Strawberry Hemangioma Birthmarks

[mayacat]

So the Dr looked at DD at her appointment and said her mark under her left eye is a strawberry naevus (hemangioma is the same thing?). He said it'll get worse before it gets better and spontaneously resolve by the time she's 2. I pray he's right. I know it's purely cosmetic but it has me a bit worried about how big it could get in the next few months, how long it might take to resolve itself and worried about people thinking she was hurt or something. It started out looking like a bruise when she was born but it's got a lot redder and is just now starting to puff in spots a little (only by 1mm so far but I know it'll get worse since she's only 6.5 weeks old right now.).

I would love to hear from mommas who have babies with this birth mark and if anyone would like to share some before/after pictures of their babies with the worst theirs got and then when it shrunk/faded on its own. Or if you even had one, I'd like to hear that too! I'm not sure we can get treatment for it unless it impedes her vision, which I'm really hoping it's just far enough from her eyelid that it won't.

 

[MumToEva]

My daughter has 3 - 1 on her hand, one on her shoulder and one on her cheek. The ones on her hand and shoulder came up first, at around 4 weeks, and have faded down well - they are now almost flat and nowhere near as red as they used to be. The one on her cheek came up later (8 or 10 weeks I think) and unfortunately hasn't faded down at all yet. It's now about the size of my little finger nail, and hasn't gotten any bigger in the last couple of years, and is bright red and raised. I don't notice it anymore, but strangers ask if she nipped her face and then get all embarrassed when I say no, it's a birthmark. We've been told that they won't be able to do anything about it because of the position it's in - it's right on her jawline, and the doctor says there are too many blood vessels around that area to treat it with a laser. I was initially told it would settle down by the time she was 3, but that's not been the case unfortunately! I hope it goes away for her sake, but time will tell.

 

[capricorn1]

Hello,
LO1 had lots of these ranging in size from a couple of mm to probably a couple of inches (on the back of her thigh) she also had birth marks on both of her eyelids (stork marks?). Now at 4 years the only strawberry marks still visible are approx a cm x cm each and are quite faded - not the angry red and also much much flater. From memory they were probably at their worst by the time she was 6 months or so although the large one on the back of her thigh grew with her.

I didn't receive any particular advice on how to care for them just to watch their size and take care if they bleed. I think I remember reading since that its a good idea to moisturise them as they can get quite dry and then more prone to cracking.

Hope that your LO's mark doesn't get in the way of her sight, hang in there.
Xxx

 

[RosieRosieP]

Mine covered my entire back when I was born and it's now the size of a pound coin and is very faint in colour in comparison to how it was. I think it shrank over time and by the time I went to school it was much smaller in comparison to how it was.

As a previous poster mentioned I make sure I keep it well moisturised and use a high factor sun cream for the sunny days. I have to be careful what tops I wear as it itches and can cause occasional bleeding.

If your not happy or have any concerns please go back to your Doctor x

 

[Bella1185]

Oh!! I had one on my butt when I was born and it was a pretty decent size. Right square in the middle of my right butt cheek - about the size of an apple! My parents called it an "angel kiss" (lol!!) so I never minded it, but from the time I was 2-10 it shrank down to nearly nothing. It was like my body grew but it didn't. By the time I was 18 it was the size of a tiny grape - and now it's totally faded to nothing. Can't even tell it ever existed

 

[staralfur]

My LO had a massive one right between her bum cheeks on both sides, it spread right from her vagina to her lower spine and out about halfway into her cheeks. Like really quite massive.

It was in a spot that really bothered her (due to the urination and feces it ulcerated and bled), so the pediatric dermatologist put her on propanolol to shrink it. It worked pretty well, but I don't think it's necessary for purely cosmetic hemangiomas. Hopefully, as you said, it doesn't start interfere with your LO's eye, but the propanolol is a good option if you end up needing treatment.

My LO's stopped growing around the time she turned 1, and it faded massively over the next year or so. Now it's not terribly noticeable but it's still pretty discoloured and definitely noticeable if you're looking for it. I'm not sure if it will continue to fade or if that's just how it's going to look for the rest of her life.

 

[shinona]

My son has one just to the side of his eye. I initially thought it was a scratch until my sister, who's a paediatrician, diagnosed it. It's pretty small by comparison to some. It has grown but hopefully will fade away. I understand that they generally do but I don't mind too much if it doesn't though. He's so like his brother it lets us tell them apart in baby photos!
Xx

 

[mayacat]

My LO had a massive one right between her bum cheeks on both sides, it spread right from her vagina to her lower spine and out about halfway into her cheeks. Like really quite massive.

It was in a spot that really bothered her (due to the urination and feces it ulcerated and bled), so the pediatric dermatologist put her on propanolol to shrink it. It worked pretty well, but I don't think it's necessary for purely cosmetic hemangiomas. Hopefully, as you said, it doesn't start interfere with your LO's eye, but the propanolol is a good option if you end up needing treatment.

My LO's stopped growing around the time she turned 1, and it faded massively over the next year or so. Now it's not terribly noticeable but it's still pretty discoloured and definitely noticeable if you're looking for it. I'm not sure if it will continue to fade or if that's just how it's going to look for the rest of her life.

