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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:
HenleysMummy · 21/05/2024 10:47

This reply has been deleted

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MNHQ
ImaniMumsnet · 21/05/2024 10:57

Hi OP,

Just a quick note to say we have removed the images for you.

Best wishes

BigGlassHouseWithAView · 21/05/2024 11:00

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

You took exception to me saying to listen to your daughter distress and ‘good luck’. 😅

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Families Skin conditions
Original poster
HenleysMummy · 21/05/2024 11:03

@BigGlassHouseWithAView but you decided to stick the knife in by implying I wasn't listening to my daughters distress. Which I evidently am hence why I'm here.

You're no better than anyone else.
I am a mum doing my best, and I'm a bloody good mum at that.

I won't respond to you further.

OP posts:
Original poster
HenleysMummy · 21/05/2024 11:06

@Soontobe60

Thank you! It's probably not a place ill come for help again, but thank you for your kind comment ❤️

OP posts:
janjan23 · 21/05/2024 11:06

I had one of these on my arm that grown quickly. It kept bleeding so I got it removed. It's not even left a scare and was painless. They numbed the area and burnt it off.
Don't listen to anyone giving you hard time. You did what you thought was right at the time stopping the treatment. Now you are rethinking it as your daughter is bothered by it. Tbh I would look into how you can get it removed as quickly as possible. You know what kids are like they are mean.

3WildOnes · 21/05/2024 11:09

I don't think I would remove or re start medication. I would just try to raise your daughters confidence. I would re evaluate in a few years time.

BigGlassHouseWithAView · 21/05/2024 11:10

HenleysMummy · 21/05/2024 11:03

@BigGlassHouseWithAView but you decided to stick the knife in by implying I wasn't listening to my daughters distress. Which I evidently am hence why I'm here.

You're no better than anyone else.
I am a mum doing my best, and I'm a bloody good mum at that.

I won't respond to you further.

It wasn’t meant to be a stick the knife in comment at all. It was a quick reply as you said you were going to get the thread deleted. I said to listen to your daughter and also said good luck. How you took that as a bad comment is not something I can understand.

Whatever. Your problem not mine. Good luck and have a nice day. 😊

Original poster
HenleysMummy · 21/05/2024 11:10

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.

This is something that I thought about to. Wanting to take away something that's a part of her to appease others. Tricky age at 3! If she was a bit older I could talk to her about it in a bit more depth.

I'll think I'll make an appointment again with the consultant she saw before, there may be other treatment options now as it's been a little while. Thank you for your viewpoint!

OP posts:
OliveK · 21/05/2024 11:11

My DD had a very large "strawberry"...not on her face though which I appreciate is a huge difference, but still visible and other people would comment. Anyway, it was more less gone by the time she was 8/9ish and now completely invisible as a teen. She says she misses it!
We never treated it.

averylongtimeago · 21/05/2024 11:15

My little boy had two- one on his neck, and one on the back of his hand- which covered the whole back of his hand and was raised and very red. The one on his neck was also very red and raised as a baby - the photo is when he was 3, you can see it has faded in colour.
By the time he started school, they had just about gone, only a slight darker area of skin. A couple of years later, no sign at all.

Ignore the nasty comments- some people just like to criticize.

If you are worried, have a chat with your doctor.

Daughters Hemangioma (with pic)
Pancakefam · 21/05/2024 11:16

Some of these replies are so insensitive! The propranolol is prescribed off license and there could be unknown effects, as well as the risks listed. I did choose to give my lo the meds, but she had a hemangioma in her eye. I don't think I would have for cosmetic reasons.

HeartbreakerEyes · 21/05/2024 11:56

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.

No need to take offence at the comment from @BigGlassHouseWithAView at all.

I didn’t see the photos but just wanted to say that my friends daughter was given propranolol and it stopped growth and it disappeared very quickly. She was similar to your daughter in that she was teased at school aged 4. She’s a teen now and very thankful her mum had it treated.

yikesanotherbooboo · 21/05/2024 11:58

DSis had one that was larger than that ; it was easily visible at aged 7 but had more or less disappeared by 11 and certainly nothing to see now. I would be tempted to frame it as something positive and would have done what you did regarding medication.

WibbleWob · 21/05/2024 12:01

If not mentioned already please please join the birthmark support group on Facebook- it’s supported by a charity and there are some fantastic, knowledgeable posters.

nupnup · 21/05/2024 12:15

There have been various digs on this thread and it's not warranted and a lot of faux concern.

And anyone moaning about uploading a picture of the DD, on a thread about a birthmark, is bonkers.

There have been uploads of full frontal vulvas on this site. A birthmark picture is nothing to pearl clutch over.

Also, propranolol is only prescribed in these instances off license as PP said, and it's not given out easily due to the risk over benefit. A GP wouldn't prescribe something like this, only a paediatrician under consultant led care.

