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Children with molluscum contagiosum often present to dermatologists for treatment because of discomfort, parental fear of transmission, or cosmetic concerns. Destructive modalities, such as cryotherapy and curettage, can be effective, but they are painful and often poorly tolerated by children. Chemical agents, such as cantharidin and trichloroacetic acid, carry a risk of blistering and scarring and are not consistently effective. Oral cimetidine, a histamine2-receptor antagonist, has been shown in some open trials to be of benefit in children with flat warts and verrucae vulgaris, although a recent controlled trial found it to be ineffective. These authors evaluated cimetidine in 13 children with molluscum.
The children ranged in age from 1…