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Original poster

Daughters Hemangioma (with pic)

67 replies

HenleysMummy · 21/05/2024 09:48

Hi everyone.

First time posting on this so please bear with me!

My 3 year old DD has a strawberry mark (hemangioma). It presented at about 3 weeks old and grew very big very quickly. She also has one on her back that appeared at the same time. The one on her back has vastly disappeared now and is nearly a flat light pink blemish.
Due to it being very near her eye when she was a tiny bub, I saw a paediatric dermatologist who put her on timolol drops which didn't do anything. She was then moved onto propranolol which did stop its growth. As she became bigger and her face grew, I decided to take her off the medication as I didn't want to medicate her over something cosmetic at such a young age, when there was no more worry about it going into her water line / eye.

We've always been so positive about her little 'strawberry' and it's never bothered her. Until now..

I'm starting to doubt myself as children in her preschool have been commenting on it in a negative way, asking her why she has it and calling her 'a baby with a spot.'

She's now telling me she doesn't like it and it's breaking my heart. Does anyone have any experience with these, and have they faded on their own? It's fed by quite a big vessel but I don't want to medicate her again at such a young age when there's no medical risk, I also don't want to remove something on her face without her consent at only 3 years old. But she's saying she doesn't like it anymore.

Do these things fade? Will it fade like the one on her back? Do I just keep everything in a positive light? To me it's part of her and I love it, but I don't want her confidence to take a dip at the tender age of 3.

Picture of my gorgeous girl below.

Thank you!

OP posts:
Original poster
HenleysMummy · 21/05/2024 09:52

Here's a better picture of her little mark.

I'm so torn on what to do, so any advice I'd appreciate. Thank you!

OP posts:
Allthehorsesintheworld · 21/05/2024 09:55

I wouldn’t be comfortable putting such an identifying photo of my dd or dgd online. Can you crop the photo to show just part of her face?
All I can suggest is getting another opinion from a specialist doctor asking about all options available.

Original poster
HenleysMummy · 21/05/2024 10:02

Okay, I'll ask for the post to be removed. I wanted to show a picture where you can see the size of it in comparison to her face.

I didn't mean any harm at all, I feel even more guilty now.

OP posts:

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Families Skin conditions
rainbowunicorn · 21/05/2024 10:03

Why would you stop medication that was working just because its cosmetic? It is obviously bothering her now and will likely continue to do so the older she gets so why not give her the medication that was working.
Your argument that she can't give consent is ridiculous. Would you not give her medical treatment if she was unwell because she can't consent?
I honestly can't understand why any parent would do this.

qwertyqwertyqwertyqwerty · 21/05/2024 10:07

I think you need to resolve your own feelings about this and pursue a single course of action.

It is your decision to make for a young child. Guilt is not helpful here - you need to decide what to do going forwards. Her consent is also irrelevant - she hasn't consented to you stopping treatment either.

You can either:
-leave the mark as it is and work to support your DD with any comments
-pursue treatment options and work to support your DD with any comments

I do understand it is difficult. No one here can tell you if there will be a natural change in the appearance or what treatment options exist.

PuttingDownRoots · 21/05/2024 10:09

Repost with just a picture of eye and cheek.

My DDs was similar. It started fading around 3yo, and is skin coloured (unless she's upset) now (from around 8/9yo). Her face grew, the mark didn't.

But its still raised. Hers is in a less prominent position, so it doesn't really affect her now. (Nearly a teenager!)

When she was at nursery, when it was mentioned by another child, they had a talk about birth marks and the children realised that most of them had one on their leg, or back or tummy... so it didn't seem strange.

Toooldforthis36 · 21/05/2024 10:09

She’s a beautiful girl. I’m sorry she’s had comments like this but kids can be cruel (unintentionally sometimes)

my DS had capillary haemangiaoma on hand, feet and scalp which faded naturally in a few months. But I, as someone with a thing (bit different) which no one else seems to notice (or at least mention 🤣) it’s always bothered me and I do wish I’d had it sorted when young. Still consider it, and I’m in my fifties…

Tricky decision, but if it continues to distress her, I’d consider that.

HJ40 · 21/05/2024 10:12

Why would you have just stopped a treatment which was effective?

I'm sorry I don't follow your logic either. You're right she's a child who can't consent so you have to make the decisions and advocate for her. Sadly, the way of the world is that people will notice and if she's conscious of comments from others at age three, that will only increase as she gets older. And then it's not just cosmetic if it affects her mental health. Far better to have it removed now before it affects her any more, and get on with allowing any scarring to fade.

I know it's a tough situation for you, but you need to be the grown up on this one.

TheVeryAngryCaterpillar · 21/05/2024 10:15

Hi op, how cute is your dd?! 🙂

My kid also has one one her face and one on her back. The picture is of her at 2, 3 and 5- as you can see, it's pretty much invisible now. We were always told they were expected to fade and much reduce by 5. The back one is much bigger and I'm a little concerned about her being teased about it at swimming, but am trying to help her build her confidence about shutting anything like that down.

Ime adults can be just as bad, I had friends asking me "are you going to get that sorted?" when she was younger, so I had time to practise some good responses on them!

Daughters Hemangioma (with pic)
DontBiteTheCat · 21/05/2024 10:19

A close family member of mine had exactly the same, but larger, on his forehead.

It disappeared completely by itself by the time he started school. She is beautiful x

BigGlassHouseWithAView · 21/05/2024 10:19

I don’t really understand why you stopped treatment.

It’s now causing your daughter to feel upset so you should go back to medical professionals and follow the treatment plan suggested.

Medical risks aren’t the only thing that’s worth being concerned about. You need to think about her confidence and self esteem which are currently being knocked.

