Do you know the birthmarks on your baby?

Many babies are born with birthmarks, with abnormal shapes and colors on the skin surface. In medicine, this is usually called a "mother's spot" or "nevus", which is a manifestation of abnormal development of the baby's skin tissue. Most birthmarks only affect the appearance and do not require special treatment. Some birthmarks may even disappear on their own as the baby grows older. However, some birthmarks may be combined with abnormalities of body organs and may even become malignant, so be vigilant.

How are birthmarks formed?

Birthmarks are mostly caused by excessive pigmentation, but may also be caused by blood vessel accumulation or vascular malformation. Some birthmarks will gradually fade as they grow, while others may gradually expand or darken.

Birthmarks are generally divided into two categories: (1) Pigmented birthmarks: mainly developed from pigment cells, usually gray, brown, light blue, black, etc., common ones include Mongolian spots, cafe au lait spots, moles, etc. (2) Vascular birthmarks: mainly caused by blood vessels on the surface of the skin, usually red, pink, blue, etc., the color degree is determined by the depth of the blood vessels, common ones include stork kiss marks, port wine stains, hemangiomas, etc.

Some birthmarks are generally nothing to worry about.

Mongolian Spot

Many newborn babies will have some gray-blue or gray-brown marks, which often appear on the buttocks, lumbar and sacral areas, etc. This is called "Mongolian spots" and is caused by the proliferation of dermal melanocytes.

This type of birthmark will not become malignant, and most will disappear when the baby is about one year old, and some will last until the age of three or four. It is very rare that it does not disappear, so parents do not need to worry.

Stork kiss

This is caused by the accumulation of too many capillaries on the surface of the skin. It appears as a pink patch. When the child cries or has a fever, the blood vessels will fill up and the patch will become redder. Stork hickeys are common on the back of the neck, forehead, eyelids and other parts, and are basically distributed near the midline of the body. Most stork hickeys will disappear within 18 months, and only a few that grow on the back of the neck and sacrum can last a lifetime and generally do not require treatment.

These birthmarks may pose risks

Coffee stains

Also known as cafe au lait spots, the color is similar to the color of coffee mixed with milk. It mostly appears as flat, round brown spots or patches with clear borders. They are mainly distributed on the face and trunk, ranging from a few millimeters to several centimeters in diameter.

This birthmark is permanent and usually grows slowly, and generally does not require treatment. If there are more than 6 birthmarks, and the diameter is >5 mm before puberty or >15 mm after puberty, you should be alert to neurofibromatosis or other genetic diseases.

Port wine stains

Also known as a port wine stain, this is a permanent birthmark caused by a vascular malformation and is usually nothing to worry about. It is wine red in color and may fade, but it will not disappear; it will get bigger as the baby grows and rarely cause adverse problems. If a port wine stain occurs on the upper eyelid or forehead, it may be related to a vascular malformation in the brain, namely Sturge-Weber syndrome; if it occurs around the eye, it may cause glaucoma.

Hemangioma

Some babies may have some congested erythema, which will fade when pressed. It will gradually increase in size, become thicker, and even rise above the surface of the skin. It is relatively soft to the touch. This is a hemangioma. Hemangiomas may grow rapidly within 6 months, and then gradually slow down until they disappear. The vast majority of infantile hemangiomas will disappear on their own before the baby is 4 years old.

It is recommended that babies with hemangiomas who have the following conditions seek medical attention as soon as possible. The golden period for treatment is within 3 months after birth: (1) Hemangiomas appear on the head, face, hands, feet, neck, private parts, armpits and other places with skin wrinkles; (2) The diameter is greater than 5 cm; (3) The surface has whitening, atrophy, damage and ulcers; (4) Multiple hemangiomas.

Sebaceous nevus

A benign skin tumor formed by the sebaceous glands. It usually occurs at birth or soon after birth. It is more likely to occur on the scalp and appears as a small raised yellowish nodule. During puberty, the skin lesions will thicken and expand, and the yellow color will become more obvious. To prevent complications of other skin tumors, sebaceous nevus should be completely removed surgically, and electrocautery, laser and other treatments can also be used. It is best to treat it before puberty.

Verrucous nevus

It is also a benign skin tumor caused by abnormal epidermal development, usually occurring in infancy. It is characterized by dense light brown papules arranged in lines and showing wart-like proliferation. This disease is generalized and often complicated by central nervous system diseases, such as epilepsy and mental retardation. If the wart-like nevus is small and localized, it can be removed by freezing, laser or surgery.