Molluscum contagiosum is a common viral skin infection that causes small, raised bumps on the skin. These bumps often look smooth, round, firm, and pearly. As they mature, many develop a small central dip or dimple, sometimes described as a “belly-button” appearance.
This 2026 visual guide explains what molluscum contagiosum can look like at each stage, how it may appear across different skin tones, when it may be spreading, and when professional treatment may be worth considering.
Molluscum contagiosum is one of many common skin lesions that can appear as small raised bumps on the skin. While it is usually benign, it can be confused with warts, milia, pimples, skin tags, cysts, or other bumps that may need a professional assessment.
Molluscum contagiosum stages usually begin with tiny, firm bumps that may be flesh-coloured, white, pink, brown, or purplish. As the bumps mature, they often become dome-shaped and pearly with a central dimple. Some bumps may become red, swollen, itchy, crusted, or inflamed before healing. Most cases clear naturally over months, but treatment can help when lesions spread, become irritated, or appear in sensitive areas.
Molluscum contagiosum is a viral skin infection caused by the molluscum contagiosum virus, a member of the poxvirus family.
It is generally benign, but it can be frustrating because it may spread across the skin and last for months. The bumps are often painless, but they may itch, become irritated, or look inflamed as the immune system reacts.
If you are unsure whether a new bump is molluscum, a wart, a mole, or another type of lesion, a professional skin assessment can help. Patients in the GTA can also learn more about mole checks in Toronto if they are concerned about changing or unusual skin spots.
The classic molluscum bump has a specific appearance:
The central dimple is one of the most useful visual clues. In early lesions, however, the dimple may not be visible yet.
Molluscum spreads through contact with the virus. This can happen through direct skin-to-skin contact or by touching contaminated objects.
Common ways it spreads include:
Molluscum is not usually dangerous, but it is contagious while active bumps are present.
The incubation period is the time between exposure to the virus and the appearance of visible bumps.
In many cases, bumps appear several weeks after exposure. Some cases may take longer. This delay can make it difficult to know exactly where the infection came from.
Understanding the incubation period can help you:
During this early phase, the skin may look completely normal.
Stage one is when the first visible bumps appear.
At this point, molluscum may be easy to miss because the bumps are often tiny and subtle.
Early lesions may appear as:
The central dimple may not be obvious yet. Because of this, early molluscum can be mistaken for pimples, insect bites, milia, small cysts, or warts.
If the bump does not clearly match typical molluscum signs, reviewing other common types of skin lesions can help you understand what else may be possible.
In children, molluscum often appears on:
In adults, molluscum may appear on:
Adult genital molluscum should be assessed by a healthcare provider because it may be linked with sexual transmission and may need a different discussion around prevention and partner exposure.
Stage two is when molluscum becomes easier to identify.
The bumps are usually more raised, round, and pearly. The central dimple may become more visible.
Mature lesions often have:
The central dimple is the hallmark sign. It may look like a tiny crater in the middle of the bump.
Some mature bumps contain a white, waxy material. This material can contain viral particles. Squeezing or popping the bump can spread the virus to other areas of skin and increase the risk of irritation, infection, or scarring.
Instead of thinking only in stages, it also helps to think about how many bumps are present.
A simple way to describe severity:
Widespread molluscum can happen in healthy people, but it is more concerning when lesions are unusually large, numerous, persistent, or rapidly spreading.
Stage three is when some bumps become red, swollen, crusted, itchy, or irritated.
This does not always mean something is wrong. Inflammation can sometimes be part of the body’s immune response as it begins clearing the infection.
Inflamed molluscum may show:
In darker skin tones, redness may look more brown, purple, grey, or darker than the surrounding skin rather than bright pink or red.
Molluscum can become inflamed when the immune system starts reacting to the virus. Sometimes this is followed by flattening and fading of the bumps.
This is why a bump that suddenly looks a bit red or irritated is not always a reason to panic.
Seek medical attention if you notice:
These signs may suggest a secondary bacterial infection or another condition that needs professional evaluation.
Stage four is when bumps start shrinking, flattening, and fading.
For many people, molluscum eventually clears without treatment. The timeline varies. Some cases resolve within months, while others may take longer.
