October 2013 Moms

timolol maleate gel

has anyone ever used this on their LO?

Emma has a birthmark on the side of her face and the dermatologist said it was a capillary hemangioma. It isn't raised and it looks pretty veiny. He gave us a prescription for this timolol maleate gel and he said it would get rid of it. He said it could be removed by laser (um.no) or it might be gone by the time she is 5. So using the gel really is only for cosmetic purposes...and I don't know how I feel about that!

If we decide to use it, he said we have to go back next week so he can check her pulse..which freaks me out! So I'm just trying to gain as much info on it before we make a decision!
            image
                                      image

Re: timolol maleate gel

  • Timolol is a beta blocker so it can slow the heart rate and drop blood pressure as well as constrict the peripheral blood vessels which is what will make the birthmark potentially smaller. I have a hard time thinking you could absorb enough through the skin to cause a problem, but obv the doc thinks it's theoretically possible or they wouldn't have you come back. You could monitor heart rate at home if concerned.
    Image and video hosting by TinyPic   image
    image
  • Loading the player...
  • It is a mark that will grow as she grows?  Or something you can always do later? Like huntjul said, it'd be really easy to monitor her heart rate at home.  I would doubt that the med would make much of a difference on a nomally healthy infant; which I'm guessing the dermatologist thought too if he gave the Rx to you.  Probably following up for a HR check is just a formality. 
    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
  • I'm gonna need to see a pic of this hemangioma before I give my opinion. DD had two big ones and one is already gone with no treatments.
    image

    image
    image

  • pmarie33 said:

    I'm gonna need to see a pic of this hemangioma before I give my opinion. DD had two big ones and one is already gone with no treatments.

    @pmarie33 it is on the backside of her cheek. Sometimes it's really red sometimes it's lighter. This pic is from a month ago
                image
                                          image
  • That doesn't look like what DD has/had.  I've never seen one like that before.  I'd get a second opinion before putting something on my baby's face.  
    image

    image
    image

  • carawasacarawasa member
    edited March 2014
    pmarie33 said:

    That doesn't look like what DD has/had.  I've never seen one like that before.  I'd get a second opinion before putting something on my baby's face.  

    When she was born it was a white circle and developed into it. You can def see the hemangioma part in the middle but it is called capillary because it isn't raised and it's veiny.

    Maybe I will, thanks. Here is another pic I just took


    Eta: it's good to know your dd went away on it's own, though. I probably won't do anything with it. It'll likely be gone before she notices it.
                image
                                          image
  • I wouldn't use the cream. My dd has one on her nose that everyone asks about. Most doctors and nurses have said it will go away without treatment. A hostess at a restaurant told me she had one as a baby and it went away. If anything, if eventually laser if it encroaches on her eye or causes problems, but I'm told that's rare. image
    CafeMom Tickers
  • @stefmurph I think it's cute and I always thought if she wondered about it someday i'd just let her know i kissed her a lot there ;o) your DD is precious!  thanks! 
                image
                                          image
  • Thanks. Your dd is so cute, too. I saw a pic you posted of her a few days ago and I just wanted to squeeze her head. I always tell people it's insurance that she won't be kidnapped since she has such an identifying mark. :D
    CafeMom Tickers
  • pmarie33pmarie33 member
    edited March 2014
    Here's a shot of before and after.  The darker pic, she is 10m old.  The light pic, she's 3.5y old.  It was raised.  Now you can't feel it.

    imageimage
    image

    image
    image

  • DD had one on the back of her leg as an infant. I did nothing and it has shrunk and faded drastically. You can barley notice it and she's 2.5 yo. I would wait it out and do nothing for now.
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards
"
"