Cafe Au Lait Birthmark on Babies Face - Treatment

[jadechloe]

Hi
My son is 6 months old and a couple of weeks after birth he developed a cafe au lait birthmark on his face (pigmentation birthmark). my son is white and the mark is light brown. i am waiting to see a dermatologist to discuss removal options. He only has the one so at this point i am not concerned about him health wise, i just dont want him to to be teased about it as he is growing up.

I believe from googling that treatment options include laser removal which can reduce the pigmentation/remove completely.

Does anybody have any experience with the removal of these birthmarks on themselves or their children? if your child had treatment what age did they have it? how successful was the treatment i want the birthmark to go but wouldn't want to make it worse.

Thank you for any replies xxx

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Hi.

My daughter has a birthmark like this (picture from Google)

We were told at 5 years old that she could go to London for laser treatment. We asked her if she wanted to go, she said no.

We always hyped up her beautiful pink cheek.

They told us that if she changed her mind to contact them.

We had a follow up when she was about 10.

They offered her laser treatment again and make up lessons.

She refused both.

She is 13 now and has never, ever had an issue with her cheek. She loves it.

She's an artist and always includes it in her self portraits.

I'm not telling you not to have it treated but I'm just saying it isn't always the negative thing you think it could be.

She has said many times how glad she is that it's never been removed as it makes her special.

My daughter has one on her face. I noticed it when she was three months old. I had it checked out etc. She is now eight years old. Have just left it and it has never caused any problems. You could always see how things pan out and leave it for now ?

Sorry. Here is the Google image

Honestly, and in the kindest way, this is not a problem that needs medical treatment.

Or certainly not yet.

Plenty of kids have birthmarks and other physical features that may not be something you’d choose if you had the choice. Kids are little shits and will make fun of anything, so yes there is a chance that in future he could be teased for it. But why preempt that?!

He could end up with sticky out teeth or ears, freckles, a particular hairstyle that stands out, he could be short or tall or fat or any other type of thing that could be the reason some little oik decides he doesn’t fit the mould and deserves to be teased until he changes himself. Please don’t be the one that starts it!

Your baby is perfect just as he is and many many people embrace birthmarks or other features that make them unique.

If your child decides at a later date that he would rather get rid of it then by all means look into it, but while he a still so young I can’t see that laser surgery or any other intervention is going to benefit him at all.

@MarkRuffaloCrumble beautifully worded

My DS has one between his eyes and over one eyebrow as you describe. I all honesty, we never thought about removing it.
For me it's an decision he can make as an adult.

I have to add, no issues with bullying as far as I know. Because that obviously could change my mind.

My son has a birth mark like the one someone included in the above picture. He has started laser treatment as the dermatologists said it will get bigger & darker and may affect his eyesight if left untreated. We were referred straight after his birth. I think if it is serious you will be referred on to someone.

I agree with others an issue for later in life. My daughter has one in her face (she is nearly 13) and doesn't even give it the time of day, nor has anyone else. My son also has one on his leg (he is nearly 8), less visible but again couldn't care less. I sometimes think we worry more than they do.

thank you everyone for your replies. i think i have automatically assumed that he is at a disadvantage to other children and that he would get bullied. I appreciate your reassurance.

Young children are very accepting of difference. The best thing you can do is give your child the self
confidence as they get older. We all have things that are different about us. That said, if more cafe au lait marks emerge, please get checked by a paediatrician.

@Jacky86 do you mind me asking how old your son is? and how old he was when treatment started? did he needed a general anaesthetic for the laser surgery? would you say laser treatment has helped? We have a referral but its at east an 18 week waiting list, ive made a private appointment with a paediatric dermatologist (who also works for the NHS) to try and get some advise ASAP because i have been quite worried.

[quote jadechloe]@Jacky86 do you mind me asking how old your son is? and how old he was when treatment started? did he needed a general anaesthetic for the laser surgery? would you say laser treatment has helped? We have a referral but its at east an 18 week waiting list, ive made a private appointment with a paediatric dermatologist (who also works for the NHS) to try and get some advise ASAP because i have been quite worried.[/quote]
He started treatment shortly after his first birthday. They used a general anaesthetic. So far he has had it twice and will continue to have it twice a year for 4 -6 years. His is very large and runs from above his eye to his lip on one side of his face. The mark has faded slightly and will hopefully continue to fade. It won’t disappear completely but I’m told it will fade quite a bit.

The pale brown "cafe au lait" patches are not serious in themselves (very occasionally having multiple ones is associated with other conditions, but it is common to have 1 or 2 or more). The haemangioma type birthmarks like the picture shown are much more significant and if near the eye and early they can need treatment.

The dermatologist should be able to reassure you OP, and I would imagine will not be encouraging you to consider any type of treatment.

Yes, my son’s is a port wine stain birth mark and when located on the skull and near the eye they need to be monitored. That’s why he was referred straight after birth.

Yes my daughter’s is a cafe au lait. It is on her face. It has never bothered her and no one ever mentions it.

Hi @jadechloe what did you choose to do in the end? How did it go? My son is in a similar position! Xx