An Aussie mum has revealed she was called a ‘monster’ by cruel trolls for choosing to laser off her baby’s facial birthmark – but claims she did it to help her child.
Stay-at-home mum Brooke Atkins, 33, from Gold Coast, welcomed her second child, a baby boy named Kingsley six months ago.
But soon after he was born, Brooke and her partner Kewene Wallace, 27, noticed a large ‘port wine’ mark covering half of his face.
An Aussie mum has revealed she was called a ‘monster’ by cruel trolls for choosing to laser off her baby’s facial birthmark – but claims she did it to help her child
Stay-at-home mum Brooke Atkins, 33, from Gold Coast, welcomed her second child, a baby boy named Kingsley six months ago. But soon after he was born, Brooke and her partner Kewene Wallace, 27, noticed a large ‘port wine’ mark covering half of his face. Kinngsley is pitctured after his laser treatment
Port-wine stain birthmarks are usually harmless, but if on the face – particularly over the eye – they can be linked to glaucoma and Sturge Weber Syndrome.
Birth mark can cause can cause seizures and other disabilities while glaucoma which can cause blindness.Kingsley is pictured after the laser treatmetn
Port-wine stain birthmarks are usually harmless, but if on the face – particularly over the eye – they can be linked to glaucoma and Sturge Weber Syndrome.
This can cause seizures and other disabilities while glaucoma which can cause blindness.
Kingsley was diagnosed with both.
‘The thing with port wine stains is that they are progressive, meaning they will change and darken over time,’ Brooke, who is also mum to Amarni, two, said.
‘The thing with port wine stains is that they are progressive, meaning they will change and darken over time,’ Brooke (pictured), who is also mum to Amarni, two, said.
Brooke decided to get the the birthmark assured off as they can become dangerous and bleed
Kingsley is pictured before having his first laser treatment to remove the port wine stain birthmark
What is a port wine stain birthmark?
A port wine stain is a birthmark caused by the overdevelopment of blood vessels underneath the skin.
The change in the blood vessels is caused by a genetic mutation which occurs before a child is born, and will remain for the rest of a person’s life – though the severity of them differs between people.
Port wine stains begin as a flat red or purple mark and, over time, can become more raised, bulkier and darker in colour.
They can occur anywhere on the body but 65 per cent of them appear on a person’s head or neck.
Around three in every 1,000 babies has a port wine stain and they are more common in girls than in boys, though the reason for this is not known.
Treatment usually involves laser treatment to remove some of the dark colour from the mark, or camouflaging the discolouring using a special type of make-up.
‘They can develop a “cobblestone” appearance, with raised bumps, ridges and the risk of vascular blebs, where they dangerously bleed.
‘Once a port wine stain gets to this stage, it is often very difficult to treat and laser barely has any affect, as the skin is already far too damaged.’
She then decided to use a laser treatment on Kingsley’s mark.
Yhe purpose of the laser treatments are not to ‘remove’ the birthmark but instead keep the skin healthy, to prevent any further damage to the area, Brooke explained
‘The only way to treat a port wine stain is through laser treatments and the most effective laser for a it is called a Pulsed Dye Laser.
‘When he was first born, we were referred to the Queensland Children’s Hospital dermatology and vascular department, where they organise the first treatment and explain in further details why laser would be important.
‘The purpose of the laser treatments are not to ‘remove’ the birthmark but instead keep the skin healthy, to prevent any further damage to the area.’
The family are currently going through the treatment with Kingsley and are amazed with him every day
Unfortunately, Brooke has dealt with hundreds of mean trolls who branded her a monster for removing the mark
The family are currently going through the treatment with Kingsley and are amazed with him every day.
But the choice to treat the mark has been slammed by trolls on TikTok, who Brooke says called her a ‘monster’ after she shared a post about it.
One person said: ‘Don’t think I could laser my baby.’
Another commented: ‘That birthmark is barely visible, what you’re doing to him is horrible, it’s more for you than him.’
Of the reception she has received online, Brooke said: ‘Honestly, when I first started reading the negative comments, I sat there for a good half an hour and cried to myself.’. Kingsley is pictured now
Kingsley with mum Brooke after recovering from the laser treatment
‘Brainwashed mother making her kid insecure the second he gets out the womb,’ commented another user.
‘Why is everyone supporting this,’ commented someone else.
While others were quick to support her.
One person said: ‘You’re the mom and you know what is the best for him.’
‘When he was first born, we were referred to the Queensland Children’s Hospital dermatology and vascular department, where they organise the first treatment and explain in further details why laser would be important,’ Brooke explained. Kingsley is pictured
On the mend: Kingsley with mum Brooke, Dad Kewene and sister Amarni, two
Another commented: ‘He would’ve still looked as beautiful with or without the birthmark.’
Of the reception she has received online, Brooke said: ‘Honestly, when I first started reading the negative comments, I sat there for a good half an hour and cried to myself.
‘I had a whole heap of mum guilt and it made me question my decision, even though I knew I was doing the right thing, the cruel words still played in my head.
Brooke said: ”I had a whole heap of mum guilt and it made me question my decision, even though I knew I was doing the right thing, the cruel words still played in my head.’ Kinglsey is pictured
‘Thankfully for every negative comment, there were 100 positive, so it helped a lot!
‘I just wish these people had known about the health issues connected to these types of birthmarks before writing these things, that this wasn’t for cosmetic reasons and that as parents, this was the hardest decision we have had to make.
‘That the last six months have been extremely hard on us and reading these comments, actually do hurt – this is the last thing we need, judgement from those who have no understanding around my sons conditions.’
‘I just wish these people had known about the health issues connected to these types of birthmarks before writing these things, that this wasn’t for cosmetic reasons and that as parents, this was the hardest decision we have had to make,’ Brooke said
She added: ‘Although I constantly worry about my son’s future and what it will be like, he continues to hit all his milestones.
‘This journey for our family has just started and there is a long road ahead but we will push through!
‘Over 20 hospital appointments, two different hospitals, over 10 different specialists and doctors, five different medical departments, three MRI’s, one ultrasound, two hearing tests, two operations, two laser treatments and three diagnoses, all in six months – yet he is the happiest, most loving and sweetest boy you will ever meet!’
