Molluscum contagiosum produces small, firm, dome-shaped bumps with a pearly or waxy sheen. They typically range from 3 to 8 millimeters in diameter, roughly the size of a pencil eraser or smaller, and many have a tiny dimple or dip in the center that distinguishes them from almost every other skin condition. That central indentation is the single most recognizable feature and often the detail that leads to a quick visual diagnosis.
The Classic Look of the Bumps
Each bump is raised, smooth, and rounded, with a surface that catches light in a way that looks slightly glossy or “pearly.” They’re usually flesh-colored or slightly pink, though on lighter skin they can appear white or translucent. The bumps feel firm to the touch, not soft or fluid-filled like a blister.
The hallmark feature is a small pit or dimple right at the top of the bump, sometimes called umbilication. Not every bump develops this dimple, especially early on, but most will show it as they mature. If you look closely or gently squeeze the bump, you may notice a small white or yellowish waxy core inside. That substance contains the virus and is what makes the bumps contagious on contact.
Most people develop anywhere from a handful to a few dozen bumps. They tend to cluster in groups rather than appearing in isolation, and new bumps often show up near existing ones because scratching or touching the area spreads the virus along the skin.
Where They Appear on the Body
In children, the head and neck are the most common sites, affected in about two-thirds of cases. The trunk is the next most frequent location, followed by the arms. In adults, the distribution is similar, but adults are more likely to have bumps in multiple areas at once. Genital involvement is more common in adults (around 23% of cases) than in children (about 15%), often resulting from skin-to-skin contact during sex.
Children tend to get bumps in a single area of the body, while adults more often have lesions spread across several regions. The bumps rarely appear on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet.
How They Change Over Time
Molluscum bumps don’t stay static. They start small, sometimes barely noticeable, and grow over weeks to their full size. Early bumps can look like tiny pimples or even the beginnings of a wart, making them easy to misidentify at first.
Before the bumps resolve, many go through a phase that can look alarming. The skin around them turns red, swollen, and sometimes tender, almost resembling an infection. This inflammatory stage has been called the “beginning of the end” (BOTE) sign by dermatologists, because it signals the immune system is finally recognizing and attacking the virus. The redness and swelling represent your body’s immune response, not a bacterial infection. Some bumps develop small surface erosions or crusting during this phase before flattening and fading. The entire lifecycle of a single bump, from appearance to resolution, typically takes several weeks to months, and new bumps can keep appearing for a year or longer.
Molluscum vs. Warts and Other Bumps
The pearly, dome-shaped appearance with a central dimple makes molluscum fairly distinct, but small or early bumps can cause confusion. Common warts have a rough, textured surface and lack the smooth shine of molluscum. Warts also tend to be flatter on pressure-bearing areas like the feet and don’t have that characteristic central pit.
Skin tags are soft, hang from a thin stalk, and don’t have a rounded dome shape. Chickenpox blisters are fluid-filled and appear in different stages (some fresh, some crusting over) across the whole body with fever, whereas molluscum bumps are solid and don’t come with systemic symptoms. Small molluscum bumps are sometimes mistaken for plantar warts, and parents occasionally try over-the-counter wart treatments before realizing the bumps aren’t responding because they’re dealing with a different virus entirely.
When Bumps Look Unusual
In people with weakened immune systems, molluscum can look quite different from the textbook description. Bumps may grow larger than 1 centimeter, a presentation called giant molluscum. These larger lesions often lose the classic pearly, dimpled appearance and can instead look like red, lobulated masses that mimic abscesses or cysts. They may be solitary or appear as multiple stubborn lesions that resist treatment.
Giant molluscum is uncommon in otherwise healthy people. When oversized or unusually persistent bumps appear, it can be a clue that the immune system isn’t functioning normally. In these cases, the bumps are also more likely to spread across wider areas of the body.
Skin Changes Around the Bumps
The bumps themselves aren’t the only visible change. Many people develop a patch of red, dry, or slightly scaly skin surrounding the bumps, sometimes called molluscum dermatitis. This eczema-like reaction is especially common in children and can be itchier than the bumps themselves. Scratching this irritated skin is one of the main ways the virus spreads to new areas, because it breaks the skin barrier and moves viral material around.
If you notice clusters of small, shiny, dome-shaped bumps with central dimples, especially if they’re spreading along a line or cluster where scratching has occurred, the visual pattern alone is often enough for a healthcare provider to identify molluscum without any testing.