Ever been bending down to give your child a cuddle and noticed a few white spots on their arms. I am sure you have thought nothing of it, and that they will disappear in a few days. But soon you realize they are not disappearing but actually there are more – so what are they?

More than likely they are Molluscum Contagious commonly known as Molluscum. This is a viral infection of the skin causing small bumps usually on the arms, legs, abdomen and face. It is a very common infection in children and often targets children with Eczema. It can be transmitted by touch as well as sharing of towels but it is not easy to spread the infection IE if one child has it it does not mean every child that they come in contact will get it.

This virus does not cause any side effects but it can take quite a long time for it to disappear on its own. Many children have the virus for up to one year (or more in a few cases). A number of Doctors encourage non-intervention IE let the virus work through the system and they will disappear in their own time. While others encourage patients to have them removed. This is a simple process preformed by a Dermatologist with a small instrument called a curette. First of all EMLA cream is put on the infected area so the patient will feel nothing, one waits for it to take affect and then the curette is scraped across the skin removing the small bumps. As this is a virus, removing them will not kill the virus so more may appear and therefore the process will have to be repeated. Which ever route you choose to go those spots will eventually disappear!