Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Children's health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Original poster

Chicken pox pitted marks not going away

57 replies

Ktmummy1 · 16/06/2015 18:45

My daughter had chicken pox starting April 14th. All her scabs had fallen off by May 2nd. They were mainly on her face, the weather was hot and at night, as she turned in bed, they fell off. She has about 20 very noticeable pitted circular pockmarks on her face, mainly her forehead but a few also on her cheeks and eyelids. They are so obvious still. My daughter is 2yrs 9 months. Basically, I am feeling very upset about how marked her skin is, people constantly comment on the marks-"oh she looks like she's had chicken pox!" Everywhere I take her. I know they are only empathising but it's getting me down. Do these marks go? How long does it take? They are still quite pink, and pitted, even now 8-10 weeks later, please share your experiences.

OP posts:
Original poster
Ktmummy1 · 18/06/2015 10:57

I wouldn't be surprised if many of my daughters remain visible, I just can't imagine them going at the moment but there are obviously some circumstances when they do go. I wonder what factors affect this? Skin tone? Size and depth of marks, place where marks are? It's a whole research project in itself!

OP posts:
Original poster
Ktmummy1 · 19/06/2015 19:46

Hope you don't mind me bumping this for any more information/experience from anyone else whose children have had severe facial pocks marks after pox.

OP posts:
Star21 · 19/06/2015 19:57

My daughter had chicken pox at 3 years old, she is 14 now and has 1 quite bad pit on her porcelain skin just blow her eye, 1 on her forehead and 1 by the side of her eye. Unfortunately although they have faded they have not disappeared but maybe that is because she has particularly delicate fair skin.

Original poster
Ktmummy1 · 19/06/2015 20:10

Have they faded so she isn't aware or bothered by them Star21? My dd has at least 20 mainly on her forehead. They are very evident. ????

OP posts:
Star21 · 19/06/2015 22:17

I have to say she has never mentioned them so if they bother her she is good at hiding it from me, I don't know if they will bother her more as she gets older as they are quite noticeable to me.

SocietyClowns · 19/06/2015 22:27

Mine have kept small scars only from the first spots that appeared. Dd1 has two marks just above each eyebrow. It's barely noticeable now she's 8. Dd2 had chickenpox much worse but similarly only one of the first spots left a scar. Hers is still noticeable at 5, right at the edge of her eyelid.
There is every chance your dd's scars will fade Flowers. May be worth getting special scar cream from your GP to help the obvious ones along.

Original poster
Ktmummy1 · 21/06/2015 07:18

Tge marks are beginning to fade colour wise, although are still pink, especially when hot/upset. The indentations are so evident though. The first spots she had were a crop on her temple, then another crop from her nose up to her hairline and above her eyebrows, on her eyelids and under her eyes too. We went out yesterday and again were questioned about it whenever we spoke to anyone. They all seemed surprised when I told them she'd had pox over. 2 months ago now, they'd all assumed it was very recent. Some marked are pin pricks but many are the classic pockmarks and quite large. :(. How will her skin ever repair itself?

OP posts:
Original poster
Ktmummy1 · 29/06/2015 20:49

Another couple of weeks on and the pitted marks are still obviously there and only the ones near my dd's hairline are looking a bit flatter. The ones between her eyebrows, on her temple(a cluster of 6) and on her cheeks are still terrible and very obvious. It is 2.5 months since she started with pox. I need to hear as many positive healing stories as possible please as my dd looks like she has had severe acne:(. Am still really down about this. Thanks x

OP posts:
Original poster
Ktmummy1 · 02/07/2015 19:54

Sorry to bump again but still needing support with this, anyone else have further experience to add please?

OP posts:
Original poster
Ktmummy1 · 04/08/2015 14:41

Bumping this for any further support. Pock marks (and lots of them ) still very evident 3.5 months on :(

OP posts:
ArendelleQueen · 04/08/2015 20:46

It's still early days. They will fade. Are you very anxious? I do understand feeling upset but needing support for something like this is quite an extreme reaction. I do mean this kindly. Flowers

SacredHeart · 04/08/2015 20:53

I had chicken pox at 3 and at 30 I have a pock mark under my eye still. My sister had them at 5 (she's 2 years older) and has one above her lip.

I think the face is the most vulnerable, especially under the eyes and around the mouth.