TheVeryAngryCaterpillar · 21/05/2024 10:21

Also, in case it helps, I'm coming at this from the viewpoint if a person who also has "facial anomalies" shall we say.

Never an option to get treatment when younger and more insecure as cosmetic surgery= money. I could possibly shell out now but I'm not going to, because screw anyone who doesn't think my face is up to their arbitrary standards, and I don't want my kids thinking they have to adjust their looks to appease other people either.

Original poster
HenleysMummy · 21/05/2024 10:27

rainbowunicorn · 21/05/2024 10:03

Why would you stop medication that was working just because its cosmetic? It is obviously bothering her now and will likely continue to do so the older she gets so why not give her the medication that was working.
Your argument that she can't give consent is ridiculous. Would you not give her medical treatment if she was unwell because she can't consent?
I honestly can't understand why any parent would do this.

She was only on the medication as there was a risk it could affect her eyesight.

That was no longer a risk and it's a powerful medication to give to a very young child. It stopped its growth but had no promises of 'shrinking it'. Which it did. So I thought it was redundant to carry it on. I did stop it on the advice from the medical professionals too.

I shouldn't have posted. I'm going to ask for the thread to be deleted. Of course it's got nothing to do with denying her medication if she needed it. But she didn't NEED it.

OP posts:
OhFlapJack · 21/05/2024 10:28

My DS had a large one on his forehead that didn't start to fade and shrink until he was around 9-10 years old. The dr said this is late for this to happen.

He did get comments from other kids but was confident in batting them off - he liked to tell people he'd been shot in the head 🤦🏻‍♀️.

I think if it had bothered him I would have pushed for treatment but it did fade a lot o it's own. Still noticeable if you look but it's on his forehead so covered by that dreadful llama type hair cut teenagers have these days!

BigGlassHouseWithAView · 21/05/2024 10:29

HenleysMummy · 21/05/2024 10:27

She was only on the medication as there was a risk it could affect her eyesight.

That was no longer a risk and it's a powerful medication to give to a very young child. It stopped its growth but had no promises of 'shrinking it'. Which it did. So I thought it was redundant to carry it on. I did stop it on the advice from the medical professionals too.

I shouldn't have posted. I'm going to ask for the thread to be deleted. Of course it's got nothing to do with denying her medication if she needed it. But she didn't NEED it.

Show quote history

Please listen to your daughters distress now OP. Good luck.

Guavafish1 · 21/05/2024 10:30

There is topical medication... which she can use on her face.

Original poster
HenleysMummy · 21/05/2024 10:30

The other reason to add why I stopped treatment is I have recently been diagnosed with a (sometimes can be) genetic heart condition called long QT syndrome.

Propranolol can be dangerous for people with long QT.

I didn't add this in the OP as I didn't think I'd get a pasting about asking advice on a birth mark but here we are.

OP posts:
Original poster
HenleysMummy · 21/05/2024 10:30

Guavafish1 · 21/05/2024 10:30

There is topical medication... which she can use on her face.

We tried it to no avail.

OP posts:
Original poster
HenleysMummy · 21/05/2024 10:31

In regards to the long QT, mine isn't generic so she doesn't have the syndrome which is why I'm debating on starting her on it again.

OP posts:
AppleStrudel23 · 21/05/2024 10:31

Hello! Both me and my sister had one, mine was large on my stomach and my sisters was the size of a 10 pence peace near the centre of her forehead. Both of them have vanished. Kids can be cruel, this is a good lesson for her to feel confident despite what others say. Removing it isn't the solution as it could leave a scar and it shows that you maybe agreed it looked bad. I think just keep boosting her confidence! Show her in the world that lots of people look the same and to ignore the bullies

Soontobe60 · 21/05/2024 10:33

HenleysMummy · 21/05/2024 10:27

She was only on the medication as there was a risk it could affect her eyesight.

That was no longer a risk and it's a powerful medication to give to a very young child. It stopped its growth but had no promises of 'shrinking it'. Which it did. So I thought it was redundant to carry it on. I did stop it on the advice from the medical professionals too.

I shouldn't have posted. I'm going to ask for the thread to be deleted. Of course it's got nothing to do with denying her medication if she needed it. But she didn't NEED it.

Show quote history

It’s a shame you’ve been forced by some of these comments into asking for your thread to be removed. unless someone has walked in your shoes, no one knows what decisions they would make in your situation!
Hopefully someone can come along with useful advice rather than criticism.

Guavafish1 · 21/05/2024 10:35

My sister had this and it disappeared at about 10 years old.

Original poster
HenleysMummy · 21/05/2024 10:36

'Please listen to your daughters distress now OP. Good luck.'

@BigGlassHouseWithAView

Of course I'm listening to her 'distress' hence why I'm here asking for help.

Thanks for that.

OP posts:
Original poster
HenleysMummy · 21/05/2024 10:41

AppleStrudel23 · 21/05/2024 10:31

Hello! Both me and my sister had one, mine was large on my stomach and my sisters was the size of a 10 pence peace near the centre of her forehead. Both of them have vanished. Kids can be cruel, this is a good lesson for her to feel confident despite what others say. Removing it isn't the solution as it could leave a scar and it shows that you maybe agreed it looked bad. I think just keep boosting her confidence! Show her in the world that lots of people look the same and to ignore the bullies

Thank you! This is helpful.
It's also why I was concerned to have it removed due to scarring etc. I make such a big effort to talk about her strawberry and boost her confidence with it. I guess I didn't expect her to be made fun of by 3-4 year olds but that's probably me being naive!

OP posts:
BigGlassHouseWithAView · 21/05/2024 10:43

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