cryo freezing for molluscum vs aldara

Does cryo freezing hurt? and how bad?
(for me and everyone wondering about cryo-freezing vs aldara treatement for molluscum)

I am a healthly male 26 I have 8 molluscum bumps on my pelvis and lower stomach. One is at the very base of the penis (but not on the penis, good thing I use condoms!!!)

I have the option of getting cryo-freezing but I have questions my doctor is not so clear about.

How painful is cryofreezing? Like getting an injection? a deep cut? wisdom teeth removed pain? worse?

Seems that the aldara treatement is almost not painful, but should be put directly on the bump and *not in the area around. However this method *could take 3 months? The real question I have about Aldara: when can I have sex again if I use it? any tips from pass users?

I was diagnosed with MC on December 6th, had my last freeze treatment on January 2nd. I have been getting weekly inspections by a Dermatologist ever since January 2nd and have had no new MC bumps (today is March 2nd). One dermatologist said that I was no longer contagious and the other dermatologist told me to wait three months. I am choosing to wait three months (maybe longer) until I feel emotionally ready to be intimate. Listed below are some things I recommend (I'm not a doctor - just someone who had a bad experience).

1. Do not freak out. I know that WebMd and several internet sources say that MC can last up to two years-but both of my dermatologists tell me that a 2 year duration can most likely be reduced with active treatment. I live in a city-and one doctor told me that he sees MC about once a month and that in his experience it is about a 1 to 3 month problem. That sounded short to me...but his time span has been accurate with my experience (so far...i hope they do not come back). Again, it varies for each person.

2. No alcohol (alcohol weakens the immune system-your immune system needs to be strong to fight off the virus).

3. Eat healthy. Avoid fast food. Drink plenty of water. I took vitamin c supplements, flax seed oil, and zinc.

4. Do not re-use bath towels. I actually bought a ton of paper towels and dried myself off with paper towels after showering to reduce the likelihood of auto-innoculation. Also, when examining myself for new molluscum, I put on medical gloves. Why risk getting the virus on your hands or finger nails when medical gloves are so cheap?

5. I used a combination of freezing, aldara (an immune stimulant), and zymaderm (a homeopathic remedy I bought over the internet). All three seemed to work. Aldara made my skin really dry and flakey. Skin actually peeled off in big flakes. Once I went off the Aldara, I had an "Id Immune Reaction"...I broke out in hives with about 200 bumps all over my body over the course of about 48 hours. The bumps were biopsied and came back as dermatitis. Both dermatologists said that my immune system went overboard and got over stimulated from the Aldara. All of the reaction bumps went away in about a week and left no scars/marks...it was crazy.

6. Zymaderm. Both of my doctors did not like me trying something over the internet--but I gave it a shot. The main reason that I tried Zymaderm was because I was able to get in touch with three people who had given it a positive review at amazon.com. Talking to them really lifted my spirits b/c they had gotten over MC and I realised that there was some hope. Zymaderm was great at getting rid of the MC that popped up in the middle of freezing sessions. Putting zymaderm on the MC and then putting medical tape on top of the MC after the zymaderm made the process go extremely fast. I do not work for zymaderm. Honestly, the stuff really worked for me--MC bumps went away about two-three weeks after treatment started.

7. Say your prayers and hope for the best.

If anyone wants to talk about their MC experience-please post your email address. I'm happy to talk. Shortly after I was diagnosed, I talked with a few people who had MC and got through it. Talking to these guys helped me tremendously.

Hi Guest,

Please email me at ****** as I'm about to purchase zymaderm for my 3 year old son who has molluscum. Thanks.



**edited by moderator ** e-mails not allowed **

I was diagnosed with molluscum in December, and am still dealing with it at the moment. I caught it from my girlfriend, who believes she got it from sharing clothes with a friend. I initially only had a few bumps, which were all treated with freezing. However, I was foolish with safe sex practices, and because my girlfriend was using Aldara, hers did not disappear as quickly as mine. Therefore, I got a second outbreak, and have been using Aldara on them since Janurary/February (as well as being much more sensible sex wise). I think I'm slowly getting to a point where they'll clear up, although I am considering just going to see a dermatologist to get the rest frozen again. My one concern has been the effect the cream has had, I have used it quite liberally, and have noticed several areas that have just turned red (and sometimes shiny). I think this is because the cream has easily been rubbed around and transferred surfaces due to movement. I'm just hoping/assuming these will disappear once I have finished using the cream.

Any comments or suggestions will be appreciated. My approach to the infection may seem a little more careless than the poster above, however my biggest concern was whether I had a non-curable STD when I initially saw a problem, and thankfully I didn't. I regret not being more careful initially, but I'm in a trusting relationship so thankfully it hasn't been as big an issue.

