# molluscum.com, good or bad science? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 1, 2003, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/molluscum-com-good-or-bad-science/192265 "2003-08-01T01:36:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![gentle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/eb8c5e/32.png) [@gentle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gentle)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/molluscum-com-good-or-bad-science/192265/1 "2003-08-01T01:36:48Z")
The web site at [http://www.molluscum.com/](http://www.molluscum.com/) offers the “Phillips Molluscum Treatment System” for treating \molluscum contagiosum\ in children and adults. On the one hand it’s a genuinely useful source of information, and some of the science seems sensible enough, and they openly acknowledge that the disease is not well understood and that their remedies are based on their theory about how it works. On the other hand, there are dubious aspects: for example, the parent company has web sites for its various “divisions”, each sporting pictures of the exact same staff, which aside from the inventor does not seem to include any medically trained workers. There’s a strange rant about how doctors spend their time on the beach instead of reading up on their product, as an explanation of why their theories are not widely known. There are no peer reviews. They sell coral calcium, recognized by most professionals as something of a scam. No money-back guarantee, as far as I can see, on their products. It all seems a little bit iffy. I’m not qualified to evaluate the science, which is focused on a phenomenon called iontophoresis plus a somewhat gung-ho application of silver-based remedies. However, someone with a better grasp on dermatology might be able to make some intelligent commentary. As far as the silver is concerned, it’s apparently well-known bacteria/fungus killer, but does it make sense to apply it as a gel, to drink it, to use it in soap, and to spray it on stuff to kill fungi? If it’s so efficient, why don’t we see more silver-based products in drug stores? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/molluscum-com-good-or-bad-science/192265/2 "2003-08-01T02:01:45Z")
Well, we have pure unadulterated bullshit right on the front page: > [@](#): > > When we measure the electrical potential of pimples, cuts, infections, and the like, we find that the normal negative two hundred milli-volt potentials is changed to a positive 300 mili-volt potential. This positive charge attracts the blood’s negatively charged white cells to the site to kill off the invaders whether they are bacterial, fungal or viral. Somehow the Molluscum has the ability to over-ride this positive potential that usually accompanies a skin lesion and instead project the normal 200 mili-volt negative potential. All this talk of electric potentials is utter rot. WBS and macrophages identify cellular surface proteins when deciding what matter is “self” and is to left alone and what is foreign and should be attacked. The whole site is peppered with this psuedoscientific doubletalk that sounds impressive to a layperson but is in reality without meaning. in the end, it’s all just bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![gentle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/eb8c5e/32.png) [@gentle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gentle)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/molluscum-com-good-or-bad-science/192265/3 "2003-08-01T02:31:29Z")
Indeed, it was the “mili-volt potential” paragraph that first raised my suspicions. Too bad. Damn, false advertising ought be illegal. ---
**Author:** ![cuauhtemoc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecb155/32.png) [@cuauhtemoc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cuauhtemoc)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/molluscum-com-good-or-bad-science/192265/4 "2003-08-01T02:37:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by gentle \* > \*\*Indeed, it was the “mili-volt potential” paragraph that first raised my suspicions. Too bad. Damn, false advertising ought be illegal. \*\* [I strongly agree.](http://www.q-ray.com) ---
**Author:** ![gentle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/eb8c5e/32.png) [@gentle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gentle)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/molluscum-com-good-or-bad-science/192265/5 "2003-08-01T02:44:25Z")
cuauhtemoc, I don’t see any wording on that site claiming that the product will cure diseases or extend the buyer’s longevity, and they provide a money-back guarantee, and don’t try to explain their product in terms of bogus science – at least not that I can see through a few minutes’ worth of casual browsing. Some of those testimonials (“The consensus among the players is that the Q-Ray is stylish”) are funny, though. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/molluscum-com-good-or-bad-science/192265/6 "2003-08-01T03:13:21Z")
From [this site](http://www.mckinley.uiuc.edu/health-info/dis-cond/commdis/moll-con.html): > [@](#): > > Molluscum contagiosum is a superficial skin infection. The virus invades the skin causing the appearance of firm, flesh-colored, doughnut-shaped bumps, about 2-5 mm in diameter. Their sunken centers contain a white, curdy-type material. The bumps can occur almost anywhere on the body including the buttocks, thighs and external genitalia. The bumps often remain unchanged for many months, after which they disappear. It seems ato be a very minor viral skin infection which is easily treatable. There is no mention of fungus. ---
**Author:** ![gentle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/eb8c5e/32.png) [@gentle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gentle)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/molluscum-com-good-or-bad-science/192265/7 "2003-08-01T03:35:25Z")
Q.E.D., only the [molluscus.com](http://molluscus.com) site mentions fungi – other medical literature I’ve seen talks only about the pox virus. As for treatment, it varies. It’s quite persistent, and spreads quickly. Medical literature seems divided about whether the infection eventually disappears on its own if left untreated – some claim it does so after 9-12 months and only recommend treatment for vanity’s sake, some claim it takes up to four years without treatment. I have found no explanation of the life cycle of the disease – does the virus simply die of old age? Presumably you’re rid of the infection only once all replicated instances of the virus have died out, so is there a biological hard limit on the number of generations a virus can spawn? ---
**Author:** ![cuauhtemoc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecb155/32.png) [@cuauhtemoc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cuauhtemoc)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/molluscum-com-good-or-bad-science/192265/8 "2003-08-01T13:17:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by gentle \* > \*\*cuauhtemoc, I don’t see any wording on that site claiming that the product will cure diseases or extend the buyer’s longevity, and they provide a money-back guarantee, and don’t try to explain their product in terms of bogus science – at least not that I can see through a few minutes’ worth of casual browsing. Some of those testimonials (“The consensus among the players is that the Q-Ray is stylish”) are funny, though. \*\* That’s weird. I could have sworn there were several articles on this site about how “ions” cure diseases and increase the flow of your natural healing energy. The testimonials also included prople who suffered from chronic back pain, but were instantly cured when they donned the “ionized” bracelet. They were there when I looked at this site a few months ago. Maybe their laywers made them take down all the pseudoscientific garbage. ---
**Author:** ![Trob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Trob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trob)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/molluscum-com-good-or-bad-science/192265/9 "2003-08-01T14:31:30Z")
This is BS. Apply this special gel and use that wonderous discovery “Electricity” to direct ions blah blah blather blather BS. It reminds me of “The Road to Wellville” A funny movie and an interesting look into medical quackery. Also stay far far away from any Silver based anything. It can mess you up. Taking silver tablets is/was being hawked as an alternative to antibiotics. This can lead to a build up of silver in body and make you look like Cmdr. Data. Which would make a pretty cool Halloween costume but bad for picking up chicks in bars. My $.02