Birthmark issue. Possible to get removed?

LegacyUser

I have a noticeable birthmark on the side of my head just over my ear.
I think it's called a "port wine" birthmark because of it's red colour.

Obviously this wouldn't be a problem but because of hairloss I like to keep my hair kept very short so I can't cover it up with hair.

I went to a clinic about a year ago to see if it could be laser removed.
Cost me €150 euro to be told that they could remove it with laser but the hair in that area would also be removed in the process. So I'd be getting rid of one problem but getting another if I tried that.

Does anyone have any suggestions for treatment or know of anyone that had a similar problem but was able to get around it?

Or is this just something I'm going to have to live with?

dudara

You need to start by visiting your GP and getting a referral to a consultant specialist.

LegacyUser

Hi dudara.

I went to a specialist (as stated in my post). They used laser technology to remove birthmarks but in my case that wasn't a good option. They didn't offer any other alternative to my problem.

I'm not in a position financially to go to my GP, pay €50, then go to a specialist just to pay another €150 with the outcome possibly being the same.

iguana

Definitely go see your doctor. If you are in or near Dublin ask if you can be referred to the laser clinic in St James' hospital. You should really see a medical specialist, a surgeon specialising in birthmarks, their effects and the treatment of, instead of laser technician. Port wine stains are more than just cosmetic and can cause loss of function to the areas they are over, such as impaired sight, speech, sinus or hearing due to increased tissue mass.

LegacyUser

I could be wrong in calling it a port wine stain.

I can't remember exactly what type of birthmark they said I had at the laser clinic but there was definitely no concern on their part in relation to non cosmetic effects it might have.

I also have a "stork" birthmark mark at the back of my head just where my skull meets my neck. I believe this is quite common in many people. They told me the same thing at the clinic for that birthmark too; if they laser it I'd end up with a patch with no hair which would look even worse.

Thanks for the replies so far but I'm not going to my doctor just to get a referral, spending 200 euro and being in the same position I am in again now.

I just want to see if anyone has had a similar problem or knows of someone who has had the same problem and if they have been able to resolve it?

dudara

birthmarkboy wrote: »

I went to a specialist (as stated in my post). They used laser technology to remove birthmarks but in my case that wasn't a good option. They didn't offer any other alternative to my problem

You said that you went to a clinic - I didn't interpret this to mean a proper consultant specialist. I took it to mean a cosmetic type place. Apologies if this was incorrect.

LegacyUser

To be specific it was the Blackrock Clinic I went to.

I presume that's a proper consultant specialist right?

iguana

birthmarkboy wrote: »

To be specific it was the Blackrock Clinic I went to.

I presume that's a proper consultant specialist right?

Was it a surgeon who has at least part of their speciality in birthmarks? If not then I wouldn't consider who you saw a specialist. (I know nothing about the Blackrock Clinic so perhaps it was.) But Port Wine stains generally get worse with age, they get darker and the skin tissue doesn't repair itself correctly so they can become "lumpy" and distort the skin around them. When they are on skin like the lip or eyelid it can impair their function. If it is on the skin around your ear drum it can distort your hearing.

I have a biggish mark over the right side of my nose, going up over my eyelid and coming down to my upper lip. I had laser surgery from age 15-23 to partially remove it and will have to start again soon (I'm coming up to 32) as the mark is getting darker and becoming rough. The number one reason I've undergone this surgery is to protect my eye-sight in my right eye. I'm hoping that when I renew surgery the technology will be significantly improved on where it was in 1994 when I started treatment (I used the same dye-laser all the way through). So some of my knowledge on the lasers may be out of date.

Afaik pretty much all lasers destroy or at least disable the hair follicle in the treated area. I don't think there is anything that can change that. But the lasers only treat a small area with each pulse (you will experience anywhere between 6-50, maybe more, pulses at a time depending on your pain threshold). If it's really bothering why not just have the exposed area treated.

That said, when it comes to marks that are on or around the ear I wouldn't let anyone come near me if they weren't a medical specialist and only if they were working under the supervision of a surgeon.

katie99

Have you googled the problem?

LegacyUser

Hi katie99

From looking at google it seems that the only two real options of removal are with laser and surgery.

I think surgery is definitely a more last resort for birthmark that could impact a persons health. My birthmark(s) are only cosmetic problems.

Again, laser doesn't seem to be an option because it would get rid of the hairs too which in turn would end up making me look like I have alopecia or something along those lines.

Doesn't really look like I have any real options.

LegacyUser

Just posting again on the off chance that someone new might see this and suggestion something that could help me?

LegacyUser

You mentioned hair loss. Would you consider changing tack& focusing on this (eg: supplements, transplant, ect) to mask the birthmark? Or medical makeup over the area itself?

IrishEyes19

Hi, op. I had a birthmark removed a few years ago. But mine was on my upper back. I had it done by a specialist through the health care system. As in I went to the GP first and then the consultant and finally had it reffered to have it removed. It might be a bit more costly this way, but I personally think its better because the aftercare is much more better as you dont want bad scarring.

LegacyUser

sssdg, I've no interest in getting a transplant or taking drugs/applying lotions to my head.
I don't like how transplants look and taking drugs and applying lotion to my head every day of my life isn't something I'm up for.
Anyway, I think I look a lot better than I ever did with hair going and this is definitely confirmed by the fact that I get a hell of a lot more female attention than I ever did with hair.

Makeup would be an option I guess but I'd still be afraid of someone noticing that there's makeup on my head. Which, under bright daylight out doors I'm sure someone would.

IrishEyes19, my birthmarks are flush with my skin. It's just the areas of skin are of a different colour and are reddish. I don't surgery is an option as they aren't "growths" as such. Also, I really don't want scarring on my head.

I suppose what I'm looking for doesn't exist yet...a laser removal treatment or the equivalent that doesn't damage hair follicles.

IrishEyes19

birthmarkboy wrote: »

sssdg, I've no interest in getting a transplant or taking drugs/applying lotions to my head.
I don't like how transplants look and taking drugs and applying lotion to my head every day of my life isn't something I'm up for.
Anyway, I think I look a lot better than I ever did with hair going and this is definitely confirmed by the fact that I get a hell of a lot more female attention than I ever did with hair.

Makeup would be an option I guess but I'd still be afraid of someone noticing that there's makeup on my head. Which, under bright daylight out doors I'm sure someone would.

IrishEyes19, my birthmarks are flush with my skin. It's just the areas of skin are of a different colour and are reddish. I don't surgery is an option as they aren't "growths" as such. Also, I really don't want scarring on my head.

I suppose what I'm looking for doesn't exist yet...a laser removal treatment or the equivalent that doesn't damage hair follicles.

No, sure a birthmark isn't a growth as such, some marks not all marks are literarly marking due to birth, slight trauma to that area when someone is born. So surgery wouldnt be out of the question and I always have my doubt about laser and its effects. Laser will leave some form of scarring as any type of removal will leave marks if its removed. Best thing to do is compare surgery and laser and which leaves the less obvious marks.

silkworm53

I think a port wine stain gives character to a person - Gorbachev, the leader of the Soviet Union had a great big one on his forehead and it didn't do him any harm!
I went out with a beautiful girl who had one on her cheek and the side of her chin.
You should ask yourself why this is such a big thing?
Do people make cruel remarks? Tell them to feck off!
Having one of them is no different to having black hair or big breasts or good natural muscle tone or ability at sport.
It's who you are.:)