During healing, you may notice:
Some people develop temporary discoloration after the bumps resolve. This is more common in darker skin tones and after scratching, picking, or inflammation.
Most cases heal without permanent scarring.
Scarring is more likely if:
Professional treatment can reduce the risk of unnecessary trauma, but every treatment option has its own pros and cons.
Patients who are prone to raised scars may also want to review information on keloid-prone skin or keloid scar treatment, especially before attempting any at-home removal approach.
One of the biggest weaknesses in many older visual guides is that they mostly show molluscum on lighter skin.
For 2026, a more useful article should explain how the same condition can appear differently across skin tones.
Molluscum may look:
The central dimple may be easier to see because shadows and redness are often more visible.
Molluscum may look:
Inflammation may not always look bright red. It may appear warmer, darker, or more brown-toned.
Molluscum may look:
The central dimple may be harder to see without good lighting. Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation may also last longer after bumps heal.
If you are concerned about pigmentation or scarring after inflamed skin lesions, this guide on keloid scars on darker skin types may also be helpful.
Regardless of skin tone, molluscum often has the same structural features:
Molluscum can resemble other common skin bumps. This is why visual comparison is useful, but diagnosis should still be confirmed when uncertain.
Molluscum may look similar to other raised skin bumps, which is why comparison matters. Some people confuse it with milia, while others mistake it for skin tags, warts, cysts, or moles.
For bumps on the neck or skin folds, this comparison guide on skin tags, moles, and warts on the neck may also be useful.
Molluscum usually looks:
Warts usually look:
Molluscum usually:
Acne often:
If you are comparing molluscum with painful, swollen, or pus-filled bumps, this guide on cyst vs pimple vs boil may help clarify the differences.
Milia usually:
Molluscum usually:
For a deeper comparison, see our complete guide to milia removal.
Skin tags usually:
Molluscum bumps usually:
If you are comparing molluscum with possible skin tags, you can learn more about skin tag removal and the different skin tag removal methods.
Anyone can get molluscum, but certain groups are more likely to develop it.
Molluscum is especially common in children because of close contact during play, daycare, school, sports, and shared objects.
Common settings include:
Adults can get molluscum through:
When adults have lesions in the genital area, they should seek professional evaluation.
Molluscum can be more extensive in people with weakened immune systems.
This may include people with:
In these cases, bumps may be larger, more numerous, longer-lasting, or harder to clear.
Prevention is mostly about limiting contact with active bumps and avoiding behaviours that move the virus across the skin.
Helpful steps include:
To reduce spread at home:
Children with molluscum usually do not need to stay home from school or daycare simply because they have bumps.
Practical steps include:
The goal is not isolation. The goal is simple, practical prevention.
No. Do not pop, squeeze, or dig out molluscum bumps at home.
Popping can:
If a bump opens on its own, gently clean the area, cover it if needed, and wash your hands afterward.
Many cases do not require active treatment. However, treatment may be helpful when bumps are spreading, irritating, cosmetically concerning, or located in sensitive areas.
Watchful waiting may make sense when:
Treatment may be considered when:
If you are weighing whether to wait or seek care, it may help to speak with a provider through The Minor Surgery Center contact page or review the clinic’s pricing information.
Professional options may include:
Not every option is right for every patient. Some treatments can irritate the skin, cause temporary discoloration, or increase scarring risk if not used carefully.
In recent years, newer molluscum treatments have received regulatory attention in the United States, including provider-applied cantharidin and topical nitric-oxide-based therapy.
For a Canadian clinic article, it is best to avoid implying that every newer U.S. treatment is automatically available locally. A safer 2026 phrasing is:
At The Minor Surgery Center, patients can be assessed for skin lesions and receive a personalized treatment plan based on the appearance, location, number of lesions, skin type, symptoms, and goals.
Patients can visit one of our clinic locations, review pricing, or contact us to ask about next steps.
The Minor Surgery Center focuses on:
Consider booking an assessment if:
Molluscum in children is common and often harmless, but it can be frustrating for families.
Parents should know:
Helpful strategies include:
Adults may experience more embarrassment, especially if lesions are in visible or genital areas.
