Hemangiomas.

I started scouring the world wide interweb just a few days after baby girl was born.

She had this mark (it was circular and white) by her ear (I wish I had taken a picture). It started to turn pink and then red and I knew it was a hemangioma. And then another one appeared. And then another. And another. 10 of them in total. I searched high and low for pictures. What progression would look like etc. I found a few blogs. I was obsessive about it. What can I say. . . I have a type A personality!

Hers are actually pretty small. VERY small compared to others! But big enough to get questions, some stares or double glances (you know exaggerated slow second glance. Checking it out all smooth like. Just a little fyi... it never is smooth. The double takes are always good for giving me a chuckle though.)

Most of hers have stopped growing. Two have almost disappeared. And two of her hemangiomas are still growing. The one above her left eyebrow. And the deep tissue one on her left arm. She is ten months old {11 months old in two weeks}

All of hers are on the left side of her body. Doctor's say it's coincidence. I don't know that I believe that. Her doctors also don't want to treat them. They say the hemangioma's will be gone by the time she is five at the latest ten.

The hemangiomas are soft to the touch. Most of hers are flat. Except the one above her brow, and the one on her arm. All of them are warm to the touch. Almost hot. Doctors told me they should stop growing about the time she is one. Then I will get to start taking pictures of them dissolving and fading away.

For now here are the progression pictures.

{I take a lot of pictures. And this was me trying to narrow them down. You have been warned}

There was just one little white halo looking circle by her left ear. I never got a picture. Otherwise perfect skin at six days old.

By 3 weeks. The white circle had filled in, changed shapes and was pink. And if you look above her left eye you can see a teeny tiny pink dot (next to some wicked baby acne). The start of her hemangioma above her brow.


By four weeks. The pink spots were bright red. Color of strawberries. Hence the name Strawberry Hemangiomas.

Five weeks the spot above her brow had noticeable raised, since the previous week.

Two months old. Baby acne was gone! Yippee! Hemangioma below lip is more than a pin prick dot now.

Now we just watch them grow...

The hemangioma by her left ear is slowly starting to break up and dissolve. You can see hints of skin color flesh. And it blanches when pressed on (meaning the bright red will turn light pink).


Another progression series. . .just zoomed in. I didn't date these. They are the same pictures as above, and in order.

Oh my baby, she is the cutest peanut around.

Sass and all.

{I don't have any close ups of the deep tissues hemangioma on her arm. You can kind of see it above. Maybe that can be a post for another day...}

* I also want to note how thankful I am that none of Gwen's hemangiomas have interfered with growing. Vision. Hearing. etc. The one on her arm is the only one that is tender if touched wrong. And she had to build up her strength in that arm. If a few of her hemangiomas had grown a half inch in certain directions, and there would have been problems. But they aren't. I am thankful. Very thankful.