Is it okay for a pediatric patient with molluscum contagiosum and open lesions to bathe at home?

Bathing with Molluscum Contagiosum and Open Lesions

Yes, it is safe for a pediatric patient with molluscum contagiosum and open lesions to bathe at home, and maintaining good personal hygiene with regular bathing is actually recommended to prevent secondary bacterial infection. 1

Home Bathing is Safe and Recommended

• Regular bathing with soap and water is explicitly recommended as part of good personal hygiene for patients with skin and soft tissue infections, including those with open lesions. 1
• The Infectious Diseases Society of America guidelines emphasize maintaining good personal hygiene with regular bathing and cleaning of hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer for all patients with skin infections. 1
• Home bathing does not pose a transmission risk to the patient themselves and helps maintain skin cleanliness, which is important for preventing bacterial superinfection of molluscum lesions. 1, 2

Important Precautions During Bathing

• Keep draining wounds or open lesions covered with clean, dry bandages when not bathing, and ensure fresh bandages are applied after bathing. 1
• Focus environmental hygiene on high-touch surfaces that come into frequent contact with bare skin, including bathtubs, which should be cleaned with commercially available cleaners or detergents according to label instructions. 1
• Avoid sharing towels, washcloths, or other personal bathing items with household members to prevent transmission. 3

Preventing Transmission to Others

• Do not allow the child to share baths with siblings or other household members, as molluscum contagiosum spreads through direct skin-to-skin contact and sharing of fomites like towels. 3
• The child should use their own towel and bathing supplies, which should not be shared with other family members. 3
• Hand hygiene with alcohol-based disinfectant or soap and water is the most important method to prevent transmission of infectious agents. 3

Avoiding Communal Water Settings

• The child should avoid swimming pools, hot tubs, and other communal water facilities until all lesions have completely resolved, as these settings are associated with molluscum transmission. 3
• The American Academy of Pediatrics explicitly recommends limiting exposure to swimming pools that have been associated with known outbreaks. 3
• Hot tubs present higher transmission risk than standard pools due to warmer water temperatures, closer proximity between users, and shared seating surfaces. 3
• If water exposure in communal settings is unavoidable, keep all molluscum lesions covered with waterproof bandages. 3

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

• Do not restrict home bathing out of fear of worsening the infection—regular bathing is beneficial and recommended. 1
• Do not allow the child to scratch lesions during or after bathing, as this promotes autoinoculation and spread to other body areas. 3, 4
• Do not assume that bathing will "wash away" the infection—molluscum contagiosum is a viral infection limited to the skin that requires time or active treatment to resolve. 2
• Lesions remain infectious throughout their entire course (typically 6-12 months, but can last up to 4-5 years), so transmission precautions should be maintained even as lesions appear to be improving. 3