Original poster
HenleysMummy · 21/05/2024 12:16

WibbleWob · 21/05/2024 12:01

If not mentioned already please please join the birthmark support group on Facebook- it’s supported by a charity and there are some fantastic, knowledgeable posters.

Oh good to know, thank you!

OP posts:
Original poster
HenleysMummy · 21/05/2024 12:19

yikesanotherbooboo · 21/05/2024 11:58

DSis had one that was larger than that ; it was easily visible at aged 7 but had more or less disappeared by 11 and certainly nothing to see now. I would be tempted to frame it as something positive and would have done what you did regarding medication.

Thank you for responding, this is good to know!

Here is an anonymous---- picture of her hemangioma.

It is much less red / angry looking. When I took her off the propranolol it did have a couple of weeks where is started to flare again but it soon settled and hasn't grown since she was a tiny bub.

I think people are missing that I took her off the medication along with hospital led advise as at the time she could've potentially had a heart condition. So I didn't want to take any risk of her health being compromised over something cosmetic.

When we first medicated her it wasn't just cosmetic. It was growing very close to her waterline but when that didn't become a concern, we took her off it for reasons above.

OP posts:
Original poster
HenleysMummy · 21/05/2024 12:20

Missed the picture, should be there now!

Daughters Hemangioma (with pic)
OP posts:
RoxieLoxy · 21/05/2024 12:21

My DD now 11 still has a large one on her face but it was linked to a rare underlying condition and so we didn't want to also treat the hemangioma when there were bigger things to worry about. It has faded loads and it's never something she has been bothered about or which others have commented on (maybe we were just lucky).

At 3 I would do as a PP said and just work on helping her to love her unique feature or at least to accept it. It should fade over time and personally that's much more preferable than using medication for something cosmetic at that age.

Original poster
HenleysMummy · 21/05/2024 12:21

RoxieLoxy · 21/05/2024 12:21

My DD now 11 still has a large one on her face but it was linked to a rare underlying condition and so we didn't want to also treat the hemangioma when there were bigger things to worry about. It has faded loads and it's never something she has been bothered about or which others have commented on (maybe we were just lucky).

At 3 I would do as a PP said and just work on helping her to love her unique feature or at least to accept it. It should fade over time and personally that's much more preferable than using medication for something cosmetic at that age.

Thank you! Totally agree.

OP posts:
HJ40 · 21/05/2024 12:23

nupnup · 21/05/2024 12:15

There have been various digs on this thread and it's not warranted and a lot of faux concern.

And anyone moaning about uploading a picture of the DD, on a thread about a birthmark, is bonkers.

There have been uploads of full frontal vulvas on this site. A birthmark picture is nothing to pearl clutch over.

Also, propranolol is only prescribed in these instances off license as PP said, and it's not given out easily due to the risk over benefit. A GP wouldn't prescribe something like this, only a paediatrician under consultant led care.

No one was moaning about pictures of a birthmark. The OP, having identified herself as a first time poster, the shared two pictures of her DD's entire face. Given this isn't perceived as a good idea, two subsequent posters helpfully suggested she amend them. Back in your box on that one.

RoxieLoxy · 21/05/2024 12:26

It was also about 4 times the size of your DDs. Can hardly see it now although the skin is still raised a bit (but hardly noticeable).

toomanytonotice · 21/05/2024 12:27

I have one a similar size. Mine isn’t a strawberry though, dr’s don’t seem to classify it beyond “weeell it’s not a strawberry….”

mine bothered my mum a lot more than me. I used to have to wear my hair so it didn’t show. I was taken to the GP about it several times as she wanted it removed. I remember on GP saying “it is rather unsightly” as he referred me yet again to the dermatologists.

every time I’d sit while a load of student doctors crowded round to get a look. There’s be lots of discussion only to decide yet again that scarring would be bigger than the birthmark, and also with it being close to the eye there was a risk it would pull the skin and leave me with wonky eyes.

it genuinely doesn’t bother me. I developed a lot of one liners to fend off school kids.

my advice would to see what the medical advice is now. I’d be tempted with that to watch and wait, see if fades, and deal with it when she’s older if it doesn’t. In the meantime giving her the confidence to deal with the questions in invaluable, as she’ll learn that bullies look for weakness.

Tell her not to worry about it and it will fade in time. Give her some ideas about how to answer, think of some really cool or outrageous explanations. Devils horn removal, stabbed in a fight with a unicorn, that kind of fun.

Original poster
HenleysMummy · 21/05/2024 12:30

@HJ40 I was aware that I showed the images of my DDs face. I'm aware this is a public forum. The images of her were not inappropriate in anyway shape or form. How does uploading 2 images of her face on a forum for mums affect her?

I'd understand if I posted a picture of her in a swimming costume, which I'd never do, but it was 2 pictures of her face so posters could see the size of it. To see if any other mums had experience of anything similar.

OP posts:
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