Birthmarks are quite common and appear on the skin of more than 80 percent of all babies, according to the Baby Center website. The marks vary in color, shape, size and texture. Some disappear after a few months or years, and some don't appear until a few weeks or months after the baby's birth. There is no truth to the myth that a birthmark relates to something that frightened the mother during pregnancy.
Birthmark Identification
Red, purple or salmon-colored patches or marks on the skin are vascular birthmarks. Caused by blood vessels that collect and bundle in the skin, vascular birthmarks have no hereditary links or definite causes. Vascular birthmarks can appear anywhere on the body and can be flat or raised. Dilated capillaries just beneath the surface of the skin cause the varied hues of these birthmarks. Clusters of pigment-creating cells are responsible for the second type of birthmarks. According to the Cleveland Clinic website, melanin--a substance that determines skin color--determines the color of pigmented birthmarks, which can range from hues of brown, blue, gray or black.
Placenta Link
According to the Medical News Today website, some birthmarks might involve small pieces of placenta that become trapped inside early, growing embryos, or certain placental proteins might increase a fetus's risk for developing birthmarks. Regardless of the placenta's role, birthmarks result from an overaccumulation of blood vessel or pigment cells. The amount, type and location of these accumulated cells determine the size and category of the birthmark.
Vascular Birthmarks
Vascular birthmarks include flat, macular stains; superficial or deep hemangiomas; and flat, purple- or red-colored port-wine stains. These birthmarks may appear at or sometime after birth. Large hemangiomas or port-wine stains that appear on the face or neck can be disfiguring, but raised, red hemangiomas usually flatten and fade within the first year and leave little scarring behind, according to the American Academy of Dermatology website. Hemangiomas can last for years but usually disappear by the time a child is 9 years old. Pink- or salmon-colored macular stains include birthmarks commonly known as "stork bites" or "angel kisses."
Pigmented Birthmarks
Bruise-colored Mongolian spots, tan cafe-au-lait spots and moles referred to as nevi belong in the pigmented birthmark category. Pigmented birthmarks occur anywhere on the body, may be present at birth or appear later and usually, but not always, fade later in life. Congenital nevi--moles present on the skin at birth--last a lifetime, according to the Kids Health website. No matter what type the birthmark, nothing a mother does or doesn't do during her pregnancy seems to cause birthmarks. Some types of pigmented birthmarks might be hereditary, but most are not.
Birthmark Complications
While most birthmarks are painless and harmless, certain types of birthmarks can signal potential problems later on and need to be checked by a physician. Deep hemangiomas can affect internal organs or interfere with vision, eating or even breathing, depending on where they are located. Four or more large cafe-au-lait spots grouped together might indicate a condition called neurofibromatosis, a genetic disorder causing abnormal cell growth of nerve tissues, according to the Kids Health website. Congenital moles have an increased risk of becoming cancerous later on in life and need to be checked periodically. Port-wine stains occurring on the face near the eye can cause eye complications, especially since these types of birthmarks tend to thicken with age.
