Birthmark on Face: When Should You Worry about one Everyday Health MenuNewslettersSearch Kids' Health
When Should You Worry About a Birthmark
Birthmarks are common and usually harmless. Learn how to tell a port wine birthmark from a mole, and what types of birthmarks may need to be treated. Medically ReviewedBirthmarks are discolored areas on the skin that appear at birth or shortly after birth. Most birthmarks are not cause for concern. In most cases doctors don’t know why birthmarks appear, and there is nothing that can be done to prevent them. "There are two main types of birthmarks," says Danielle M. Miller, MD, a dermatologist at the Lahey Clinic in Burlington, Mass. "One type is caused by an overgrowth of blood vessels in the skin and the other type is caused by an overproduction of pigment in the skin." The Salmon Patch Birthmark
This is a blood-vessel type of birthmark. Other names for this birthmark include macular stain, angel kiss, and stork bite. These birthmarks appear on up to 50 percent of babies. They are just tiny blood vessels that are visible through the skin. These faint red birthmarks may appear on the forehead, eyelids, neck, or back of the head. "Salmon patches are harmless and do not need treatment. They usually fade away within a few years," says Dr. Miller. Port Wine Birthmark
These blood vessel birthmarks have a deeper red to purple color. They occur in about 3 out of every 1,000 infants. "These birthmarks can become thick and bumpy with age. Port wine birthmarks may also be associated with increased pressure in the eyes, and children with port wine birthmark should be seen by an eye specialist," notes Miller. Since this type of birthmark does not go away over time, treatment with a laser may be used for unsightly port wine stains. Strawberry Hemangioma Birthmark
Hemangiomas are growths of tiny blood vessels that occur in about 400,000 babies each year in America. The strawberry hemangioma is present at birth or appears shortly after birth. These birthmarks can be red and raised above the skin, giving them the appearance of a strawberry. They can appear anywhere on the body and may grow rapidly during the first six months. "The strawberry hemangioma will disappear 70 percent of the time within seven years and does not usually need any treatment," says Miller. Cavernous Hemangioma Birthmark
This type of hemangioma is very similar to the strawberry hemangioma but is located deeper in the skin, giving it a bluish discoloration. "These birthmarks also tend to shrink with age but they may need to be treated if they are near the eyes, nose, or mouth and interfere with sight, feeding, or breathing," says Miller. Laser treatments have been used for cavernous hemangioma, but some medications that shrink the blood vessels may be more effective with less risk of scarring. Venous Malformations
Venous malformations near the skin may appear as birthmarks. These birthmarks are very rare. A vascular malformation is a tangle of blood vessels that are usually bigger and more protruding than other blood vessel birthmarks. Venous malformations do not fade away over time and often need to be treated. In addition to surgery and medications, these birthmarks may respond to "embolization." Embolization is a procedure in which the venous malformation is plugged with a solution that clogs the blood vessels, causing them to shrink. Pigmented Nevi Birthmark Moles
This type of birthmark is more commonly called a mole. Nevus is the Latin word for "spot." A congenital nevus is a mole that appears at birth and lasts a lifetime. About 1 out of 100 babies are born with a mole. Moles range in color from tan to black and come in all shapes and sizes. They can be single or multiple and they can appear anywhere on the skin. Moles rarely require any treatment. The risk of a mole developing into cancer is only about one-tenth of 1 percent. Dysplastic Nevi Atypical Moles
These are moles that have a higher chance of developing into skin cancer. "Moles that appear in large numbers or have a very large size have a higher risk of developing into cancer in the future and should be watched more carefully than other kinds of birthmarks," explains Miller. A mole that is four or more inches across at birth occurs in about 1 in 20,000 babies. Moles that cover a large area of skin are called giant congenital nevi. These may have a least a 6 percent chance of developing into melanoma. Mongolian Spots
These are pigmented birthmarks that appear commonly in babies born with darker skin. They most often appear on the lower back or buttocks and look like a flat bruise. These birthmarks usually fade by the time the baby reaches school age. "Mongolian spots are pigmented lesions deep under the skin with a blue or gray color. They are not a concern and do not require treatment," says Miller. Café-au-Lait Spots
This is another very common type of birthmark. The term "café-au-lait," means coffee with milk; that is the color of these flat, oval birthmarks. They can appear anywhere on the body and they may get larger with age. "Café-au-lait spots are only a concern if they are large in size and there are more than five of them,” notes Miller. “Large and numerous café-au-lait spots may be a sign of a disease called neurofibromatosis, and these babies need to be evaluated by a neurologist." Neurofibromatosis is a rare inherited disease that causes tumors to grow on nerve tissue. Nevus Sebaceous
Nevus sebaceous usually appears on a baby's scalp or face as a hairless, flat, yellow plaque. At around the time of puberty this birthmark tends to deepen in color and become more raised and thickened. "This type of birthmark is very rare but it is important because it has a high risk of developing into basal cell skin cancer. It is one of the few birthmarks that may be surgically removed at an early age to prevent it from becoming cancerous," says Miller. Learn more in the Everyday Health Kid’s Health Center. Most Recent in Kids' Health
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