Adults may worry about:
If bumps appear in the genital or pubic area, it is important to seek professional evaluation. Genital molluscum can spread through sexual contact and may need discussion around STI screening, partner exposure, and treatment options.
Molluscum can be more difficult when the patient also has eczema.
Eczema can make skin itchy and inflamed, which increases scratching. Scratching can spread molluscum to new areas.
Patients with eczema may notice:
Managing the surrounding eczema can help reduce scratching and secondary irritation.
People with weakened immune systems may need more proactive care.
The immune system is what eventually clears molluscum. When immune function is reduced, molluscum can become:
Seek care promptly if:
Molluscum is medically common, but it can still affect confidence and daily life.
These concerns are valid. A condition can be medically harmless and still emotionally stressful.
You should seek medical attention if:
If you are worried a spot may be something more serious, review our page on skin cancer treatment or learn more about finding a dermatologist in Toronto.
While waiting for the bumps to resolve or between treatment visits, focus on preventing spread and reducing irritation.
Early molluscum contagiosum usually looks like tiny, firm bumps on the skin. They may be flesh-coloured, white, pink, brown, or purplish depending on skin tone. At first, the central dimple may not be visible, which can make early bumps look like pimples, insect bites, milia, or small warts.
The main visual stages are early bump, mature lesion, inflammation or irritation, and healing. Early bumps are small and subtle. Mature lesions become dome-shaped and may develop a central dimple. Inflamed bumps may look red, darker, itchy, or crusted. Healing lesions flatten, fade, and gradually return to normal skin.
Molluscum may be healing when bumps become flatter, less shiny, smaller, or less raised. Some lesions become red, crusted, or irritated shortly before they fade. Healing can also leave temporary pink, brown, purple, lighter, or darker marks, especially if the skin was scratched or inflamed.
No. A central dimple is common in mature molluscum lesions, but it may not be visible in early bumps. Very small bumps may look smooth and raised without a clear depression. As the lesion develops, the dimple often becomes easier to see.
Yes. On darker skin, molluscum may appear brown, dark brown, grey-purple, or purplish rather than pink or flesh-coloured. Redness from irritation may also appear darker instead of bright red. The shape, smooth surface, and central dimple are often more reliable clues than colour alone.
Molluscum can be contagious while active bumps are present. It may spread through skin contact, shared towels, clothing, toys, sports equipment, or scratching and touching other areas. The risk of spread increases when bumps are scratched, opened, shaved over, or picked.
Molluscum is more likely to spread through shared items and close contact around swimming rather than through pool water itself. Towels, kickboards, goggles, toys, and uncovered skin contact can contribute to spread. Covering lesions and avoiding shared personal items can reduce risk.
Most children with molluscum do not need to stay home from school or daycare. The practical approach is to cover visible bumps when possible, discourage scratching, avoid sharing towels or clothing, and follow the school or daycare’s policy.
Molluscum often clears within months, but the timeline varies. Many cases resolve within 6 to 18 months, while some can last longer. People with weakened immune systems may have more persistent or widespread lesions.
Yes. Once the current bumps clear, those specific lesions should not return, but a person can be exposed again and develop new molluscum. Reinfection is possible because having molluscum does not guarantee lifelong immunity.
No. Molluscum is caused by a poxvirus, while common warts are caused by HPV. Molluscum tends to be smooth, pearly, dome-shaped, and centrally dimpled. Warts are often rougher, thicker, more irregular, and may have tiny dark dots.
Yes. Adults can get molluscum from infected children through direct contact or shared items. Parents and caregivers should wash hands, avoid touching bumps directly, and avoid sharing towels or washcloths with someone who has active lesions.
Genital molluscum in adults can be sexually transmitted through skin-to-skin contact. If bumps appear in the genital, pubic, or inner thigh area, a healthcare provider should assess them and discuss prevention, partner exposure, and whether STI screening is appropriate.
Some cases can be left alone if lesions are few, not bothersome, and not spreading. Treatment may be worth considering if bumps are numerous, spreading, inflamed, cosmetically concerning, located on the face or genitals, or affecting quality of life.
