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Prevention
By Mayo Clinic staffTo help prevent the spread of the virus:
- Avoid touching, rubbing or scratching the papules. Shaving over the infected areas also can spread the virus.
- Don't let other people use your personal items. This includes clothing, towels, hairbrushes or other personal items. Refrain from borrowing these items from others as well.
- Avoid sexual contact until the papules are treated and have completely resolved.
Precautions at swimming facilities
It's not clear if the molluscum virus can spread in the chlorinated water found in swimming pools. Experts suspect that it's more likely that swimmers transmit the virus through shared use of towels or direct skin contact. To help prevent the spread of molluscum, cover the papules with watertight bandages before swimming, and don't share towels, water toys or kickboards.
If you have molluscum, avoid playing contact sports such as wrestling because the virus can spread this way.
