Some babies, about 20-40% of them have some form of
birthmark that develops right after birth but mostly
during the neonatal phase (weeks post delivery). Birthmarks
come in different colors, with regular or irregular
borders and can be either raised or flat. These birthmarks
are usually harmless and tend to fade or become less
visible with time. Birth marks tend to be either vascular
or pigmented. Marks that do not clear up can be treated
with laser surgery.
| Birthmarks
aren't preventable, in fact the cause
of it is unknown and has nothing to do
with what the mother did or didn't do
during pregnancy. They can be inherited
but most of the time they are not. |
|
Birthmarks tend to grow larger before they show signs
of fading or shrinking. It is a good idea to document
these changes periodically. Some doctors do it, otherwise
you can do so yourself. On the flipside birthmarks
can be an indication of other health problems, so
be sure to check with the doctor when in doubt. Below
is a brief explanation of the more common ones
Salmon patch
Salmon patch is quite a common one. It is flat, reddish
pink in color and most apparent during the newborn
days. They tend to show up on the neck area (therefore
nicknamed stork bite) or on the eyelid (angel's kiss),
forehead, nose and mouth. Typically the ones on the
neck area tend to persist longer than the ones that
appear on the face. In general these patches tend
to lighten over the first two years of life or are
covered by the hair, but in some individuals they
can persist into adulthood.
Mongolian Spots
The spots are bluish-grey and flat and are often found
in the sacral region i.e. the back and buttocks of
babies, and sometimes the legs or shoulders (especially
darker toned babies). They resemble bruises and are
most often found in infants of African, Asian and
Indian descent. Mongolian spots tend to appear in
newborns and disappear within the first two years,
but they can sometimes persist in children of school
going age.
Hemangioma
Popularly referred to as strawberry marks, they can
be small as a freckle or much bigger. These are growths
of immature blood vessels, or capillaries. They are
quite common making appearance in the first week of
life. The more common version appears as raised, firm
red areas- akin to strawberries. The less common ones
appear as bluish lump which arise from the deeper
folds of the skin, and take a much longer time to
regress and may even require treatment. Strawberry
marks mostly manifest on the face, chest and scalp,
and are more common in girls and preemies. At first
when they appear they are very small in size and then
grow rapidly during the first 6 months only to shrink
over a period of years and disappear without scarring.
No treatment is required because there can be complications,
unless there is an infection or it bleeds or it interferes
with functions such as vision or feeding. Between
the ages of 6-10 these marks fade to a whitish grey
and most disappear totally.
| Freckles
are not considered birthmarks. |
|
Port Wine Stain
These are essentially mature dilated blood vessels
that appear as flat, reddish-purple stains, showing
up at birth on any part of the body. Its growth is
in proportion to the child. Though they may change
color slightly, they are however considered permanent.
Since these marks do not go away they can be treated
with laser therapy, especially if they cover a wide
area or are cosmetically inappropriate.
Cafe au lait Spots
These spots are fairly common and can appear on any
part of the body. Sometimes they grow in number as
the child grows. They appear as flat patches on the
skin and can range from tan to light brown in color.
They are quite common and tend to appear from birth
or develop during the first few years of life. They
do not disappear.
You should get your doctor to evaluate when it first
appears so that proper guidance can be sought on treatment
or any action if necessary. Call your doctor if there
is any bleeding, pain, itches or becomes infected.
