That red, brown, tan, black or brown spot on your child’s skin may be a birthmark. Birthmarks are usually harmless and may disappear or shrink on their own eventually, according to Kids Health from Nemours. While birthmarks may not physically harm your child, she may become self-conscious if the birthmark appears on an exposed part of the skin. Treating the birthmark can help to reduce embarrassment.
Identification
Birthmarks are present at birth or appear several weeks following birth. There is no known cause for birthmarks and Kids Health reports that birthmarks do not occur due to the mother’s diet during pregnancy or trauma to the skin during childbirth. Birthmarks are either vascular or pigmented.
Types of Vascular Birthmarks
Vascular birthmarks occur due to blood vessel abnormalities in a certain area of the skin. A birthmark can occur because there are too many blood vessels in one area or if the blood vessels are larger than normal. Macular stains are faint red spots that appear on nose, upper lip, forehead, eyelids, neck or back of the head. Bright red hemangiomas appear shortly after birth and may be raised above the skin surface. While both hemangiomas and macular stains may disappear on their own, port-wine stains are permanent. Port-wine stains are red, purple or pink spots on the arms, legs, face or neck that grow as your child grows, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.
Types of Pigmented Birthmarks
Pigmented birthmarks develop when the cells that create the pigment that gives skin its color grow rapidly in one area of the skin. A mole present at birth is one type of pigmented birthmark. Café-au-lait spots are light brown patches of skin that similar to the color of coffee when milk is added. Mongolian spots are blue/gray spots on the buttocks or back. These spots are most common in children of African, Southern European, Hispanic, Asian and American Indian descent, according to Kids Health.
Concerns
Although birthmarks are usually harmless, their presence may indicate an underlying problem in some cases. Port-wine stains that develop on the forehead or upper eyelid, can be a sign of Sturge-Weber syndrome, a problem in underlying brain structures, according to the healthychildren website. Healthychildren also reports that port-wine stains that occur close to the eye can be an indication that the child may develop glaucoma in the future. Hemangiomas that form near the mouth, eyes, rectum, genitals or nose can cause problems as they grow and should be monitored by a dermatologist.
Treatment
Laser treatment can be helpful in lightening the appearance of birthmarks, although it is possible that the mark will eventually return. Lasers are helpful in shrinking large hemangiomas and lightening port wine stains by 50 to 90 percent, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Doctors also use oral or injectable corticosteroids to shrink hemangiomas that are growing too quickly.
Member Comments