BIRTHMARKS: OVERVIEW
Salmon patches: This harmless birthmark will fade with time and tends to be most noticeable when your baby cries or becomes too warm.
What exactly is a birthmark?
If your baby has a birthmark, you’ll likely see a spot, patch, or lump that looks different from the rest of your baby’s skin. You may see this when your baby is born. Some birthmarks appear shortly after birth.
Birthmarks come in many shapes and colors. You may see a flat or raised mark. It may the size of a pinhead or cover a large area of your child’s skin. Most birthmarks fall somewhere in between. A birthmark can be pink, red, tan, brown, or any other color. Some look like a bruise. Others look like a stain on the skin.
Some birthmarks are common. It’s estimated that between 3% and 10% of babies are born with a type of birthmark called a (he-man-gee-oh-ma). Other birthmarks, such a port-wine stain, are less common.
Certain types of birthmarks, such as a salmon patch or hemangioma, often fade on their own. Others, such a mole, tend to remain on the skin for life.
Yes, a mole is a birthmark when a baby is born with it — or it appears on the skin shortly after birth.
Why a dermatologist should examine your baby’s birthmark
One thing that most birthmarks have in common is that they’re harmless. Yet, if you see a birthmark on your child’s skin, it’s wise to have a dermatologist examine it.
What you think is a birthmark could be the first sign of a skin disease.
It’s also possible that your baby has a harmless birthmark that will grow quickly. Seeing a birthmark grow quickly can be scary. Knowing this will happen and learning what to watch for can help put your mind at ease.
Some birthmarks are a sign that something is going on inside your baby’s body.
By making an appointment with a dermatologist as soon as you notice the birthmark, you’ll know what to expect. A dermatologist can also tell you whether treatment is recommended — be it a birthmark or skin condition.
Sisters with salmon patches: Sometimes, a birthmark runs in a family like this salmon patch, which has nearly faded on the older sister.
Who gets birthmarks?
Birthmarks are common. Research shows that about 10% of babies are born with a type of birthmark known as a hemangioma (he-man-gio-ma).
Fortunately, most hemangiomas go away on their own by the time a child is 10 years old. Many disappear sooner.
Babies may be more likely to have a hemangioma if they are:
- Premature
- Less than 5-1/2 pounds at birth
- Female
- White
- Born with a sibling (twin, triplet, etc.)
Birthmarks that cause a brown mark on the skin, such as moles and café-au-lait (café-oh-lay) spots, are also common. About 1 in 100 babies has a small mole. Larger moles are less common. Babies of all races can have a mole.
A Mongolian spot is another common birthmark. Asians are most likely to be born with one of these spots. Mongolian spots are less common in other races.
While some babies have a greater risk of developing certain birthmarks, there’s no way to know whether a baby will have a birthmark.
What causes a birthmark?
Different types of birthmarks have different causes. Before explaining these causes, it’s important to put some superstitions to rest.
Birthmarks don’t form because a pregnant woman ignores a food craving, touches her belly while worried, or eats certain foods. These are myths.
We still don’t know exactly why birthmarks develop, but here’s what scientists have learned so far.
The cause varies with the type of birthmark. Some birthmarks form when blood vessels do not form properly. This can cause your baby to have one of the following birthmarks:
- Strawberry hemangioma
- Deep hemangioma
- Port-wine stain
- Salmon patch
Other birthmarks appear when cells that give our skin color, melanocytes (meh-lan-oh-cites), clump together. That’s why newborns develop moles or café-au-lait spots.
A nevus sebaceous (knee-vus seh-bay-ceous) develops when parts of the skin overgrow.
You cannot prevent these things from happening by satisfying every food craving or keeping your hands off your belly while worried. So, it’s okay to ignore that desire for a turkey sandwich at 2:00 a.m.
How do dermatologists diagnose a birthmark?
Often, a dermatologist can tell you what type of birthmark your child has by examining it.
To examine a birthmark, your dermatologist may use an instrument called a Wood’s lamp. This device lets a dermatologist see parts of the skin that cannot be seen with the naked eye. This won’t hurt. It’s just a special light.
If your child has many birthmarks, your dermatologist may recommend some testing.
Having a lot of birthmarks can be a sign of something going on inside your child’s body. For example, if a child has many café-au-lait (cafe-oh-lay) spots, your child could have neurofibromatosis. This is a disease that can cause tumors on the nerves. To rule this out, your child may need an X-ray or CT scan.
Most of the time, however, a dermatologist only needs to look closely at the birthmark. After the exam, your dermatologist can tell you the:
- Type of birthmark your child has
- Precautions, if any, to take
- Treatment, if any, that’s recommended
How do dermatologists treat birthmarks?
While you can leave most birthmarks alone, it’s important to see a dermatologist soon after you notice a birthmark. Some birthmarks can cause a problem later on. Treatment can prevent that.
Your dermatologist may recommend treatment if your child has a:
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- Strawberry hemangioma (he-man-gee-oh-ma) on the face or groin: This birthmark tends to grow quickly before fading. If one appears near your child’s eye, mouth, or nose, treatment can prevent it from covering that part of your child’s body. In the groin area, treatment can prevent pain later on.
- Port-wine stain: This birthmark will not go away with time. It can grow and thicken. Early treatment tends to be more effective.
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- Very large or visible birthmark: If the birthmark affects the child’s appearance and could cause problems with self-esteem, your dermatologist may recommend treatment.
The safest and most effective treatment varies with the birthmark and child. Here’s what your dermatologist may recommend:
Watch the birthmark: While not a treatment, this offers parents an important option.
With this approach, parents watch the birthmark carefully. Your dermatologist will tell you what to look for. This allows you to treat the birthmark only if treatment becomes necessary. This can be an effective approach for a strawberry hemangioma, a type of birthmark that can grow quickly.
Laser therapy: This may be an option for a port-wine stain, a type of birthmark that won’t go away with time.
Propranolol (pro-pran-oh-lol): This medication can effectively prevent a hemangioma from growing. It can also shrink a growing hemangioma. A special formulation of this drug has proven effective for treating children with large hemangiomas. This drug has been approved to treat this type of birthmark.
Timolol: This medication can also help shrink a growing hemangioma. It comes in liquid form, so you’d apply it to your child’s birthmark. It’s commonly used to treat babies who have glaucoma. When used to treat a hemangioma, dermatologists prescribe a lower dose of the medication than would be used to treat glaucoma.
Corticosteroid: This medication may be used to shrink a hemangioma. Your child’s dermatologist may prescribe pills or inject the birthmark with this medication.
Interferon: If your child has a life-threatening birthmark, this may be an option. Your child would need daily shots, so you’d learn how to give these. You’ll also have to watch your child carefully for possible side effects.
Surgery to remove the birthmark: This type of surgery can be used to cut out a birthmark. It may be recommended if your child has a birthmark that could become a skin cancer, such as a mole.
When mole removal is recommended, it is often done when the child reaches puberty.
Surgery can also be helpful for treating a large raised birthmark that won’t go away on its own and affects your child’s appearance.
Makeup: This may be the right approach for an older child or adult. The right makeup can cover discolored skin. If you have trouble finding makeup that can hide a birthmark, ask your dermatologist for a recommendation.
What is the outcome for a child’s birthmark?
Many birthmarks fade on their own. Common birthmarks like hemangiomas tend to fade without treatment. Though hemangiomas can grow a lot bigger before they start to fade.
Birthmarks that don’t fade with time include café au lait (café-oh-lay) spots, moles, and port-wine stains. They are usually harmless. If one affects a child’s appearance, treatment may be an option.