Wow, that is quite big. I think my girl's is as big width-wise as it'll get. It's the size of a quarter at it's widest part and is shaped like a teardrop starting at a point in the corner of her eye (you can sort of see it in the picture, though that's a few weeks ago. It's more red now). Glad your daughter's has faded a lot! Also I'm glad to hear of a treatment option from a Canadian. I'm not sure what'll be offered if we went for treatment. I'll probably have the Dr look at it again tomorrow when I go in for myself. We'll probably end up just keeping an eye on it unless it becomes a problem. If it were in a less conspicuous place, I'd be less concerned, but it's in a great spot for her to scratch too. :S

 

[Loopy lotti]

This is my little ones at 3 weeks old, it came up when he was a few days old looking like a scald from hot water. Sure enough over the next few weeks it grew to how it looks in the photo. Docs diagnosed it and said it would disappear by the time he's a toddler.

He's about to turn one & it pretty much GONE, just a tiny faint mark ....I guess it will completely disappear by the time he's 3 or 4. Shame I haven't a recent photo as it really is quite remarkable how much it's gone!

https://i732.photobucket.com/albums/ww326/Loopy_loti/HEMANGIOMA_ieStrawberryMark_cropped_zps504e913b.jpg

Ahhhhh, and here's a pic of his hand (cropped) from when he was 10 months old ....again, quite remarkable how much it's faded. Have faith ladies!!

https://i732.photobucket.com/albums/ww326/Loopy_loti/Tom%20crop%20at%2010%20months_zpsy48ciza3.jpg

 

[mayacat]

This is my little ones at 3 weeks old, it came up when he was a few days old looking like a scald from hot water. Sure enough over the next few weeks it grew to how it looks in the photo. Docs diagnosed it and said it would disappear by the time he's a toddler.

He's about to turn one & it pretty much GONE, just a tiny faint mark ....I guess it will completely disappear by the time he's 3 or 4. Shame I haven't a recent photo as it really is quite remarkable how much it's gone!

https://i732.photobucket.com/albums/ww326/Loopy_loti/HEMANGIOMA_ieStrawberryMark_cropped_zps504e913b.jpg

Ahhhhh, and here's a pic of his hand (cropped) from when he was 10 months old ....again, quite remarkable how much it's faded. Have faith ladies!!

https://i732.photobucket.com/albums/ww326/Loopy_loti/Tom%20crop%20at%2010%20months_zpsy48ciza3.jpg

God, I hope this is what hers does! That is amazing how much it shrunk/faded. Time will tell I guess...your pic gives me hope that maybe it will be dealt with by 2 yrs like the dr suggested.

 

[Prinny_1]

My son has one of these on his shoulder. He's six months and it reached full size by 3 months. I was discussing it with my OH and he mentioned that his friend's baby has one on her face. I have met this baby at least 3 times,played with her, held her, talked to her and spent the night at the family's house and I have NO memory of it whatsoever. I'm sure it will fade and very much hope it doesn't impact her eye. Don't worry about what other people think because, like me, they'll be noticing how cute she is not focusing on the birth mark. Xx

 

[mayacat]

Thanks Prinny! Yes, thankfully the people who matter (all our friends and family so far) all focus on the rest of her adorable self. . The earliest comment I got was her 3 week appointment and one of the guys in the waiting room commented she's tough and got into a bar fight already. I thought that one was funny because hat's totally what it looked like then.

 

[mayacat]

Here it is so far. At almost 7 weeks, it's only now starting to get a little puffy. It was flat up until a week or so ago.

Plus, isn't she a curious little munchkin?

 

[StaceyKor]

She's a little cutie. DD2 has one on her back at her shoulder blade. It started off tiny, I first noticed it at about a week old and it was only about 0.5cm. It grew over the course of a few months and at its largest it was about 3 or 4 cm long and 1-2cm wide. However, I noticed at around 7 months it started to fade and shrink back down a little. I forgot all about it tbh but only today my almost 3 year old was sitting next to her while I got them sorted for a bath and DD1 said "mummy, Sienna's bad ouch is going away". I had no idea what she meant and when she pointed to her back i realised what she meant. Its now back down to about 1cmx1cm and much more faint.

I will keep my fingers crossed that it doesnt affect your daughters sight at all. She's uber cute!!xx

 

[Leliana]

My DD had one on her abdomen which appeared at about 4 weeks after she was born. I thought it was a scratch at first but it grew bigger and became raised. It was smaller than many of the marks described here but still very noticeable. It disappeared completely by the time she was one and hasn't left a mark. I miss it a little bit, I used to call it her little raspberry and tell her it was there because I blew too many raspberries on her tummy

 

[Prinny_1]

Here it is so far. At almost 7 weeks, it's only now starting to get a little puffy. It was flat up until a week or so ago.

Plus, isn't she a curious little munchkin?

She's a little sweetie! X

 

[Pink Sarah]

My lo is 7 mths and has one on his forehead which has just started to feel bumpy and raised which worries me so I am pleased I have seen this thread!! It doesn't seem to bother him but all I ever hear is....what's that red mark?... A birth mark... oh at least his hair will cover it... (turn to baby) come on baby grow some hair... GRRRRR

 

[Rhio92]

My daughter's got one on her head, about the size of a grape. When she was born, it was just a red mark, but had become quite raised by about 4 weeks. Now it's pretty raised up. Our GP said it should disappear by the age of 5. I'm not too worried as her hair will cover it as it grows.

 

[Rhio92]

My lo is 7 mths and has one on his forehead which has just started to feel bumpy and raised which worries me so I am pleased I have seen this thread!! It doesn't seem to bother him but all I ever hear is....what's that red mark?... A birth mark... oh at least his hair will cover it... (turn to baby) come on baby grow some hair... GRRRRR

We get this ALL the time! Drives me mad!

 

[x_Rainbow_x]

My son has one under his breast bone. It started as what they thought was a bruise, but it got bigger, redder and lumpier.
He's 9 months and it's starting to fade. Dr told us it will reduce in size and colour significantly.