Original poster
Ktmummy1 · 04/08/2015 21:12

Arendellequeen yes I am anxious about it. I know it might seem an over reaction but I am certain you'd understand why if you could see my daughter. Her skin is very damaged and it's really upsetting me as her Mum. I am on here to try to find out how long it takes for them to improve. At this stage they have faded from bright red to almost skin colour sometimes pink (when hot Etc) however, when the light catches her face all I can see are the 20+ holes on her forehead temple and cheeks. They are in clusters and are deep. For those parents who have seen improvement in the crater style marks, I'm trying to find out how long it took for them to fade. X

OP posts:
Itsbloodyraining · 04/08/2015 21:25

My dc had it in may/June. They still have visible marks. I'll be giving them at least a year or two to clear up. I'm beginning to see it as a long term thing. Although you do get adults who may have one or two scars still, you don't see adults covered in pit marks, so they must disappear eventually.

Original poster
ktmummy1 · 14/04/2016 16:19

An update...so it's 12 months today since my dd started with chicken pox. She had a very severe case focuses on her face. So, her skin remains really marked although the redness has faded totally but she has about around 15-20 pitted marks. Several did flatten around the edges of her face but the ones on her lower forehead, temple, eyelids and cheeks are still there and I imagine unlikely to go now. However, they are vastly improved compared to six months ago and in certain, dim lighting almost invisible. Unfortunately, in daylight, her skin remains pockmarked and I'm guessing as 12 months has now passed, they are here to stay.

OP posts:
herewearenowentertainus · 13/05/2017 21:51

So sorry for you op. no I don't think you are being over anxious, it's a really upsetting thing to see your child's face so affected. Read through as 2 of my 4 lo's have had very bad cp 3 weeks ago. Am filled with sadness that they both have many pitted scars on faces, mainly forehead but dd cheeks and chin too. Am expecting redness to go but not pitting. Dh also has quite a lot of pitted scars on face he's had to live with since age 6. None of them picked, think it depends on severity and skin type. Sorry no positive story for you but sending sympathy/empathy. Hopefully treatment will be better once they are grown up. How is your dd now?

NotTheBelleoftheBall · 13/05/2017 21:57

I had terrible cp aged five, and was very pitted.

Now aged 38 I have three pit marks - two on my cheek and one on my back.

I can't say when they faded by I do know that I've never ever felt remotely bothered by them, and no one has ever mentioned them.

So long as you don't make a big deal out of it with you DD I have every confidence they'll fade significantly, and cause her no trouble.

phoenixtherabbit · 13/05/2017 22:07

Hi op, I had chicken pox about 3 years ago now, I did have it bad as I was an adult. However, most of my scars did fade but I do still have one or two that won't go away, typically one is on my face.

I don't know whether it will ever go but I think it's possibly less noticeable than it was. Maybe with her age and her still growing she's got more of a chance of it fading? X

herewearenowentertainus · 15/05/2017 20:44

Lovely to read 2 positive messages. I'm sorry mine wasn't but it's the truth as I see it at the moment for my children considering their dad has never been able to forget his (hoping that secondary school teasing's not so bad these days), but am continually searching for glimmers of hope and yours have given me some, thank you!

thethoughtfox · 15/05/2017 20:47

Mine had several red marks on her face for weeks after but they are gone now a month later.

FoofFighter · 15/05/2017 20:47

DC had it at 3mo. Stopped counting at 200 spots. Coming up 4 now and still very visible white marks, especially in summer of course. Her back and buttocks in particular are very very bad. I do hope she's not too troubled by it when she's older, it's going to make for some interesting tans!

FoofFighter · 15/05/2017 20:50

FFS another zombie thread resurrected :/

Gooseygoosey12345 · 15/05/2017 20:50

They should go as she gets older. I had a bad one on my stomach but by time I'd reached teen years it had entirely disappeared, no scar, nothing. I imagine on her face it'll disappear even more quickly due to more sun exposure (which I also found helps to fade stretch marks in case anyone was wondering)

Missmiller · 15/05/2017 21:44

My dd had it terribly at 2. Now over two years later the marks on her face are there but hardly noticible. I don't think all the pits will ecer completely fade. Many have stretched out and flattened they are completely colourless too.

LDNLife · 04/06/2022 22:17

Hi OP, I wondered how your DD was doing after a few years? My DS had them two weeks ago and his back and face are severely pockmarked. They got so badly infected he had to take antibiotics… it doesn’t help that he has eczema so it was hard to get him to stop scratching. He still occasionally picks and scratches at crater-like ones that are trying to heal. I’d love to hear some positive news from others with a similar experience