From the Research
Yes, molluscum contagiosum can appear on the lips, though it's less common than on other parts of the body. Molluscum contagiosum is a viral skin infection that causes small, flesh-colored or pink bumps with a central dimple. When it affects the lips, it can be mistaken for cold sores or pimples. The virus spreads through direct skin contact, shared items, or sexual contact.
Key Considerations
- The infection often resolves on its own within 6-12 months, but treatment may be preferred for social and cosmetic reasons or to avoid spreading the infection.
- Treatment options include watchful waiting, physical removal methods like cryotherapy, curettage, or topical medications such as podophyllotoxin, imiquimod, or cantharidin applied directly to the lesions.
- These treatments should be performed by a healthcare provider, especially for sensitive areas like the lips.
- It's essential to avoid touching or scratching the bumps to prevent spreading the infection to other parts of your body or to other people.
- The virus lives in the skin cells of the bumps, so once all bumps are gone, the infection is considered cleared.
Treatment Options
- According to a study published in 2017 1, there is no single intervention that has been shown to be convincingly effective in the treatment of molluscum contagiosum.
- The study found moderate-quality evidence that topical 5% imiquimod was no more effective than vehicle in terms of clinical cure, but led to more application site reactions.
- Another study published in 2010 2 compared the efficacy, safety, and acceptability of imiquimod 5% cream versus cryotherapy for molluscum contagiosum in children and found that imiquimod 5% cream seems to be slow acting but an effective agent for the treatment of MC in children.
Recommendations
- Treatment should be individualized based on the patient's age, immune status, and the location and number of lesions.
- Healthcare providers should consider the potential benefits and risks of each treatment option and discuss them with the patient.
- Patients should be advised to avoid touching or scratching the bumps and to practice good hygiene to prevent spreading the infection.
- Further research is needed to standardize treatment for molluscum infection based on patient age and immune status, as noted in a review published in 2014 3.