My 4 yo has a huge birthmark on his shoulder that he is old enough now to have removed. It is about 3 inches by 2 and is dark brown and is very hairy. We took him to the plastic surgeon and it is time to have it removed. The mole has really started to change, parts of it is raising up and all of it is rough and scally. They can turn into cancer and it is icky enough to cause him trouble once he goes to school. He has his first surgery on the 2nd where they will reduce it by 1/2 and then let the sight heal and his skin stretch out and then another surgery to completely remove it. The poor little guy will have is arm bound to his chest for 7-10 days each time to keep him from tearing the stitches. He will have to go under general for both surgeries and may have to be sedated to remove the stitches each time. He will have a big scar on that shoulder that will spread apart as he grows older.

I know that this needs to be done, I feel like a big mean mommy. This really isnt a cosmetic surgery but I feel really rotten putting this little guy through all of this. In alot of ways he is a little miracle, that is probably another post, but we almost lost him in pregnancy and birth, he has delays in speech and some physical delays. His spot is just another reminder how it might not have been as good as it all turned out to be in the end. He really has beaten the odds and continues to and I am so proud of him.

So thanks all for letting me vent and fret.

By Tink on Friday, April 15, 2005 - 01:43 am:

I had a not-so-large mole removed a few years ago that was cancerous. It should have been done in two surgeries but was only done in one. I know you must be worried but you are doing the best thing for him. And by doing it at this age, he won't remember it as time passes.

It sounds like you know exactly how special having a child is. I'm so glad that he has such a loving mom.

By Kay on Friday, April 15, 2005 - 12:05 pm:

My son had something very similar, same size and hairy. The surgeon said it was a hairy nevus, and he removed it just using local anesthetic. My son was 6 when we had the surgery (done in the office). The nevus was on the outside upper thigh, and he has a bit of a scar, but nothing drastic. I was amazed - he barely whimpered when the numbing shot went in.

Even though that size seems large to us, I've seen photographs of children with nevi which covered the entire shoulder and back area. It made me feel a bit better about my son's.

Good luck to your little one!

By Cat on Friday, April 15, 2005 - 02:39 pm:

No experience, but lots of hugs and prayers.

By Amecmom on Friday, April 15, 2005 - 07:20 pm:

Lot of hugs and prayers. Why can't they do the surgery so that there is minimal scaring? Is it too big to laser it?
I had a small nevi removed from my under arm and a small one removed from my back by burning it with a laser. Your son's sounds much more involved. Good luck.
Ame

By Missmudd on Monday, April 18, 2005 - 06:34 pm:

It is too big and deep for lasering and it needs biopsing. They may be able to do it one shot but the surgeon didnt think so, it is right on his shoulder joint and if they take too much out of it at one time it may make his skin too tight for him to reach across his chest, also it may leave a pucker, like if you cut a hole out of a piece of paper and then try to put it all the edges together and flat. They figure as he gets older the skin will stretch and since it is on a very moveable part the scar will spread out. They did say that after he is done growing and if it bothers him they can do surgery to revise the scar.

He ended sleeping w/ me that night after his appointment, he kept waking up and calling "Momma where are you, where you go?" I felt soooo bad.

By Amecmom on Tuesday, April 19, 2005 - 12:25 pm:

oh poor baby! Keep us posted!
Ame