At least once a week, I am asked, usually by children or by elderly folks, what happened to Lil’ CG’s face. They ask how she hurt her face or if she has a rash. And I just tell them that nothing’s wrong; it’s a birthmark. Or, if I’m talking to the very young, I’ll tell them it’s a birthmark, which is kinda like a giant freckle. 
Lil’ CG has what is called a port-wine stain on her face. It is a vascular birthmark, a birthmark formed by a defect in blood vessels. As our International Adoption Pediatrician (IAP) explained, it’s the kind of birthmark Mikhail Gorbachev has on his head. Port-wine stains can be anywhere on the body, but are usually on the face.
Port-wine stains are typically pink and flat and smooth in young children, but can, as children grow up, deepen in color and become thicker. They can also sometimes be linked to syndromes, such as Sturge-Weber syndrome or Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome, or, if the birthmark is located on or near the eyelid, it can lead to glaucoma. After consulting with our IAP upon Lil’ CG’s referral in January 2014 and visiting our family doctor and a pediatric ophthalmologist upon arriving home, we were reassured that Lil’ CG’s port-wine stain does not make her at risk for any of those issues.
However, it is highly probable that Lil’ CG will be affected emotionally by her birthmark, especially since it is fairly prominent and on her face. Though she doesn’t understand when others ask about it now, we know she will soon. We’ve talked with Lil’ CB about how to respond when people ask him about it (because they do), and once she has the words, we’ll teach Lil’ CG to respond the same way: “It’s a birthmark. I was born with it.”
And yes, there great laser therapies to treat port-wine stains, but we haven’t decided whether or not we’ll pursue them. Right now, we feel it’s a little too soon after Lil’ CG’s homecoming to seriously look into anything — surgery right now would likely be very traumatic. We’ve also talked about waiting until Lil’ CG specifically asks about having her port-wine stain removed, but even then, we’re not 100% as to how we would proceed.
For now and always, we will treasure our beautiful girl and her beautiful face, port-wine stain included. And if anyone tells me our little girl’s face is anything but beautiful, there’ll be something else coming to their face! Haha, just kidding…kinda?
wonderful pea / 17279 posts
That’s right mama! Your baby girl is a beauty!
A very good childhood friend of mine had that kind of birthmark on her face. She was a bit self-conscious about it especially when new people asked her about it. We lost touch in HS and reconnected on FB after college. She must have had it removed in her late teens/ early 20s. I always thought she was beautiful and her birthmark made her unique.
My dad’s side has lots of face birthmarks. I didn’t get one, but my brother did. Since we moved to a warm weather place his skin tanned so much his birthmark isn’t noticeable. His was mostly an outline of his cheek and jaw on one side. ETA: I always thought his stripe-like birthmark was cool and much better than the gap teeth I inherited from my dad’s side.
pomelo / 5084 posts
What he actual hell is wrong with people. Kids – fine. But adults?!!?! SMH. She’s gorgeous!
guest
My 3 year old was born with a strawberry hemangioma on his cheek. It’s going down (getting smaller) as he gets older and they say it will disappear eventually, but I constantly get asked what happened to his face. People ask him too, and even though he’s very verbal, he has no idea it’s there or that it’s not supposed to be there. I always find it a little rude when people ask (except for kids…they’re just curious and don’t have the filters that adults should have!)
hostess / wonderful persimmon / 25556 posts
“If they’re crazy” is right. Look at that joy in your little girl’s face. She is enjoying life. People are just rude.
I’m glad to hear that it isn’t linked to any other major issues. Your last two sentences just made me laugh.
wonderful pomelo / 30692 posts
I just love how happy Lil’ CG looks! How are things going?
