I have an 8 month old who has a cist on his face. It is a bit bigger than a zit and looks like a blister. It will not go away on it's own, and will continue to get bigger. I have been told to go to a plastic surgeon to have it removed, but it will leave a scar next to his nose that is twice as long as the cist is now. The surgeon says it will fade into his smile line eventually, but that he will have a scar. :cry:

I have already had children ask me if it is a wart on his face and questions like that. I would hate for him to have to go through school with the cist, but also hate to do something to him that will make him have a big ugly scar.

The other concern is that they will have to put him completely out for the proceedure. This seems scary to me, but I don't want to wait for much longer to have it removed, as it is still getting bigger.

I don't know if I am looking for advice or validation that I am doing the right thing. This is a really hard decision for somethig so little! Any thoughts?

Hmm

It won't go away on it's own after time?

One of my brothers had, what I believe was, a cyst on his forehead. It did get a little bigger, but it wasn't huge, about average marble size, then it went down and disappeared. You could never tell anything was there after that.

But you say your ds' won't go away? How does one know this? (not trying to be snarky, I just don't know anything about it, why one would only get bigger and another would dissipate on it's own, kwim?)

I don't know...I'm just thinking for something as small and inobtrustive as the size of a zit, I would seriously hesitate to remove it. So long as there were no other problems with leaving it. Now, if it were larger and interfered with anything, I would reconsider.

And you can't let your emotions rule you in this. That whole vanity aspect. I know that's hard. And I know you know what other kids/people are like and you just don't want your little one to suffer that, but, honestly, if it's not a cyst, it'll just be something else. Those kind of folks can always find something, KWIM?

I think...what *I* would do, is just wait it out. He's only 8 months. It's not interfering with anything. He's safe, right? Evaluate again at 1 yr, 1.5yr, etc. as so deemed. I mean, you're showing concerns about when he reaches school age...he's only 8 months! A lot could happen between now and then. Maybe his *will* go down on its own. Give it a chance to do so. It's barely even grown yet, let alone had a chance to reverse.

Not sure if that's what you wanted to hear. I just wouldn't rush my child under the knife unless it was something life altering. :)

I do know what you mean, and I really appreciate another perspective! (and the proper spelling of cyst).

It is so easy to get wrapped up in what the dr. says but you are right, school isn't for a long time yet. I just hate to have people say things that I don't think are nice to or about my perfect little baby, kwim?

Thanks again for your perspective, I really appreciate it!

I do know what you mean, and I really appreciate another perspective! (and the proper spelling of cyst).

It is so easy to get wrapped up in what the dr. says but you are right, school isn't for a long time yet. I just hate to have people say things that I don't think are nice to or about my perfect little baby, kwim?

Thanks again for your perspective, I really appreciate it!

I had Maddy in June, and for a few months she has little red dots all over her face from heat rash. I hated how it looked, because my perfect little girl had red bumps. But they went away. Like Tara said, if it wasn't the cyst, it would be something else. I'd give it some time to go away. Things like that usually do from what I've heard.

A little cyst isn't going to make your perfect child any less perfect. I know that it's never a good thing to hear bad things about you baby from other people...but it's going to come whether or not your baby has a cyst.

And you also have to think about the reasons why you would have it removed. Would it be to make you feel better, or baby?

Those are my thoughts.

I don't really have any advice but more of I know exactly what you are feeling. My dd has a strawberry mark on her eye lid. Luckily, it doesn't interfere with the opening and closing of her eye, but it does rub you the wrong way when people (kids and adults) ask what that is, or they stare at it and you know what they are thinking but don't have the nerve to ask. I've been told that it could take up to 10 yrs for the mark to go away but I pray it would be sooner. I've been told that they can remove it if it interferes with her eye or her vision, but praise God it doesn't bcuz I'm not really wanting it removed. My brother had one between his eyes when he was little and my parents got it removed and now he has a big scar on his face. Like Tara said I would just wait it out for a couple of years and see if it goes down. And I know it's not the same thing that our kids have, but my dd's stopped growing so hopefully your ds's will as well. I would just wait and pray. God could remove it! Hugs to you as I know how you feel with all the comments thing.

Whatever you decide...if you choose to remove it...once the wound is TOTALLY healed...apply pure vitamin E to the scar and it is amazing! It takes time, but you'll notice an amazing difference after a year of dedicated application one or two times a day! I dropped a large iron on my arm a few years ago and had a huge burn scar...after two years of Vitamin E (one daily and the next once a week...you can't see the scar unless you search for it!)

