the end. Not to say you aquired yours sexually, but I think I may have, I'm not sure, my boyfriend didn't have any bumps that I could see and he also said he had no bumps. I guess you can get molluscum in many ways. Oh, when you went to the doctor in early nov how many bumps did you have? Oh, I also wanted to say that my bumps also spread to the same places as yours as well as a few on my chest and now my lower legs. I know this is long, but it helps to vent to somebody who understands. Thanks for your responses.

[Unregistered]

Hello again. I posted the original question, and it's good to hear it can't stay in clothes. Which now boggles my mind how they came back. Here's the sexual history which is why i'm confused they're back.

-First noticed the bumps 2 years ago, got them burnt off.
- met a girl 3 weeks later and dated her for 9 months
- hooked up with three girls after we broke up, got tested
- clean, and no bumps show up/come back
- hook up with 4 girls within the following year, still no bumps
- 2 months go by, again still no bumps.
- SUDDENLY 2-3 months ago, a bump comes back, small but noticeable

I hadn't had any sexual contact for months!! It just came out of nowhere. Unlike the first time, i didn't itch or touch them, and now i have about 5-6. I'm getting them burned off with nitrogen again in 2 days. I wonder how they came back? Maybe there was one down under my scrotum or crotch where i couldn't see, and it stayed there for so long without spreading? I don't know.

[Unregistered]

It is a strange situation, but my guess is you came in contact with it again. It can have an incubation time up to 6 mos. After 2 yrs. you would hope 1 wasn't hiding somewher waiting to spread and torture you again, I don't know how likely that is. Let us know if it is molluscum again, and if it goes away with 1 treatment. Hang in there!