Visit your GP if you think that you or your child may have molluscum contagiosum (MC). They will examine your skin (or your child's) and ask about any other symptoms.
MC is usually easy to recognise, so your GP should be able to make a diagnosis based on the appearance of the lesions without needing to do any further tests.
Confirming a diagnosis
If your GP thinks that you or your child's skin infection may be caused by something other than the molluscum contagiosum virus (MCV), they may want to carry out some tests. For example, your GP may take a sample of material from the centre of one of the spots to test it for MCV.
If you or your child has a lesion that looks different from the rest, your GP may remove it for testing. This is called a skin biopsy.
If you have lesions on your genitals, your GP may refer you to a genito-urinary medicine (GUM) clinic to be tested for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). This is because people who have developed MC through sexual contact may also have contracted other more serious STIs. If you prefer, you can attend an STI clinic directly, without an appointment or seeing your GP. Consultation is confidential and free.
Referral to a specialist
Most MC cases do not usually need to be referred to a specialist. However, in some circumstances, your GP may refer you to a specialist. For example, if:
- you are HIV positive and your symptoms are severe
- you have lesions on your eyelid or eye, and your eye is red or painful
- if there are other factors, apart from an HIV infection, that mean you have a weakened immune system – for example, you may be having chemotherapy for cancer
In most cases, referral to a dermatologist will be recommended. A dermatologist is a specialist in treating skin conditions.
