Strawberry birthmark

[Joy27]

My six week old daughter has a strawberry birthmark on her forehead. It appeared as a tiny spot at around 3 weeks old and has grown since then. It's now probably about 4mm across and the skin behind it is quite swollen.

Thankfully it is not next to her eye, nose or mouth or anywhere else it may effect her functions. But I am finding it upsetting that people comment on it and always notice it- it's often the first thing they mention before remarking on how beautiful she is (and she is, so beautiful).

All the pics on the net are of huge birthmarks and I'm really worried it is going to grow to be something that is not just eyecatching but "disfiguring". The thought of my little girl being stared at unkindly makes me cry.

At the same time I feel very guilty for disliking the birthmark and wishing she didn't have it. It's part of her after all. I'm also aware that this is a very small "problem" in the grand scheme of things and I should be grateful that she's happy and healthy.

I'm looking for positive stories really from people who have been there. How did you manage to not be bothered by it? Do these birthmarks ever stay small or do they always grow to be huge? When did your child's birthmark disappear? Will the swelling go down any time soon? Anything positive you can say or information about these birthmarks would be much appreciated.

[SavoyCabbage]

My dd's was on her neck. The GP said it would go before she started school and it did.

My friends ds had one on his cheek and it was completely gone by the time he was 4. She says she can see a faint outline of it when he has a temperature.

[IShallCallYouSquishy]

I can't offer advice as my DD is only 4.5 months but thank you for starting this thread as its helped put my mind as ease too.

My DD has one on the crown of head about the size of a baked bean. As she's only a baby with fine hair it's obvious and keep getting " oh what's that have you bumped her head?" How to make paranoid new mum to pfb feel great eh? Started off as small flat mark and grew and became raised.

[SilveryMoon]

My ds1 had one on his forehead. Like your dd, it started off as a small spot/scratch at about 3 weeks and I thought nothing of it. It started getting a bit bigger and I thought, well unfortunate place for a mole, but what can you do.
By the time he was 3 months it was quite big, would pulsate and actually burst on a few occasions leaving him covered in blood. Was very scary as it always happened at night, I'd get up to feed him and there'd be blood everywhere.
The hospital said they couldn't do anything and after it had burst 3 times, I did the whole "I am not leaving this hospital until you do something about it" they were forced to admit him. They didn't do anything, just left us on the ward until I got fed up and took him home.
when he was 4 months, I took him to the xmas eve church service, the vicar said a prayer over ds1's head and the following day, the scab fell off and the spot never grew back!
Ds1 is now 5yo and has a really really tiny pinprick scar on his head, but you have to know it's there and really look at it to see it.

The doctors when he was a baby said these things are very common and should definitely go by themselves. She won't have it forever.

[systemsaddict]

My dd has one at the base of her spine, it was very red when she was born and when she was a baby. She is 4 now and it is very hard to see at all.

My now-grown-up cousin was born with a very big strawberry mark all over her chin, it faded a bit but not completely and she did have laser treatment when she was older. It's still visible now but frankly she is one of the most beautiful people I know, both beautiful to look at and beautiful inside, and everyone just adores her and doesn't notice it (and she is confident, happy and has made a success of her life in every way possible!)

I have a very large brown birthmark all over my elbow and have always loved it as part of what makes me me, I am sad that it has faded more now as I am older and miss it standing out!

[Clumsasaurus]

I had one on my head, and now just a small silvery mark at my hairline. I actually like it, it reminds me that I was born. Sounds weird I know, but now having a DS of my own, knowing the pain and process of getting me here it reminds me of what my mum went through to get me here and makes me feel loved

[cuggles]

Hi I had one as a child - it grew to about a ten pence piece size and was very raised so my mum informs me and then when I was around 4/5 I have been told it begun to shrink and went completely by five. My godaughter also has one - both of ours were/are on our foreheads funnily enough and hers is now - at 5 - fading - they seem to get white patches in them then more and more white until gone I have found. My cousin also had one of his cheek - again gone by school age.

[FourEyesGold]

My DD will be 2 next month. She has a very prominent strawberry mark on her forehead. Everywhere we go, people say, "Ooh, someone's had a nasty bump!" or something similar. Only one or two people recognise that it's a strawberry mark, and I only ever correct the "bump" commenters if I can be arsed. I love it when people comment on her lovely smile or her fab hair - or anything other than the strawberry!

It grew and grew up to about four or five months ago, and now seems to be subsiding, although it might just seem less obvious now because she's got a bit of a fringe covering it.

But it's part of her and I think I might miss it if - or when! - it eventually disappears completely.

[Bunbaker]

DD had one on her back. It appeared when she was 3 weeks old and was quite raised. You could hardly see it by the time she started school.