There is no single best treatment for every case. Options may include watchful waiting, cryotherapy, curettage, laser treatment, provider-applied topical therapy, prescription topical therapy, or treatment of surrounding eczema or infection. The right option depends on age, lesion location, number of bumps, skin type, symptoms, and patient preference.
No. Popping or squeezing molluscum is not recommended. It can spread the virus, cause more bumps, irritate the skin, increase infection risk, and raise the chance of scarring. If treatment is desired, professional evaluation is safer.
Molluscum can be mistaken for warts, pimples, milia, cysts, skin tags, or moles. If you are comparing different types of bumps, review our guide to 25 types of skin lesions, our milia removal guide, and our guide on skin tags, moles, and warts on the neck.
See a doctor if the bumps are spreading quickly, painful, infected, near the eye, in the genital area, or if you are not sure they are molluscum. Patients can book through our contact page or learn more about our clinic locations.
Most molluscum lesions heal without permanent scarring, but picking, squeezing, infection, or aggressive home treatment can increase scarring risk. If you are prone to raised scars, see our page on keloid scar treatment.
No. Do not pop, squeeze, or cut molluscum bumps at home. This can spread the virus and increase the risk of infection or scarring. If you are considering treatment, contact a medical provider through The Minor Surgery Center to discuss safer options.
Molluscum contagiosum is a common viral skin infection that develops in recognizable stages. It often begins as small, firm bumps, matures into pearly dome-shaped lesions with a central dimple, may become inflamed or irritated, and eventually fades as the body clears the virus.
For many people, molluscum is mild and self-limited. However, the long timeline, contagious nature, visible bumps, and potential for spreading can make it frustrating.
The most important steps are:
If you are unsure whether your bumps are molluscum, skin tags, milia, warts, cysts, or another type of skin lesion, professional evaluation can help you avoid guessing.
The Minor Surgery Center offers assessment and treatment options across multiple clinic locations, including:
You can review pricing or contact our team to discuss next steps.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Molluscum Contagiosum Overview and Clinical Overview
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Preventing Molluscum in Schools, Daycares, and Pools
American Academy of Dermatology: Molluscum Contagiosum Diagnosis and Treatment
DermNet: Molluscum Contagiosum Causes and Treatment
DermNet: Berdazimer
U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Ycanth Approval for Molluscum Contagiosum
Current clinical guidance on molluscum diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and skin-tone presentation
[1] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023). Molluscum Contagiosum. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/molluscum-contagiosum/
[2] American Academy of Dermatology Association. (2024). Molluscum contagiosum: Diagnosis and treatment. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
[3] Olsen, J. R., Gallacher, J., Piguet, V., & Francis, N. A. (2014). Epidemiology of molluscum contagiosum in children: a systematic review. Family Practice, 31(2), 130-136.
[4] van der Wouden, J. C., van der Sande, R., Kruithof, E. J., Sollie, A., van Suijlekom-Smit, L. W., & Koning, S. (2017). Interventions for cutaneous molluscum contagiosum. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 5(5).
[5] Leung, A. K., Barankin, B., & Hon, K. L. (2017). Molluscum contagiosum: an update. Recent Patents on Inflammation & Allergy Drug Discovery, 11(1), 22-31.
[6] Meza-Romero, R., Navarrete-Dechent, C., & Downey, C. (2019). Molluscum contagiosum: an update and review of new perspectives in etiology, diagnosis, and treatment. Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 12, 373-381.
[7] Gao, Y., Zhao, Y., & Zhang, H. (2020). Dermoscopy of molluscum contagiosum in different skin phototypes. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 34(8), 1789-1792.
[8] Chen, X., Anstey, A. V., & Bugert, J. J. (2013). Molluscum contagiosum virus infection. The Lancet Infectious Diseases, 13(10), 877-888.
[9] Hanna, D., Hatami, A., Powell, J., Marcoux, D., Maari, C., Savard, P., & McCuaig, C. (2006). A prospective randomized trial comparing the efficacy and adverse effects of four recognized treatments of molluscum contagiosum in children. Pediatric Dermatology, 23(6), 574-579.
