Everyone has seen birth marks, and some people have them. Yet, very little is known about birthmarks when it comes to the general public. Birthmarks are spots that appear on newborn babies, either at birth or shortly after birth.
What Causes Birthmarks?
“No one knows what causes blood vessels to group together, but it’s good to know that most birthmarks don’t hurt at all and they usually aren’t a sign of any kind of illness. Lots of newborns have these birthmarks on the back of the neck (where they’re called stork bites) or between the eyebrows (where they’re called angel kisses). These birthmarks usually disappear within the first few weeks or months of life.”
- Kids health web site, June 2006
No one knows what causes birthmarks. In most cases, birthmarks fade away or can be removed.
Kinds of Birthmarks
There are many different kinds of birthmarks. To better understand birthmarks, you must examine all kinds of birthmarks.
Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM)
These kinds of birthmarks are present at birth, but sometimes do not appear until adulthood. This kind of birthmark can also be acquired after direct trauma to the birthmarked area. This kind of mark is a mass of veins and arteries that most commonly affects the lips, head, and neck. Physicians can usually removed these birthmarks by surgical excision.
Café au lait Spot
These kinds of birthmarks usually appear in flat patches, and can occur anywhere on the body. They are usually coffee-colored in appearance and they are permanent.
Cavernous Hemangioma
A lumpy, bluish-colored birthmark, cavernous hemangioma grows quickly during the first six months of appearance, then slowly disappear. By the time the child reaches twelve years of age, these kinds of birthmarks will be almost completely faded away. This kind of birthmark is treated fairly easily by a physician.
Congenital Pigmented Nevi
These kinds of birthmarks look like hairy moles, and can appear in shades from very light brown to very dark brown. These should be removed by a physician, and examined for signs of potential malignancy. Surgical removal of congenital pigmented nevi is very easy and done on an outpatient basis.
Hemangioma
This birthmarks usually appears in the neck and head area, and are reddish in color. They occur much more often in females than in males, though why is not known. These kinds of birthmarks will become visible within four weeks of birth and can grow very fast for the first eighteen months. In rare cases, these birthmarks can interfere with eating, seeing, hearing, breathing, or speaking, and can be potentially life-threatening. Because these can appear internally, it’s best to have a physician do a thorough, full-body check for hemangioma.
Mongolian Spot
A common birth mark, mongolian spots appear blue or gray in color, looking like bruises. These usually fade over time, so there is no treatment needed for mongolian spots.
Port Wine Stain or Nevus Flammeus
One of the most common kinds of birthmarks, port wine stains appear red or purple in color – like wine. They can appear anywhere on the body, and are usually flat and very much permanent. Laser treatment can reduce the color and improve the skin texture of these marks, but even with cosmetic treatment these marks may not fade completely.
Who Gets Birthmarks?
According to the Birthmarks.com web site:
- 1 in 10 children are born with a vascular birthmark
- 1% of children born with a vascular birthmark (1 in 1,000 of all children) will require medical intervention
- A port-wine stain, a type of vascular birthmark, occurs in 3 in 1,000 infants.
Summary
Birthmarks are one of the most common types of skin disorders, yet most people know very little about birthmarks. What causes them and why do they occur?