Tips/Treatment For Molluscum (Very Detailed)

I am writing this to try and help someone because I know how horrendous this virus is and just would like to put some tips out there. This is going to be very long and detailed so grab a snack. 

A little background- I am a 22 year old female and had Molluscum in the genital region for about a year which I have just finally gotten rid of (I hope).

First off, I know how absolutely sh*tty it is to find out you have this virus. It is horrible to deal with and drags on forever which is absolutely depressing. It has pretty much made my abstinent because I do not want to tell anyone that I have it and am so afraid to pass it on. BUT what I want to say is this: It could be worse! I know that may not be what you want to hear but I am so grateful that was wasn't something more serious- Molluscum goes away It may take forever but at least it is not life long. When Molluscum first appeared for me I was certain it was herpes, and although it does suck to have Molluscum Contagiosum I was very relieved to find out it was not HSV.

TIPS:

As mentioned I have been dealing with this for about a year but noticed around 6 months that it was beginning to clear up, or lessen in severity. 

1. MOST IMPORTANT: DO NOT STOP TREATING. I would get frustrated or lazy and decide to "ignore" the Molluscum for a while instead of treating them daily and that was the absolute worst decision. Inevitably, the Molluscum got waaaay worse and harder to treat during these periods. I know sometimes you may want to give up or "take a break" from treating like I did but trust me you must stay consistent if you want to keep it under control/get rid of it faster.

2. No baths/hot tubs/hot water. Avoid bathes at all costs. Any heat/wet makes the Molluscum so much worse and I have noticed bathes can also make the Molluscum transfer to another part of your body. Avoid the area being moist and warm as much as possible which I know can be hard when dealing with down there. Try to take quick lukewarm showers if possible because this will definitely be a huge help in keeping the MC under control. Once you get out pat the affected area dry with toilet paper or tissue and DO NOT use the towel you are using for your body. Because Molluscum is so incredibly contagious and easily spread it is vital to not touch clothing or towels to the affected area and then touch anywhere else on the body.

3. Take a good multi-vitamin/keep up a healthy lifestyle. Eat well, excersize, sleep well, drink plenty of water and take a really good must-vitamin to help build up your immune system. The worse the immune system, the harder MC will be to get rid of.

4. WASH WASH WASH. Wash your sheets as often as possible in hot water. Buy comfy lose-fitting underwear that you can wash and bleach the sh*t out of and change often. Never use a towel twice or wear the same pants without washing because this will cause it to spread. Wash your hands before and after every time you touch the affected area. 

5. DO NOT SHAVE THE AREA. This causes the MC to spread so badly and multiply like crazy. Do not even think about shaving the area until you are 100% that the MC is gone. Trim your pubes if need be in order to treat the MC.

TREATMENT:

*This is what worked for me*

I see lots of forums on here recommending doing little amateur surgery on the molluscum at home to dig them out. I don't recommend this unless you are super confident about it, I have tried it and left me with some gnarly scars that took forever to fade, same with the Nitrogen freezing at the doc's office, which I found to not be effective enough to be worth it. 

1. APPLE CIDER VINEGAR:

Very effective if used properly. Helped me finally kick this thing in the butt.

-Take a small cotton ball or half cotton ball and dip in ACV, squeeze out excess. 

-Take a strip of duct tape and place the small ball in the centre

-Place carefully on any big Molluscums and leave overnight

The more tediously you do this the better the outcome, if you get the duct tape too wet it will not stick. Best results if the ACV dipped ball is squeezed out so it is not dripping wet and the tape has been secured all the way around it without gaping. After a couple nights of this you will notice the Molluscum(s) turn black and die. This then turns into a scab which goes away with time.

2. Tea-Tree Oil:

Not quite as effective as ACV but still got very good results. I would do this at least every day sometimes I did this multiple times a day and it worked very well to dry up the Molluscums, causing many of the little ones to go away (ACV better for big ones). 

-Take a clean Q tip, dip in the TT oil and smother any Molluscums with it. Simple and easy to do. Change Q tips in between Molluscums!!!

3. Tape:

Also had a lot of success with this.

-Take packing or duct tape and cut into size appropriate squares, cover the molluscums

-Leave this overnight, it suffocates them and can help kill them

-For big areas with many little ones I would just use one big strip of tape and for the larger Molluscums I would cut the tape into individual squares.

I tried epsom salts bathes in cool water and that had virtually no effect for me. The three treatments above are what worked the best for me and I think I would definitely still be dealing with Molluscum if not for them.

Hope this helps and keep on keepin' on.

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