A mom has been criticized on TikTok for removing a large birthmark on her baby's face using laser treatment.
Brooke - who posts under the handle @brookecyn on the social media platform - took issue with netizens who called her a "child abuser", as she argued that the treatment was what was best for her baby boy.
The mother-of-two has long documented her relationship with her son Kingsley. The infant was born with a large port-wine stain birthmark covering over half his face.
Having spoken with medical professionals beforehand, Brooke decided to have the birthmark treated with a laser so her son wouldn't have to deal with it as he got older.
However, when she spoke about this online, she received a great deal of backlash. Many internet users took to the comments of her videos to slam her decision to put her little one through the treatment.
"Oh my Jesus Christ, how can you do that to him?" wrote one, while another commented: "I think this is just wrong, they should wait until he is 18 and can decide for himself if he wants it removed or not."
"This is literally torture. You should have done more research. There are other ways of helping it fade that are WAY safer and don't hurt," a third added.
Brooke has since taken it upon herself to educate her followers on the necessity of the procedure for her young son.
In a number of videos, she explained that the treatment was the only real option for him.
"The reason we started so early with the laser is due to the fact it is a port-wine stain birthmark. Portwine stain birthmarks do not fade, they do not disappear. They darken over time, they can progress and become lumpy and cause health issues," she said in one TikTok that has racked up over 308,000 views.
"The younger they are the better it is to start the laser because it is fresh on their skin and it is less stubborn. Over time it will become more stubborn and they will need more sessions in the future," Brooke continued.
She went on to add that she wasn't treating her son for cosmetic reasons - she was doing it for the benefit of his health.
"I think he is the most beautiful boy in the whole entire world. I don’t give a f*** if he has a birthmark on his face or not," she said, adding: "It p***** me off that people think this is purely for cosmetic purposes when it isn't."
