Molluscum contagiosum bumps can be treated with prescription topicals, over-the-counter products, or home remedies, though the infection also clears on its own within 6 to 12 months for most people (and up to 4 years in some cases). If you’d rather not wait, several options can speed things along considerably.
FDA-Approved Prescription Treatments
Two prescription topicals are now specifically approved for molluscum. Berdazimer gel (10.3%) was approved in 2024 for adults and children 1 year and older. You apply a thin layer directly to the bumps at home, avoiding the surrounding healthy skin. It works by releasing nitric oxide, which helps the skin’s immune response target the virus.
Cantharidin solution is the other FDA-approved option, available for ages 2 and up. Unlike berdazimer, this one is applied in a doctor’s office, not at home. Your provider dabs a small droplet onto each bump, lets it dry for up to five minutes, and you wash it off with soap and water 24 hours later. Sessions are spaced three weeks apart as needed. In clinical trials, 46% to 54% of patients had complete clearance by day 84 (about 12 weeks). The tradeoff: blistering, pain, and itching at the application site are common. This is essentially a controlled blister beetle extract, so the blistering is the mechanism, not just a side effect.
Off-Label Prescription Options
Imiquimod 5% cream is an immune-boosting cream originally designed for genital warts that dermatologists sometimes prescribe for molluscum. Results are mixed. Large controlled trials in children found complete resolution in only about 24% of cases after 16 weeks, which was no better than placebo. However, one smaller study focusing on lesions in areas with thinner skin (like the face and inner arms) reported a 71% cure rate, with most of those clearing within 16 weeks. About 24% of users experienced mild side effects like redness or secondary skin infection. Your mileage with this one genuinely depends on where the bumps are located.
Tretinoin cream (a prescription retinoid) and topical cidofovir are other options doctors occasionally use, particularly for stubborn or widespread cases.
Over-the-Counter Topicals
Salicylic acid, the same ingredient used in wart removers, can work on molluscum bumps. The American Academy of Dermatology notes it can be effective but recommends using it under a dermatologist’s guidance, since the goal is to apply it repeatedly until you get a visible inflammatory reaction, which signals the immune system is engaging. You apply it directly to the bumps and keep it off surrounding skin. Products labeled for wart removal in the 15% to 17% range are typical.
Potassium hydroxide (10% solution) is another option that’s available without a prescription in some countries and online. In a study of 40 children, parents applied a 10% solution twice daily with a cotton swab to each bump, continuing until the lesions became inflamed or slightly ulcerated. Complete clearance occurred in 92.5% of patients after an average of four weeks. That’s a notably fast timeline, though the treatment does intentionally irritate the skin, so redness and mild discomfort are part of the process.
Home and Natural Remedies
A combination of tea tree oil and iodine has the strongest clinical backing among natural options. In a study of 53 children, those who received twice-daily application of tea tree oil mixed with organically bound iodine saw dramatic results: 16 out of 19 children had more than 90% reduction in lesions after just 30 days. Tea tree oil alone performed much worse (3 out of 18 improved), and iodine alone was even less effective (1 out of 16). No children dropped out due to side effects. The combination appears to be key.
Apple cider vinegar is a popular home remedy. Boston Children’s Hospital acknowledges it as a treatment that “seems to work well,” applied once daily to intact bumps. The important caveat: only use it on bumps that aren’t open, scratched, or already red, since it will sting and can damage broken skin. Undiluted apple cider vinegar is acidic enough to cause chemical irritation, so watch for excessive redness or raw skin and stop if either develops.
What Not to Do
Picking, squeezing, or scraping the bumps yourself is the fastest way to spread molluscum to other parts of your body. Each bump contains a core of white, waxy material packed with virus. Rupturing it with unsterilized tools spreads viral particles across the skin. Even shaving over bumps can transfer the virus along the razor’s path.
Cantharidin solution, despite being available through some online sellers, should never be self-applied. The FDA-approved version is restricted to in-office use for good reason: it can cause severe blistering, and oral ingestion is potentially fatal.
Preventing Spread While Treating
Whatever you put on the bumps, covering them between treatments matters. The CDC recommends bandaging any lesions not already covered by clothing, and changing bandages when they get dirty. Before swimming, cover all visible bumps with watertight bandages and dispose of them at home afterward. This protects other people and reduces the chance of you spreading the virus to new areas on your own body through scratching or friction.
Keeping the skin around bumps moisturized (but not sharing towels or razors) also helps. Dry, irritated skin is more prone to tiny breaks that let the virus take hold in new spots.
Choosing the Right Approach
For a single bump or a small cluster in an adult, an over-the-counter salicylic acid product or the tea tree oil and iodine combination is a reasonable starting point. For children under 2, options narrow significantly since cantharidin is only approved for ages 2 and up. Berdazimer gel is approved down to age 1, making it the only FDA-approved choice for toddlers.
If you have dozens of bumps, an immunocompromised condition, or lesions in sensitive areas like the genitals or eyelids, prescription treatments with professional guidance will be more effective and safer than self-treatment. Bumps near the eyes in particular should never be treated with caustic or acidic products at home.
Speed varies widely. Potassium hydroxide averaged four weeks to clearance in studies. Cantharidin took roughly 12 weeks with multiple office visits. Imiquimod, when it works, typically needs 16 weeks. And doing nothing at all means waiting 6 to 12 months on average, with some cases lingering years. The right choice depends on how many bumps you have, where they are, and how much skin irritation you’re willing to tolerate along the way.