Molluscum vs Myrmecia Wart - Dermpath Lookalikes 

Awesome! I’ve seen many people even practicing pathologists confuse these

I have tons of board review videos listed here: kikoxp.com/posts/5084 (dermpath) & kikoxp.com/posts/5083 (bone/soft tissue sarcoma pathology). Good luck!

I’ll see what I can do ;-)

Thank you for the high compliment! I’m so glad you found the video useful.

Jerad Gardner 😃 Yes. It definitely was. I have recommended my students to watch your channel for the basics in dermapathology.

That’s awesome. Thank you!

Never thought of it that way but yes I think that's a good point!

☺️

bhushan madke yes I find that very helpful. Did I forget to mention that in video?!

bhushan madke good point!

Myrmecia has the big pink/purple inclusions and is usually on acral palm or sole skin.

Myrmecia has the big pink/purple inclusions and is usually on acral palm or sole skin.

Yes sir...but are inclusions present in verruca vulgaris?

I only diagnose Molluscum. I do not treat it so I’m not an expert at this. I have seen dermatologists treat it by freezing with liquid nitrogen or by applying cantharidin liquid which makes lesions blister and then go away. There may be other treatments I’m not aware of. Please see your dermatologist to discuss which treatment plan is best for you.

Jerad Gardner, MD thanks for the reply, freezing has only been semi effective as some lesions reappear in the scar tissue left over, i would not recommend that for anyone unless they have a single lesion. An Apple cider vinegar soaked cotton ball applied and left on with a band aid over night has been very effective and the Terrasil IPL cream has also seemed to be most effective. Those in conjunction with using a base oil like coconut or jojoba oil mixed with iodine and med grade tea trea oil applied to entire area. It’s a nightmare of a virus. Also started supplementing Collustrum. After 9 months it’s just about completely clear. Naturasil was ineffective, Zymaderm was ineffective as a remedy and not sure it ever completely cleared a lesion, molluscumblast was ineffective. I also had a dermatologist misdiagnose the condition, one went to town with the nitrogen that left scars and so did another. I would highly recommend that no one use the nitrogen. Try apple cider vinegar first repeated over days to get the immune response and clear the lesion without scarring. This info is for the people who have gone down the rabbit hole looking for a remedy for this nightmare virus. I never tried the cantharidin but did try it on a wart and was ineffective. What did work for a wart was oil of oregano after having, no exaggeration, 7 treatments from dermatologists. A combination of liquid nitro, burning, scraping, and the cantharidin all ineffective and quite painful with lengthy recovery on a wart on my finger tip very close to nail bed. Can’t believe how resilient molluscum has been as I’m an Uber healthy young active person! I wonder what the factors are for duration of infection, maybe skin/blood type? Viruses are fascinating...much better at a distance 🤓

@@co2thad1 this is making me cry at 2am, I've ruined my skin trying to get rid of it

I can’t diagnose you or give you personal medical advice since I’m not your doctor. But I can give you some general info. Molluscum looks pretty distinct clinically. It looks different from those other diseases you mention. dermatologists often diagnose molluscum without performing a biopsy. If you have further concerns, be sure to discuss with your dermatologist Best wishes for good health.

Jerad Gardner, MD thanks for the reply doc it means a lot. I understand that you can’t diagnose or give me personal medical advise but I need more info about Molluscum and how it looks. Since I can’t go back to the dermatologist that seen the papule because he left the country,I just hope you can answer a few of my questions to ease my mind, thanks. 1) does Molluscum have to have a dimple/dent in the middle? 2) when I seen the dermatologist he told me to stretch the skin around the papule, while I stretched the skin he looked at the papule through a dermascope. Why did he ask me to stretch the skin around the papule? Is a dermascope a good way to diagnose Molluscum? 3) when I stretched the skin I remember seeing a depression in the middle ( it seemed like the middle was sinking in) but when i didn’t stretch the skin I didn’t see a depression. ( does it sound like Molluscum?)

Yes molluscum often has a dimple (“umbilication”) in the middle. I’m not sure about dermoscopy finding or if stretching the lesion changes appearance.

Jerad Gardner, MD but does Molluscum always have to a dimple Doc? Also what’s the difference in a genital wart and Molluscum in appearance wise thanks

Please doc reply I need more information thanks.