What are some good topical treatments, the quicker the better, for molluscum contagiosum warts? A pal who is meeting a girl in about a month needs to know. He has them around his knees & wants to get rid of them soon as possible.
He definitely doesn’t want any salicylic acid or freezing treatments as these have scarred him in the past.
Also, if anyone has any info on internal treatments who can treat or kill it. He’s heard of antiviral treatments and shots which will supposedly take care of them but haven’t been able to confirm those with a doctor.
Well, I was going to say that the Mayo Clinic’s website says in most people they clear up by a year, but he has a deadline.
From that article, he might enquire about lasers to remove them, or Aldara (imiquimod), or whether there are standard wart removal medications that don’t involve salicylic acid. It also mentions scraping treatments but I suspect that might have the same risk of scarring.
They do go away on their own but when is another question! I would stay away from surgical procedures unless absolutely necessary, as in disfiguring or say cropping up on your face or something like that. I hear that the repeated cyro and laser can scar and the warts can reappear. I let a PA cyro my kids wart and afterward she had numerous additionl warts crop up in the same spot! I think the PA was sloppy in her technique but…
That said, now I use duct tape on my kids warts during the day and take off the tape at night (so the skin can “breathe”) It seems to flatten them out until they are barely noticeable.