Molluscum contagiosum may affect primarily the epidermis without involving hair follicles.
Lesions of molluscum contagiosum occur on palms and in skin tags. Their origin in places where there are no hair follicles proves that the epidermis itself may be infected by the causative poxvirus. The central umbilications of lesions are therefore not necessarily related to acrotrichia.
D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D004817:Epidermis / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008976:Molluscum Contagiosum / Q000473:pathology*