Molluscum contagiosum

Molluscum contagiosum virus causes a benign and self-limited infection with a classic umbilicated papular manifestation in children, sexually active adults, and immunocompromised individuals. While several classes of therapy are available including physical therapy, chemical destructive therapy, chemical non-destructive therapy, immune modulators, and antiviral therapy, cryosurgery offers the advantage of high-eradication rates and is a relatively quick office procedure. It can be performed in several freeze-thaw cycles, each with 10-20 second long bursts of liquid nitrogen spray. Adverse effects include mild pain with application, blister and scar formation, and hypopigmentation. Along with various effective chemical treatments, cryosurgery should be considered a first-line therapy for the treatment and eradication of MCV infection.