Yes - the name is literal: you catch it by touching the sores or objects that touched them, mostly in kids 1 to 10.
In adults it more often arrives through contact sports or sexual contact. The bumps spread across your own body by scratching, so cover them and keep hands off. The reassuring CDC fact: they typically go away on their own in six months to a year and usually leave no scars - watchful waiting is legitimate for healthy kids.
What to do
Common questions
Is molluscum contagious?
Yes - the name is literal. Per the CDC, you catch molluscum contagiosum by touching the sores of someone who has it, or by touching surfaces and objects they have touched - towels, pool equipment, gym mats, shared toys. It mostly occurs in kids ages 1 to 10, where it circulates through classrooms and swim lessons; in adults it more often arrives through skin contact sports or as a sexually transmitted infection. The sores - small, raised, firm bumps with a dimple, about pencil-eraser size - can spread across your own body by scratching, so covering them and keeping hands off matters. The reassuring news from the CDC: the bumps typically go away on their own in six months to a year, sometimes longer, and usually do not leave scars - so for healthy kids, watchful waiting is a legitimate strategy. Treatment options (freezing, scraping, creams) exist for bothersome cases, adults with genital lesions, and anyone immunocompromised, in whom molluscum can run extensive. Pymander, a free AI doctor available 24/7 by text, can help you decide between waiting and treating.