Unluckily she also had one on one of her vocal cords and it blocked her airway. She had a tracheostomy performed when she was 9 weeks old to help her breathe. The trachy came out when she was three and a half because the birthmark (or haemangioma in medical speak) had completely disappeared.

[Naghoul]

DD is 22 months. Hers has not grown and is fading.

My sister had one on her hand, it was really really dark when she was tiny but disappeared totally by the time she was about 4 or 5.

[KateDacre22]

My little girl was born with a tiny red dot (birthmark) right in the middle of her forehead. Its grown to the size of a 50 pence piece but its very raised and looks bruised under the red bit.She's 7months now, Its the first thing people see and i hate the confrontation,i smile and im polite but inside i want to cry! I dont want to go anywhere alone with her ,its not so bad when im with someone else.Ive had no support from health care,i find myself wishing the days away for it to shrink and fade. Im not enjoying the time with her now which is sad,i avoid every possible public situation :( im wishing for sun or rain so i can cover it up with a hat,and camouflage makeup doesnt make much difference. Any advice welcome x

[KateDacre22]

My little girl was born with a tiny red dot (birthmark) right in the middle of her forehead. Its grown to the size of a 50 pence piece but its very raised and looks bruised under the red bit.She's 7months now, Its the first thing people see and i hate the confrontation,i smile and im polite but inside i want to cry! I dont want to go anywhere alone with her ,its not so bad when im with someone else.Ive had no support from health care,my friends and family are supportive but i find myself wishing the days away for it to shrink and fade. Im not enjoying the time with her now which is sad,i avoid every possible public situation im wishing for sun or rain so i can cover it up with a hat. She is so beautiful i feel like im letting her down :( all advice welcome please x

[hemel07]

my dd has one right at the front/middle of her forehead. It grew to about 3cm diameter and raised to about 2cm then suddenly stopped at about 6months of age, it steadily got flatter and faded and now at age 8 you can only see it if you're really looking for it. It caused me a fair bit of concern at the time because I didn't know how big it would get and hated the idea of it being an issue for her. But it never was, and think the majority rarely are. Try not to worry about it.

[hemel07]

my dd has one right at the front/middle of her forehead. It grew to about 3cm diameter and raised to about 2cm then suddenly stopped at about 6months of age, it steadily got flatter and faded and now at age 8 you can only see it if you're really looking for it. It caused me a fair bit of concern at the time because I didn't know how big it would get and hated the idea of it being an issue for her. But it never was, and think the majority rarely are. Try not to worry about it.

[brettgirl2]

You aren't letting her down at all, its hard when it's the first thing people notice. dd4 has a similar sized and very slowly fading one on her upper arm, which is very visible although different to the face. What's easier now is if anyone asks she says in a really bored voice (like they are thick) 'Its a Strawberry birthmark (obviously)

Have you actually talked about it with the gp in terms of what happens if it doesn't spontaneously disappear (I'm unconvinced dd's is going to)

I know dd's is less prominent but she says she will feel 'sad' when it goes

[brettgirl2]

she's 4 not my 4th dd

[recall]

My daughter had a small one on her leg when she was a baby, and it must have gone because I had forgotten about it until I read your post, she is 3 now

[KateD22]

My gp is very laid back about it and says it will shrink and fade , it worries me that it wont be gone before school age.but i'll cross that bridge when i come to it. I know i should be thankful that she's perfectly healthy and except its out of my hands. She's crawling around everywhere and pulling herself up on everything so it keeps getting bumped,it doesnt seem to bother her and its only bled twice for a couple of minutes :( if i can overcome this i can take her to play group,swimming ect like i did with my other two children,i dont want her to miss out.

[Charlottepalmer1980]

My son was treated with propranolol from 8 weeks to stop the rapid growth of his birthmark. They took this action as it showed no sign if stopping and could have grown down to eye level. After a few months I could see it had stopped growing. He stopped the propranolol when he was 1 and the birthmark is fading rapidly.
Many thought I was being vain but I did not want my son being bullied- we all know how cruel kids are.
I really has to fight for the propranolol but I'm so pleased I did. Had I listened to my gp I've been told his (which was unusual in the speed of growth) could of groan to the size of a golf ball.
I know how you feel so want people to know there is a safe, non invasive way to help speed up the process of the fading.
Your child will be perfect in every way to you, but I know the frustrations of silly comments from others!
Charlotte

[Kittykat12123]

I have a strawberry birthmark on the back of my neck. I’m 27 and it hasn’t faded at all! It’s the same through out all of my family! It usually Fades as you get older though. If when there older it’s still there and they really dislike it they can get it removed or made less obvious by going to the doctor!

[Teateaandmoretea]

Yeah they don’t always go, my dd still has one on her arm and is 11. It’s never actually bothered her particularly the odd child has made a twatty comment but it’s been fairly rare tbh. I think it’s because it’s in a fleshy part.