swimming after treatment

My 5yo just had her , I think, 20th or so treatment for a PWS on her Left cheek/temple area this morning. This is the first summer that she adores swimming and putting her face under. Of course, tommorow is forecasted to be sunny and 80 here.....my question ( which I forgot to ask) is swimming/putting her face under ok as early as tomorrow...and what about applying sunscreen as early as then too. I just didn't know if the dots should start to fade before doing any of this or not....Thanks so much in advance!!!!

[imported_missy]

A quick call to the laser doc's office should answer that. You might have to leave a message for the nurse there, but those are the people you should ask. They know what kind of laser, settings, etc were used.

You might have to leave a message and wait for them to call you back.

Missy

[hankbartenbach]

Hi,

I recomend not even going in the pool. Give her a week or so heal up, and after a week a lot of sunscreen. Sun exposure at this time is very bad because it will prolong laser treatment. I started laser treatment when I was 5 years old and loved water and being outside it was very hard. But technology has changed over the years and you can remove a lot more PWS.

What laser did they use? Could you post a picture or email me one?

Hope she is recovering good and I will talk to you soon.

Hank

Thanks for the replies!
Hank,
She has had all of her tx's with the vbeam under sedation with Dr. Goldberg in N. Jersey. We live outside of Philly, but at CHOP they only used Emla and I couldn't bear to see her go thru all of this with just that. We have seen really good fading....just an area on the "apple" of her cheek ( which I am told is usually a "stubborn " area.) which is still quite red. We started her tx's at 3months of age and went every other month or so. When she was around 4 she said she didn't want to go to her "birthmark doctor" anymore....so we stopped. We restarted them just today, because last month she said "I don't want people to see my birthmark on my face when I get older"....so we thought we would go and see what happens and now always let the decision be hers. I will try to post a pic later ( when my hubby gets home since I will probably mess up!!!) it has really faded alot ( at least we think so)....people who don't know her think she just has a rash or sunburn on her cheek. I did find out that the doc suggested to keep her out of the pool for around 5 days. I did not speak directly to him....so do you think it has something to do with the chlorine or if you are in the pool you are out in the sun mentality. The reason is... we are also going away this weekend to Niagara Falls and the hotel has an indoor pool with slide that she can't wait to try out. So I am wondering if it has something to do with the chlorine as well or just the sun issue? Any thoughts?!?!
Thanks again!
Suzanne

Hi Suzanne !!
I would love also to see a picture because your daughter's pws sounds very similar to my daughters. The "apple upper area of her chhek" has also proved to be the most stubborn. People also think it is a rash etc. It took me forever to convince her pre-school teacher that it was not a rash. I told them beforehand and yet when I went to pick her up, she says to me. "We were running around in here playing, and I noticed that she now has a rash on her upper cheek.It has not gone away yet." sigh..... I told them yet again, that it was a birthmark and that in her case heat, activity or emotions will affect it. She finally got it but I felt like banging my head through a wall !!!
Her Dr has never given us restrictions with her after a tx but I am vigilant about keeping her out of the sun especially after a tx. I want her to heal. I think that the Chlorine can be drying and irritating to the skin. I think of it myself as a "sunburn" . I think it may very well be both reasons--the sun and chlorine. I think it needs to healat least some healing needs to begin-before you expose the skin to irritating chemicals or sun.. Especially if you form blisters or scabs. Since you have a vacation planned, I would call back and ask them about the indoor pool. I understand that you planned a vacation and you cant tell a child that they cant play !!!!
Good luck.......
Elena

[hankbartenbach]

Hi,

Elena is correct, both sun exposure and Chlorine are very bad for the area.

I would say if someone was there to catch her at the end of the slide and have a towel ready she could probably try out the slide. since it is from the V-Beam. The older lasers are the ones that scar with water, but if you keep the area clean or put Triple Antibiotic Ointment on the area before she goes down the Slide she should be fine. Going under water would be a very bad idea thought with the Chlorine. In door pools have less Chlorine anyways depending on the size of the pool.

Hope this helps.

Hank

HI again. I forgor to add...
One reason why infant/children tend to respond well to laser,is that their skin is thinner but also because their skin has not "toughened" up by exposure to the elements yet. That is another reason why the Doctors really push sunscreen,hats and limiting exposure to the sun.
ELena

Hiya~

It is very hard to keep the kids out of the pool...this I know all too well lol. Gabbey did very well this time w/not going swimming I was rather surprised but then again it could be bc she started school the tuesday following her surgery.

The doctor told me this last treatment about how sensitive the skin is after the surgeries and Hank helped me understand why she could have turned darker so to speak earlier this summer before her last treatment. Sorry I am babbling.

The point is I understand the difficulties of keeping a child out of the pool, out of the sun or making sure it's covered w/a hat and sunscreen. Good luck and remember you are doing a wonderful thing for your child.

Jeni