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General health

would u have a lump removed from a baby for cosmetic reasons?

53 replies

misdee · 15/03/2005 20:52

dd3 has a skin tag on her ear. when she was born they mentioned getting an appointment with plastic surgeon to have it removed. its purely cosmetic as it seems to be harmless. would you do it?

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Aimsmum · 15/03/2005 20:57

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lucy5 · 15/03/2005 20:58

my friends ds had skin tag removed from hand when he was really little. Her reasoning was that when he was older children would laugh and that being little it wouldnt be so traumatic for him. All went smoothly and he came out unscathed.

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Posey · 15/03/2005 21:00

We were discussing this very subject today. My friend's ds has a birth mark that means he has a bald patch on the crown of his head. The doctor has said it could easily be "treated", a small incision and the skin pulled tighter. He doesn't want it done, he's 5 and it doesn't bother him, but my friend worries it'll be a problem as he gets older.
My personal opinion is, I really don't know. Sorry not to be more helpful, but never having been in the position I really don't know.
I think I may be inclined to leave it til the child could decide for themselves (sorry I don't know how old your dd is)

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lockets · 15/03/2005 21:00

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misdee · 15/03/2005 21:01

its not like my skin tags, its more fleshy, more like her ear has grown the wrong way, but the paed said it was a tag. they are doing a hearing check and making sure it hasnt grown in as well, and also doing a kidney and bladder scan as they can be linked (??!!) with kidney/bladder problems.

but to have it removed would be purely cosmetic. i know i hated my tags (still do, but have got used to them now) when i was a teenager and very aware of self image etc, and it made me a taget for bullies as i used to have long hair which had to be tied back for school and so w ere noticable. i havent had mine removed as i am a wuss.

but would it be easier to have it done when dd3 is very young and not aware, or leave it.

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Cod · 15/03/2005 21:01

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misdee · 15/03/2005 21:02

dd3 is only 3weeks old btw. no idea if it'll be under general or not.

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Fimbo · 15/03/2005 21:03

I had a skin tag removed on my inner thigh a couple of summer's ago (think it grew because of pregnancy } anyway my doctor did it as they perform minor operations at my surgery. He just froze it then burnt it off and it wasn't sore at all, just left with a slight mark on my thigh which quickly healed up. He also sent the tag off to oncology just in case, he did say they did this automatically with all skin tags they remove. Will it be hidden by her hair eventually?

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misdee · 15/03/2005 21:05

it will be hidden by her hair if she leaves her hair long and never ties it up. its very noticeable atm. i think once the other tests have been done and complated, then will look further into it.

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lucy5 · 15/03/2005 21:05

my friends dd was tiny, i cat remember how old, i will find out. It was definitely under general, this is why she agonised over the decision. His tag looked like a little sausage or an extra small finger that hadnt grown. Dr was worried it would catch on something.

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Cod · 15/03/2005 21:06

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Pinotmum · 15/03/2005 21:07

Whn my nephew was born he had a lump beside his ear. It's like a cyst I suppose. My sister was told she could see a plastic surgeon to remove it but like you she thought it was a cosmetic rather than medical procedure. My nephew may want it done when he is older. It's a hard one to call - can you maybe see the surgeon /specialist to get more info on what would happen first before you make up your mind.

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misdee · 15/03/2005 21:07

its similar to this but closer to the ear canel.

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piffle · 15/03/2005 21:09

my dd has mild ptosis or droopy eyelids, not too bad IMHo, I will leave it up to dd so she can choose whether she wishes it done
I would feel the same about any "minor" primarily cosmetic feature I think...
But I may well change my mind at some point of course

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misdee · 15/03/2005 21:12

its on the tragus. here

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ThomCat · 15/03/2005 21:13

Honest response is ,3 weeks, for me, would be too young. But if you think that it's bad and it'll make her self concious and people may tese her etc then yes, but I'd still want to wait a bit longer than 3 weeks old.

One of the things about a child with DS is low set ears and lotties stick out. As a baby she had really prominent ears, now at 3 yrs I never notice them unless in the bath washing her hair. If when she is a teenager they are noticable and she's teased then she can get them pinned back if nthat's what she wants.

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misdee · 15/03/2005 21:16

i wouldnt have it done now Thomcat, as she is my baby and i dont want anyone touching her atm, i found it bad enough watching the blood tests being done when she was born and couldnt let her go for surgery just yet. but it has been mentioned, and i am really undecided. maybe in 6-12months it'll be a serious option. will have to discuss it further with dh tho.

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ThomCat · 15/03/2005 21:20

oh sorry mate, just saw that she was 3 weeks and wrongly presumed you were making ht edecision for now. Well in that case when do you have to make the decision? Can you just see how it goes, and how her hair grows etc?

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ThomCat · 15/03/2005 21:22

Massive sympathies with blood tests, looties heel was like a pin cushion at a day old and it felt like a massive punch in my stomach all every time I thought about it.

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misdee · 15/03/2005 21:30

dd3 heels are still marked from the tests. she was having hourly heel pricks at one point.

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ThomCat · 15/03/2005 21:31

Lottie too babes, hourly, not nice and I know how you feel big time, lots of love, xx

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stitch · 15/03/2005 21:32

my sister is a surgeon. and every time i joke around about having cosmetic surgery she tells me not to. surgery is never less than a big deal. tbh, unless it is particularly unsightly, i would leave it until she can decide, around the puberty, or older.
my mom has a big massive brown birthmark on her cheek. its never bothered her.
i cant believe she's already three weeks old. hope you are both doing well.

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uwila · 16/03/2005 17:41

If it was me, I would want my parents to have had it removed. But, of course, it is so hard to know what your child will have wanted you to do when she's older. And she certainly can't speak for herself now.

But, my personal opinion is that I wouldn't like to grow up with ears that could be made fun of.

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Twiglett · 16/03/2005 18:13

I think I'd find out all about it, when they would do it, how they would do it, general or local

and then when I had all the info I'd make up my mind

However after watching that 'Child of Our TIme' programme I was actually stunned how they said the best thing you can do for your child's social development in school is 'make them look good' so I would probably consider having it done before school age a lot more than I would have before I watched that

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Snugs · 16/03/2005 18:30

I had tag like the one in the pic removed from my left ear when I was a baby - the doc persuaded my mum because he said it made my ears look out of balance. Purely cosmetic.

Would have been fine if the matching tag on my right ear hadn't decided to wait until I was 6 years old before it grew. If they'd left the other one alone, my ears would be nicely balanced now

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