Birthmarks are colored spots on the skin that babies are born with or develop shortly after birth. More than 10 in 100 babies have birthmarks.
These birthmarks show a discrepancy in color from bright red to pink, brown, tan, and bluish. Birthmarks can be plane on the surface of the skin or hoisted. Birthmarks are indentified by their colors and uniformity.
Some of the common types of birthmarks are:
Café-au-lait spots: These spots are light tan colored. Carrying up to three such spots on your body is usually fine. Though more than three café-au-lait spots can possibly point to a condition called Neurofibromatosis, a genetic disorder that causes skin tumors.
Hemangioma: Generally flat or slightly raised and bright red or bluish in color. It can emerge anywhere on the body, but are often found on the face, head, and neck. It is usually present at birth or develops after the first few weeks of birth. It tends to grow quickly during the first 12 months of your child's life. But they tend to stop growing after the first year and then gradually fade away. They may also be found inside the body. There are two types of hemangioma:
Macular Stain: These are often called angel's kisses or stork bites. These harmless birthmarks are pinkish or light red and can be found anywhere on a child's body. Although most likely on the back of the head and neck. Typically these are barely visible. No treatment is required for these types of birthmarks.
Moles: These can be seen as dark brown or black spots. Almost everybody has got small moles. These generally begin to show up after birth and in actual are small groupings of pigmented skin cells.
Mongolian Spots: These spots are flat birthmarks on the surface of the skin with a blue-gray color and are often to be found on the buttocks or bottom of the spine. Mongolian spots are generally undamaging; though at times mistaken for bruises. These have a tendency to disappear by puberty.
Port-Wine Stains: These stains can be seen as pink, red, or purple colored blotches on the skin. These vary in sizes and often found on the face, neck, arms, or legs. Even though there are treatments to reduce the appearance of port-wine stains, these are permanent. Large port-wine stains on the face may be indicative of a disorder called
Sturge-Weber syndrome, consequences of which could result in seizures and mental retardation.
Congenital Hairy Nevus: Also known as giant hairy nevus and bathing trunk nevus it is a dark, textured mole, present right from birth. A lot of these get covered at least in part with hair, but some are not. These may be very large, covering the abdomen and thighs. These could also be multifocal. These can develop into Melanoma at some point in life. These are generally detached as soon as feasible, as per their size, location, and need for reconstructive surgery to attain a fine cosmetic outcome.
These birthmarks show a discrepancy in color from bright red to pink, brown, tan, and bluish. Birthmarks can be plane on the surface of the skin or hoisted. Birthmarks are indentified by their colors and uniformity.
Some of the common types of birthmarks are:
Café-au-lait spots: These spots are light tan colored. Carrying up to three such spots on your body is usually fine. Though more than three café-au-lait spots can possibly point to a condition called Neurofibromatosis, a genetic disorder that causes skin tumors.
Hemangioma: Generally flat or slightly raised and bright red or bluish in color. It can emerge anywhere on the body, but are often found on the face, head, and neck. It is usually present at birth or develops after the first few weeks of birth. It tends to grow quickly during the first 12 months of your child's life. But they tend to stop growing after the first year and then gradually fade away. They may also be found inside the body. There are two types of hemangioma:
- Strawberry hemangioma - This type of hemangioma is usually uplifted a bit from the skin and bright red like a strawberry. This bright red coloring is due to several, dilated blood vessels established close to the surface of the skin. These hemangiomas more often than not go away on their own by age ten (age five in almost half of children). Most do not require any treatment, unless they ulcerate or are located in places where they could weaken normal body functions, such as around the mouth, nose, eyes, anus, or throat.
- Cavernous hemangioma - This type of hemangioma is underneath the skin. It is puffier than a strawberry hemangioma and blue in color. These types of hemangiomas are less likely to resolve on their own. Facial hemangiomas are rarely associated with similar vascular malformations of the brain and it is advised to go for MRI imaging to conclude whether it is present.
Macular Stain: These are often called angel's kisses or stork bites. These harmless birthmarks are pinkish or light red and can be found anywhere on a child's body. Although most likely on the back of the head and neck. Typically these are barely visible. No treatment is required for these types of birthmarks.
Moles: These can be seen as dark brown or black spots. Almost everybody has got small moles. These generally begin to show up after birth and in actual are small groupings of pigmented skin cells.
Mongolian Spots: These spots are flat birthmarks on the surface of the skin with a blue-gray color and are often to be found on the buttocks or bottom of the spine. Mongolian spots are generally undamaging; though at times mistaken for bruises. These have a tendency to disappear by puberty.
Port-Wine Stains: These stains can be seen as pink, red, or purple colored blotches on the skin. These vary in sizes and often found on the face, neck, arms, or legs. Even though there are treatments to reduce the appearance of port-wine stains, these are permanent. Large port-wine stains on the face may be indicative of a disorder called
Sturge-Weber syndrome, consequences of which could result in seizures and mental retardation.
Congenital Hairy Nevus: Also known as giant hairy nevus and bathing trunk nevus it is a dark, textured mole, present right from birth. A lot of these get covered at least in part with hair, but some are not. These may be very large, covering the abdomen and thighs. These could also be multifocal. These can develop into Melanoma at some point in life. These are generally detached as soon as feasible, as per their size, location, and need for reconstructive surgery to attain a fine cosmetic outcome.
Comment