Why Dermatologists Are Seeing More Warts and Molluscum This Summer

The summer season brings its usual mix of benefits and challenges for skin—increased sun exposure paired with heat, humidity, and more time spent in sweaty, crowded environments. Now, dermatologists are reporting a notable uptick in a specific problem: warts and molluscum bumps appearing in an area many people don’t expect—the crescent-shaped junction above the upper thigh and below the buttcheeks, colloquially known as the “banana roll.”

A Growing Summer Problem

Dr. Kavita Mariwalla, a board-certified dermatologist based in Long Island, New York, first noticed something unusual this summer. After observing what seemed like an isolated case of viral bumps in that specific region, she started tracking the pattern more closely. What began as a curiosity became undeniable: her office was seeing “two to three cases per week” of patients, primarily young people, concerned about bumps appearing in this exact location.

Intrigued by the frequency, Dr. Mariwalla consulted with colleagues in her office and other dermatology providers across the region. The consensus was clear—they were all witnessing the same trend. Young patients were coming in with concerns about the same bumpy condition affecting the same body area. This wasn’t random; something about the summer environment was creating ideal conditions for these skin infections to flourish.

Two Different Viral Infections, Similar Problems

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Understanding Molluscum Contagiosum

The bumps appearing on patients’ upper thighs belong to one of two categories: molluscum contagiosum or warts. These are distinct viral infections, though both create unwanted bumps and share transmission characteristics.

Molluscum contagiosum, caused by a specific virus bearing the same name, produces small, smooth bumps that resemble pimples. According to Dr. Dara Spearman, a board-certified dermatologist practicing in Fort Wayne, Indiana, molluscum spreads readily through skin-to-skin contact, shared personal items like towels, and summer activities such as swimming and competitive sports. The virus thrives in warm, wet environments where people congregate.

How Warts Differ

Warts, while also viral, originate from a different virus and behave differently. This virus penetrates the skin through existing cuts or breaks, rather than spreading primarily through surface contact. Once inside, it triggers the formation of rough, thick bumps—the characteristic appearance most people associate with warts. Warts spread in shared spaces such as pools, locker rooms, and gyms, where people walk barefoot or come into contact with contaminated surfaces.

The Contagion Factor

Both conditions share one critical characteristic: they are highly contagious. Molluscum’s proper name literally references this—molluscum contagiosum—highlighting how easily it transmits from person to person. Neither condition respects clothing barriers or selective exposure; instead, they exploit any opportunity for viral transmission through contact.

Summer Heat and Humidity Create Ideal Conditions

The timing isn’t coincidental. Heat and humidity fundamentally change how viruses behave. When temperatures rise and humidity becomes oppressive, as has been the case across the Northeast during recent summers, both viruses and bacteria thrive at accelerated rates. Dr. Mariwalla explains that this isn’t merely theoretical—the summer environment actively supports viral transmission.

Additionally, when someone is wearing a shorter hemline on a particularly sweaty day, the mechanics of movement create additional exposure pathways. Adjusting clothing repeatedly while your hands may have contacted surfaces on public transportation, chairs, or other high-traffic areas introduces viral particles directly to your legs. The virus doesn’t care about fashion choices; it simply exploits increased contact opportunities.

Short Hemlines Aren’t the Cause—But Context Matters

Here’s the critical distinction many people misunderstand: wearing miniskirts or short shorts does not directly cause molluscum or warts. Clothing itself cannot transmit these infections. Dr. Spearman clarifies this explicitly: “What someone wears does not directly cause molluscum or warts, and wearing short shorts alone does not increase someone’s risk.”

However, the interaction between exposed skin and the surrounding environment matters considerably. More exposed skin creates greater opportunity for transmission via skin-to-skin contact in crowded settings. Summer activities often place skin against contaminated surfaces—subway seats, airplane seats, restaurant booths, pool chairs, and beach loungers. When skin is covered, these transmission routes are blocked.

This isn’t about shaming anyone’s fashion choices. People should wear what makes them comfortable, especially during scorching summer heat. The issue is the compound effect: exposed legs plus hot, crowded public spaces plus viral-friendly weather conditions equals increased transmission risk.

How These Infections Spread in Summer Settings

Understanding transmission routes helps explain why dermatologists see surges during specific seasons. Molluscum spreads through direct contact with infected skin or through contaminated objects. Swimming pools are particularly problematic—the virus survives in aquatic environments and spreads readily among swimmers. Shared towels, gym equipment, communal changing areas, and even seemingly innocent surfaces like public seating create transmission opportunities.

Warts follow similar patterns but with emphasis on shared wet areas where feet contact contaminated surfaces. Locker room floors, pool decks, and communal showers serve as primary vectors.

Treatment Requires Professional Intervention

Once these bumps appear, removing them proves challenging. For molluscum, dermatologists typically employ cryotherapy—essentially freezing the lesions to destroy them. Alternatively, doctors may remove the core of the lesion directly. The catch: since multiple lesions rarely appear in isolation, patients often require multiple office visits to address all of them. Dr. Mariwalla notes that the treatment itself isn’t particularly pleasant, and the process can extend over weeks.

Molluscum may eventually resolve on its own, but that timeline is unpredictable and potentially lengthy. Since the condition is highly contagious, leaving it untreated poses a risk to others.

Warts present similar treatment challenges. Dermatologists typically use liquid nitrogen to freeze warts, though a summer tan complicates matters—the treatment can cause hyperpigmentation in the affected area. As an alternative, doctors may prescribe a specific cream designed to irritate the skin deliberately, encouraging the immune system to recognize and fight the wart virus. (The immune system often ignores both warts and molluscum, since they don’t represent health threats, which partially explains why these infections prove so difficult to eliminate.)

Over-the-counter treatments exist but may prove less effective than professional intervention, particularly for stubborn cases.

Prevention Strategies for Summer

The most practical defense involves environmental awareness and simple precautions. Dr. Spearman recommends avoiding shared personal items, keeping any active bumps covered, maintaining clean skin, and wearing footwear in shared wet areas. These basic habits significantly reduce transmission risk.

Additional protection includes bringing a small towel or scarf to spread across public seating before sitting—particularly important on hot, sweaty days. Carrying antibacterial wipes to clean surfaces before contact provides an extra layer of defense. On crowded public transportation, standing instead of sitting eliminates contact with potentially contaminated seats.

These precautions might seem excessive, but they address a reality: not everyone maintains hygiene standards in shared spaces. Dr. Mariwalla advocates for this practical approach, emphasizing that protection comes through awareness rather than restricting clothing choices. “I’m all for expression of personality through clothes and I never ever want my patients to be shamed for wearing what makes them feel good,” she notes, while encouraging a practical mindset about environmental contamination.

If bumps appear after a week of particularly hot, humid weather, contacting a dermatologist for evaluation should be a priority. Early professional assessment can guide appropriate treatment and reduce the likelihood of spreading these contagious infections.