Oh, and in terms of which to recommend for the first poster, I'd recommend the freezing. It should get rid of them all in one go, and you may not need to go back again. It burns a little as they do it, and they can sometimes be sore and itchy over the next couple of days. But it's much more convenient, and insurance should cover it, if you have it, rather than buying Aldara.

Hi,

I've had a single bump on my lower stomach for a few months, and recently sought medical attention. I told the doctor I suspected it was molluscum or another poxvirus. To my surprise, she recommended cryo-freezing on the spot. She dipped a sterile cotton swab in liquid nitrogen and held it for a few seconds. To answer the question of, does it hurt? I would say, not really at all. Compared to many other medical/dental procedures, this is minor at best. For about 10 mins afterwards it feels sort of itchy with a slight sting. But by the time I left the building it was back to normal. I dont want to advocate any D-I-Y home surgery, but if you have access to liquid N2 or even dry ice, you could probably have success on your own.

I noticed my outbreak of MC back in August of 2005. I wasn't sure exactly how I acquired the virus, but my dermatologist suspected it was ST. Mine just looked like small pimples on my penis, probably anywhere from 2 to 10 bumps at one time. I used Aldara and it worked great. ONE THING to remember is that Aldara is very potent, so a little goes a long way. The only drawback with Aldara, like freezing, is that the papules blister and scab up, then fall off, leaving minimal to no scarring. And this process takes about 2 weeks or so.

I have recently noticed another outbreak, and I'm quite surprised it came back. This time, I may try a natural healing oil.

Cryo treatment can be VERY painful dependent on your pain tolerance and location of the lesion. Genital lesions are far more sensitive than the abdomen or extremities. I am told it feels like a very bad stinging sensation or a bee sting. Some people say it is "cake". After cryo the area will turn red as the skin heals (usually in 1-2 weeks). It also may itch. Treatment is recommended since it is a viral infection that can spread. You should avoid close contact, sharing of clothing/towels, swimming, hot tubs, etc until a few weeks past the last lesion disappears. The CDC posts more info if you desire....

My kids have been fighting with MC for TWO YEARS! We have had them frozen, cut off, and acid treatments. Now we are about to try the Aldara for my 11 1/2 yr old. I am VERY nervous after reading the patient info on this drug. Does anyone know of any children who have tried Aldara and had success?

these warts suck. I've had them on and off for about 6 months. I saw a doctor the first time, he said they weren't that big of a deal and froze like 15 of them off my lower stomach. They all went away, but they take a long time to heal. The internet will tell you alot of different things, especially the ones who are trying to sell you some 'natural' product. Don't believe them, just buy the Dr. Scholls freeze away kit. I had another outbreak, only a few, on my inner thigh and I used the aforementioned kit with good results. They probably won't recommend it but its the same stuff the doctors use(liquid nitrogen). It's the only thing i'd trust other than a doctor.

I have been dealing with Molluscum for around 2 months now, and I have tried several approaches. I have some on the shaft of my penis, and others on my thigh. Here's the scoop:

Aldara: It doesn't work very well, at least for me. I used it regularly for around a month, and only one of the MC came off. What will happen (if it works) is that the area will develop a lesion and blister. (DO NOT PICK IT OFF, YOU MUST LET IT FALL OFF AS IT HEALS) After speaking with my doctor, we decided that it was no longer worth waiting to see if it did anything, so we tried freezing.
Painful? No. As you look around, you might see some people saying that Aldara hurts, but it doesn't unless you severely overuse it. It will (ideally) cause some inflammation, which is what you WANT, as Aldara is supposed to stimulate an immune response, your body's natural defense against the MC (which is a form of pox, by the way).

Freezing: Highly recommended, just because if nothing else, you'll feel like you're doing something about the MC. They will usually use a Q-tip dipped in cryogenic solution, although if you go to a dermatologist, they may use a "gun" on your MC bumps.
Painful? Only the tiniest bit. Obviously, the ones on my penis hurt more than the ones on my thigh, but even they were very simple and easy to tolerate pain-wise. It doesn't feel like a bee sting. My tattoo hurt FAR more than the cryo treatment. It feels kind of like a tiny pinch, and it goes away very quickly. Trust me, you can handle the cryo treatment. Don't worry and psyche yourself out. After two weeks or so, most of the MC should have fallen off/blistered like a minor burn wound and started to heal up.

Hope this helps. Please don't be afraid of the pain of either Aldara cream or cryo treatment. Nothing to worry about, and I'm sure (like me) you want to get rid of these things quickly and safely. Good luck!