From the Guidelines
Benzoyl peroxide is not a recommended treatment for molluscum contagiosum, as there is no evidence to support its effectiveness in treating this condition 1.
Treatment Options
The current treatment options for molluscum contagiosum include:
- 10% potassium hydroxide
- Cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen
- Cantharidin, which has shown promise in open-label and observational studies, but its effectiveness is still uncertain due to limited randomized controlled trials 1.
Benzoyl Peroxide
Benzoyl peroxide is commonly used to treat acne and rosacea, with studies demonstrating its efficacy in reducing inflammatory lesions and improving symptoms 1. However, its use in treating molluscum contagiosum is not supported by the available evidence.
Clinical Considerations
In clinical practice, the treatment of molluscum contagiosum should be guided by the individual case and lesion severity, and may involve a combination of treatments, such as cryotherapy or cantharidin. Benzoyl peroxide may not be a suitable treatment option for molluscum contagiosum, and its use should be approached with caution.
From the Research
Effectiveness of Benzoyl Peroxide in Treating Molluscum Contagiosum
- There is limited evidence to suggest that benzoyl peroxide may be effective in treating molluscum contagiosum, with one study showing that 10% benzoyl peroxide cream was more effective than 0.05% tretinoin [ 2 , 3 ].
- The studies found that benzoyl peroxide cream had a higher risk ratio (RR) for short-term clinical cure compared to tretinoin, with an RR of 2.20 (95% CI 1.01 to 4.79) [ 2 ].
- However, it is essential to note that the evidence is limited, and more research is needed to confirm the effectiveness of benzoyl peroxide in treating molluscum contagiosum.
Comparison with Other Treatments
- Other treatments, such as sodium nitrite co-applied with salicylic acid, Australian lemon myrtle oil, and potassium hydroxide, have also shown some efficacy in treating molluscum contagiosum [ 2 , 3 ].
- However, no single intervention has been shown to be convincingly effective in the treatment of molluscum contagiosum, and the natural resolution of the condition remains a strong method for dealing with it [ 2 ].
Treatment Options
- Various treatment options are available for molluscum contagiosum, including mechanical, chemical, immune-modulating, and anti-viral treatments [ 4 ].
- The choice of treatment method should depend on the physician's comfort level with the various treatment options, the patient's age, the number and severity of lesions, location of lesions, and the preference of the child/parents [ 4 ].