GOLD / apricot / 341 posts
She is absolutely beautiful in every way!
blogger / pear / 1563 posts
She’s beautiful! People are so nosy. I’m so glad she’s in a family that is teacher her how beautiful and wonderful she is!
wonderful olive / 19353 posts
She’s adorable! Anything else people say is that’s not equally awesome can totally expect something flying to their face! Repeatedly.
grapefruit / 4006 posts
She is just a beauty. My dd2 was born with a port wine stain on her face. It extended from the bottom of her nose to the top of her lip. We opted to have laser treatments done since she was so little and wouldn’t remember it. You can pm me if you have any questions.
blogger / pomegranate / 3491 posts
We’ve dealt with that here, for Asher before we started treating his hemangioma (which is over his eye and was beginning to impact vision). I got some questions too from adults and was a bit surprised by the lack of tact. CG is fabulous in every way, and whether or not you guys decide to laser, she’ll still be lovely (and really it’s what’s inside that counts – duh :))
cherry / 160 posts
She is seriously SO cute! You should get this book: http://www.buddyboobysbirthmark.com
It’s so good and written about port wine stains. We have a kiddo at the school I work at who has one on his face and I read this book to his class since the kids had some questions about it.
cantaloupe / 6923 posts
She’s gorgeous!! So happy
My son has a port wine stain covering his upper lip, nose, between his brows and on both eyelids. Unfortunately he has mild glaucoma. It’s the brightest on his nose and already we’ve had people call him Rudolph or say things like “oh mom let your nose get sunburnt”. Our plan is to let him choose laser when he gets older if he wants. He’s perfect to us 
of course we would get laser if his deem thought it would make a difference for his glaucoma.
guest
All i see – is a happy beauty, treated right and i think she’ll grow into a confident person. Keep up to the great job of parenting! i think that many mothers nowadays are way too obsessed by the way their babies look in the eyes of the strangers http://motherhow.com/what-will-my-baby-look-like-why-do-we-care/
apricot / 371 posts
I have a port wine stain on my face as well, almost same spot, bit closer to my eye. People do make the strangest comments about it…which are honestly hard for me to follow usually since they’ll say something about me getting hurt/etc and it won’t click since I’m never thinking about my birthmark! I’d say there a few times it hurt my feelings growing up, but for the most part hasn’t bothered me. I did try several laser therapies (pretty recently so with ‘new’ technology) and I don’t think I’d let my young kiddo do it. The lightening was very subtle, if any, and I had 6+ rounds I think?
blogger / kiwi / 675 posts
she is so incredibly adorable! And you are such a sweet mama!
apricot / 279 posts
She looks happy! glad she’s settling in well with the family now. Man, I already get protective when people ask “what happened to his face?” It’s eczema people!
blogger / nectarine / 2687 posts
@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: @wrkbrk: @Mini Piccolini: @Mrs. Pinata: @Alivoo01: @Mrs. Confetti: @anonysquire: @Mrs. Palette: Thank you! We think she’s pretty gorgeous!
blogger / nectarine / 2687 posts
@Alexandra603: Oooh, thanks for the tip!
blogger / nectarine / 2687 posts
@SleepyMonkey: Thanks! How many treatments did your DD have done?
blogger / nectarine / 2687 posts
@ksnow: That’s so good to know! Thank you for sharing your experience! It’s interesting that CG’s port wine stain seems to get darker and lighter based on her moods, the weather, etc. For example, if she’s upset and crying, it will get bright red, which makes sense because her whole face is getting red, and then there are other times of the day when it looks really faint. It’s funny, though, most of the time we don’t even notice it and it doesn’t register as something “different”!
grapefruit / 4006 posts
@Mrs. Cowgirl: she had 5-6 treatments, all before the age of 6 months. It was relatively small at the time, So the treatments only lasted 5 seconds or less. I was told it felt like a rubber band snapping against the skin. It is pretty much gone now. When she is cold or hot, you can see shadows of it. Not sure if it will come back or not so we have to keep an eye on it.
blogger / pomegranate / 3044 posts
How incredibly rude, to ask a child/her brother about that! Not that it’s nice of them to ask you, but still. My niece had a birthmark on her forehead and my MIL encouraged her mom that she could cut her hair to hide it (when she was maybe a week old) which she took silently but you could tell that the comment stung.
I know you don’t need to hear this again but she’s beautiful and more importantly, happy and blessed to be home with you all