Re: Strawberry birth marks

[Guest guest]

A friend's son has a Strawberry birth mark, and was given the same advice.

He is the same age as and it has really faded over the last few

months since he turned 3. I was going to say that children at Nursery etc.

seem not to notice, but that's not really true. They notice, but in a very

matter of fact way, certainly no teasing etc. yet.

Sue Woollett wrote:

> Anyone got any experience with strawberry birth marks?

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Sue

My dd (now 5) has a strawberry birth mark , about 2ins across on her back,

it has been fading (they call it silvering which is a good description of

what happens) since she was about 2 but it is still very visible.

It's clearly not a big deal on her back, but her best friend (same age) has

one on her face - which is fading in the same way - her parents have been

advised to do nothing as the removal can often leave worse scarring.

The friend has had the odd comment at nursery, I believe- but it doesn't

seem to have caused any probs (and she is quite a quiet sensitive child).

Strawberry birth marks are actually quite common (though frequently not

visible) so other children are often familiar with them.

Must be hard for your friend, though, if the mark is so extensive - sorry my

comments prob win't be very helpful.

L-Y

Strawberry birth marks

> Anyone got any experience with strawberry birth marks?

>

> Out tonight with some friends, a very close friend confided that she is

> concerned about her 5mo son's birth mark. In fact she was very upset

> about it.

>

> It is on his face and the best way I can describe it is to put the heel

> of your hand near to your chin and extend your fingers towards your ear

> - that is the amount of his face it covers. It also extends into his

> hair to his crown.

>

> She has been advised to leave it (i.e. no treatment) until he is 5yo

> because it may fade naturally but at the moment it shows no signs.

> Obviously she wants him to go through as little trauma as possible with

> other children at nursery and school.

>

> Anyone got experience they can help with?

>

> --

> Sue

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

had quite a small one on her left arm (about the size of a raspberry)

which was very red and raised when she was a baby but has faced completely

now, you can still see where it was when you look for it but generally you

don't notice it at all. I only really noticed it had gone when I looked

back at photographs and noticed it in them. It never really bothered me as

it was small and on her arm but I can understand how upsetting it must be on

the face. Hope this helps.

Cerys

Strawberry birth marks

> Anyone got any experience with strawberry birth marks?

>

[Guest guest]

Sue,

Luke, DS1, had one on his head just above his ear (so beneath his hairline, when

he eventually grew enough hair). It was quite pronounced and people often used

to comment as they thought he had injured himself. It is now totally invisible

(i.e. disappeared) and he is 6. It faded to the point of only being noticeable

if you knew it was there (IYSWIM) by the time he was 4 1/2.

, DS3, had one on his head, similar place to Luke's, which has all but gone

now - he is 2 1/4. He has another, much larger, and more pronounced, on his

shoulder on his back. It is now reducing in size, i.e. flattening out, but will

probably take a few more years to disappear completely.

Apparently, I had seven when I was younger, and my mother cannot now even

remember where they were. Certainly they do not leave a mark.

I assume you are talking about a strawberry naevus, as opposed to a port wine

stain. Normally the naevus appears some time after the birth, so strictly

speaking it is not a birth mark at all.

Alison

Anyone got any experience with strawberry birth marks?

Out tonight with some friends, a very close friend confided that she is

[Guest guest]

>I assume you are talking about a strawberry naevus, as opposed to a port wine

>stain. Normally the naevus appears some time after the birth, so strictly

>speaking it is not a birth mark at all.

Ah now, that's a good point - something I hadn't thought about/realised

the difference. I don't really notice the mark any longer, and have

never examined it but she talks about it being raised although I've

never noticed that.

Perhaps it's a port wine stain - in which case have I just got a whole

load of useless info for her? She was really upset last night and I

promised to find out whatever I could. It seemed as though she blames

herself - it was her fourth pregnancy but two of those have ended in

miscarriage - and I hate to see her hurting, she's one of my oldest and

closest friends.

--

Sue

[Guest guest]

> Anyone got any experience with strawberry birth marks?

I presume that this is what DS2 had on one finger. The GP said it

is very common and 1 in 4 children have them. He said not to worry

as they fade by school age.

Whether that is all true or not (do I trust GP's?) it did fade from my

sons finger very quickly, before he started school at 4.

I can understand how distressing it must be however if it is on the child's

face. Every photo will show the evidence.

Trisha

SAHM to 3 horrible boys

[Guest guest]

The point about the strawberry marks is that they *do* disappear in time,

without the need for treatment. Both Luke's and 's have been quite

pronounced and raised and each is disappearing or has already done so. There is

a child I see in the playground who has one on her forehead which stands at

least a centimetre proud of the skin. I have seen a reduction in size over the

months - she is now about 18 months old.

Apparently 50% of strawberry marks disappear by the time the child is 5; 90%

disappear by the age of 9.

If it is a strawberry mark, then it will almost certainly fade and either

disappear completely or leave a very faint mark. However, if it is a portwine

stain, then it is permanent. As it is on the face, removal may be possible by

means of laser treatment, cryosurgery, radiotherapy, embolisation or plastic

surgery - but I would not imagine that any such treatment would be offered for a

young child.

HTH

Alison

--------------------

Well one of the teachers at our school had a red mark all down one side of her

face and down her neck as well. Looked awful I might add. Now I'm not sure what

the difference between a strawberry mark and a port wine mark are but. I think

hers was a port wine mark as it hadn't disappear. However she was offered a new

treatment by her GP about four years ago. Every four months she had laser

treatment on it, which included a course of strong pain killers. This has been

going on for four years every four months. She has been in a lot of pain during

the treatment and often had to had a couple of days of work during the treatment

because her face has been raw.

However I don't think this treatment would be offered to a child. But if it's

a port wine mark there is treatment available. The difference is amazing, you

wouldn't think it was the same person.