Several topical treatments can help clear molluscum bumps, ranging from over-the-counter products you can pick up at a pharmacy to prescription creams and in-office treatments applied by a dermatologist. The right choice depends on how many bumps you have, where they are, and whether you’re treating a child or an adult. Molluscum contagiosum does clear on its own over time, but treatment speeds that process and reduces the chance of spreading bumps to new areas of your body or to other people.
Over-the-Counter Topicals
If you want to start treating molluscum at home before seeing a doctor, a few pharmacy-shelf products have some evidence behind them. None are specifically labeled for molluscum, but dermatologists commonly suggest them as a first step.
Salicylic acid is the most widely available option. It works by softening and peeling away the outer layer of skin over each bump, eventually exposing the virus to your immune system. Look for products in the 5% to 12% range (the same concentrations sold for wart removal). Apply it once daily directly to each bump, and cover the area with a small bandage. Treatment typically runs for weeks to months, and you may need to keep at it for up to six months before bumps fully clear.
Benzoyl peroxide cream (10%) is another option studied in clinical trials for molluscum. In one trial, participants applied it twice daily for four weeks. Benzoyl peroxide can bleach fabric and irritate surrounding skin, so apply it carefully with a cotton swab and keep it off clothing and bedding you care about.
Potassium hydroxide solution is available without a prescription in some countries and online. Concentrations of 5% to 10% are applied twice daily with a fine applicator directly to each bump, avoiding healthy skin. It works by chemically dissolving the surface of the lesion. Expect redness and mild stinging at the application site. Most study protocols ran for 30 to 60 days.
Prescription Creams and Gels
When over-the-counter products aren’t enough, a dermatologist can prescribe stronger topicals.
Imiquimod cream doesn’t attack the bumps directly. Instead, it stimulates your immune system to recognize and fight the virus underneath. You’ll notice swelling and redness around treated bumps, which is actually a sign the cream is working. This immune response gradually shrinks the lesions over several weeks. In one trial comparing it to cryotherapy, imiquimod cleared 92% of cases by 16 weeks.
Tretinoin cream (a prescription retinoid) irritates the skin surface over each bump, prompting your immune system to respond. Applying it correctly matters: your dermatologist will likely show you how to dab it precisely onto each lesion with a toothpick or fine-tipped applicator so you avoid irritating the surrounding skin. Studies have tested it at twice-daily application for about four weeks.
Cantharidin (Ycanth) is the first and, as of now, only FDA-approved treatment specifically for molluscum contagiosum. It’s approved for adults and children ages 2 and older. A doctor applies the liquid directly to each bump in the office, and it causes a small blister to form underneath the lesion over the next 24 hours. The blister lifts the bump away as it heals. You don’t apply this one at home, but it’s worth knowing about because it’s quick and generally well tolerated.
In-Office Procedures
For people with many bumps or bumps that haven’t responded to creams, dermatologists offer two common procedures.
Cryotherapy uses a spray of liquid nitrogen to freeze each bump. One study found 70.7% of patients had complete clearance by 3 weeks, and 100% were clear by 16 weeks. Another showed 83.3% clearance in 60 patients by 6 weeks. The downsides are blistering, temporary pain during treatment, and the possibility of lighter or darker skin patches where bumps were frozen. These pigment changes are usually temporary but can take months to fade, especially on darker skin tones.
Curettage involves scraping each bump off with a small surgical instrument, sometimes after numbing the area with a topical anesthetic. It works fast: in a study of nearly 1,900 children, 70% were cured in a single session, and another 26% needed just one more visit. An 80% single-session clearance rate was confirmed in a separate trial, with no recurrences at six months. Curettage can cause brief pain, minor bleeding, and small scars, though satisfaction rates among both parents and children in the large study were 97%.
Natural and Alternative Remedies
Tea tree oil is the most studied natural option. On its own, it shows modest results, but when combined with iodine, the combination performs significantly better. In a trial of 53 children, those who applied a tea tree oil and iodine combination twice daily saw a greater than 90% reduction in lesion count within 30 days in 16 out of 19 cases. By comparison, only 1 of 16 children using iodine alone and 3 of 18 using tea tree oil alone hit that same benchmark.
Australian lemon myrtle oil (10% concentration) has also been tested against a placebo oil, with some evidence of short-term improvement, though the data is limited. If you try any essential oil, dilute it properly and patch-test on a small area first, since these can irritate sensitive skin, especially in children.
How to Apply Topicals Without Spreading Bumps
Molluscum spreads easily through touch, including from one part of your body to another. How you apply treatment matters almost as much as what you apply. Use a fresh cotton swab, toothpick, or disposable applicator for each individual bump rather than dragging a finger or cloth across multiple lesions. Wash your hands thoroughly before and after treating the area.
Cover treated bumps with a bandage afterward. This serves double duty: it keeps the product in contact with the lesion and prevents you from unconsciously scratching or touching the area, which can transfer the virus to new spots. Change bandages when they get dirty or wet. If you’re swimming, use watertight bandages over every visible bump and throw them away when you’re done. Don’t share towels, razors, or sports equipment, and avoid shaving over or near affected areas since that’s one of the most common ways people accidentally spread bumps across larger patches of skin.
What to Expect With Treatment
No matter what you put on molluscum, the bumps rarely disappear overnight. Over-the-counter keratolytic treatments like salicylic acid typically take weeks to months of consistent daily use. Prescription creams like imiquimod generally need 8 to 16 weeks to show full clearance. In-office procedures like cryotherapy and curettage work faster, sometimes clearing bumps in a single visit, but you may need a return trip for stubborn or newly emerging lesions.
New bumps can appear even while you’re treating existing ones, because the virus was already incubating in your skin before treatment started. This doesn’t mean the treatment isn’t working. It means the virus had a head start. Keep treating new bumps as they surface, and they should stop appearing once your immune system catches up.
Genital Molluscum
Molluscum bumps on or near the genitals, inner thighs, or lower abdomen in adults are often (though not always) sexually transmitted. The bumps look the same as they do elsewhere: small, firm, dome-shaped, and pearly with a dimple in the center. Treatment options are identical to molluscum on other body parts, but the location makes some approaches more practical than others. Cryotherapy and cantharidin applied in a doctor’s office tend to be preferred over at-home acids in sensitive genital skin.
European dermatology guidelines recommend that anyone with genital molluscum be offered screening for other sexually transmitted infections, since the same type of skin-to-skin contact that spreads molluscum can transmit other STIs. This is a screening opportunity, not a sign that something else is necessarily wrong.
When Bumps Get Infected
The most common complication of molluscum is a bacterial infection in or around the bumps. This happens when scratching or picking introduces bacteria into broken skin. Signs include increased redness spreading beyond the bump itself, warmth, swelling, pain, or pus. A secondary infection needs treatment with antibiotics rather than continued topical molluscum treatment alone. People with weakened immune systems, including those on immunosuppressive medications, are at higher risk for both spreading molluscum and developing these secondary infections.