Birthmark Basics

A lot of babies are born with birthmarks or develop them within a few weeks of birth. No one knows what causes these discolored areas on the skin. Some birthmarks fade away; others remain for life and may grow and change over time.¹

The American Academy of Dermatology says most birthmarks are harmless, but a few can cause problems that require treatment.¹ As a new mom, you should familiarize yourself with the different types and which ones to be concerned about. You may also want to ask your pediatrician to examine your baby’s birthmarks during her regular checkup and keep an eye on them as she grows.    

Pigmented Birthmarks

• Mongolian spots are large, flat bluish or grayish areas, typically found on dark-skinned babies’ backs and buttocks. Most go away on their own by the time kids are school age, but some never fade completely.¹

• Moles, or nevi, can be flat or raised, black or brown and vary in size. Congenital nevi usually don’t require treatment, but they can indicate an increased risk of skin cancer and should be watched carefully.²

• Café-au-lait spots are tan or light brown patches that can show up in clusters. They may shrink or fade,^1,2 but they can also get darker with sun exposure.² If your child has a group of six or more spots, it could be sign of health problems to ask your pediatrician about.^1,2

Vascular Birthmarks

• Salmon patches, which are flat and pink, reddish or purple, are the most common birthmarks. Although they may intensify in color when your baby cries or the temperature changes,² they’re usually harmless.¹ When they show up on the back of the neck, they’re sometimes called stork bites and can remain into adulthood.¹ Patches on the forehead, eyelids, nose or upper lip are called angel kisses. These usually go away by the time your child is age two.¹

• Port-wine stains are pink, red or purple discolorations that appear at birth in about three out of every 1,000 babies. Most are on the face or head, but they can show up on any area of the body.¹ They grow as your child grows, are permanent and sometimes get darker with age.²

• Hemangiomas are raised lesions affecting up to one in 10 babies.¹ The superficial type is called a “strawberry” because they’re raised and bright red; deep hemangiomas are bluish-purple. These birthmarks occur mostly on the head and neck during the first six weeks of life, grow for about a year and then stop growing or shrink.^1,2  About half of hemangiomas are gone by age five and 90% are flat by age nine.¹

¹ “Your Skin, Hair and Nails”, http://www.kidsskinhealth.org/kids/index.html#/SkinHairNails/SkinHealth/Birthmarks/

² “Birthmarks,” http://www.parentingweekly.com/baby/baby_information/birthmarks.htm