I think Tara gave you some good advice and can't really add much to it except for the fact that i will be praying for the Lord to grant you wisdom on what to do. God bless you! ((HUGS)) :D

I like the idea of waiting except that it is gettig bigger every week that goes by. It is still fairly small now, but it is gaining in size. I am concerned that if I wait for too much longer, it will be even bigger and cause a bigger scar. Also because the younger they are, the better and more time their skin has to heal, it seems like it may be a good idea to do it sooner rather than later. What do you think? Still think I should wait...? :?

I still think you should wait.

Wait and see if it just gets 'unruly', interferes with anything, is uncomfortable. If it's growing *that* rapidly, he'd still be young enough for the good skin healing factor, by the time it was deemed necessary/advisable to remove.

I can see the issue..of wanting to do it while young to lessen the scar. But if it *is* growing that rapidly, he will still be quite young by the time the cyst has grown enough to interfere with anything/to be anything to 'worry' more about.

But again...we can come back to the vanity issue. In the scar. I know none of us DESIRE our child to go around with a big scar, but really, is it that big of a deal? Take your pick...give it a chance to see what it's going to do, may very well reverse..or, 'worst case scenario', it's removed a bit later and still suffers a scar. A scar isn't the end of the world. Just treat it, as mentioned by someone else here, with vitamin E, do what you can to help the skin heal itself.

So sorry if I come off the wrong way here, really. I'm just trying to say...is it *that* big of a deal? I seriously would just let it be. You don't have to make a decision today..and if anyone is telling you that you do, well, you need to give them the boot LOL Unless we're talking medical reasons for it being removed, ya know?

And if/when the time comes that the cyst has just gotten too big...maybe by the time he's 1.5 yr even, just seek out the right doctor for the procedure. A specialist. Someone who could possibly do it with less scarring. A lot can change in the medical field in that short amount of time too, ya know. ;)

Ok, I think I'm rambling now.

My son had a salmon patch on his nose&the area above his lip when he was born. It bothered me that it was one of the first things people noticed about him, but it eventually faded on its own, PTL.

If the cyst poses a danger to your son's well being (did the doctor say why it keeps growing so quickly? that would worry me more than how it looked) then I would have it removed. But if it is harmless, you might want to wait to see if it heals itself - the body is remarkable that way, thanks to the Lord's design.
If it does not go away on its own and does need to be removed eventually, a plastic surgeon would make sure the incisions were minimal and there are all kinds of special products on the market now for healing/fading scars, like Mederma (and good old-fashioned vitamin E, as mentioned by a few others). Don't let the vanity of others who may look at your son push you into making a decision for surgery if you do not really feel ready.

I know how you feel. when my oldest was born, she was born with a huge strawberry birth mark on her neck, and i was so worried about her being made fun of. But in time it actually is almost gone, she is six now. sorry i don't have much advise b/c i've never had to deal with a cist but all i can say is just pray about it, as i know this is a really tough decision you have to make.

EvaS both of our dd's have strawberry birthmarks i just wanted to share pics of my dd to show how much hers has disappeared.SORRY THE PICS ARE SO BIG I DON'T KNOW HOW TO SIZE THEM SMALLER. :wink:
This is dd at 7 months
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k31/kristydudley/alyssabirthmarkpics.jpg
This is dd at 3yrs
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k31/kristydudley/alyssabirthmarkpics001.jpg
She's at school now but when she gets home i can put another pic on to show you what it looks like know at 6yrs old, its almost completely gone!

Kristy, wow that looks a lot lighter. You can hardly see it now. My dd's is still quite pink, though it's not as red as it was. And bcuz she has gotten bigger it looks a lot smaller than it was. I was looking at it the other day and it's kinda gone white in the middle which the doc told me would happen when it was starting to go away. You've given me hope Kristy! :D

Kristy, thought I would share my pics of Abby's strawberry. Sorry to hijack the thread.

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n34/lydianbunny/IMG-2.jpg
This is Abby at about 4 months old.

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n34/lydianbunny/IMG_0007-2.jpg
And this is Abby now.

You can see how it's gotten lighter but not that much. When did your dd's start getting lighter?

Sorry Mama bronc for taking over the thread. :oops:

EvaS i will pm you b/c i feel bad for taking the thread over. :oops: :D

Me too :oops: :cry: :( :oops: Is there some kind of punishment for thread hijacking??? :lol: I hope not....gulp.

Yes, there is punishment...
You shall both be sent to the Isle of Endless Tickling

:D

Yes, there is punishment...
You shall both be sent to the Isle of Endless Tickling

:D [rofl]

Thanks for the encouragement, that is what we are here for! I am glad that you can encourage eachother too! I shall release you from the isle of endless tickling!

Kendra