Birthmarks

– Macular spots or salmon patches. These are characterised by pink or red marks that can appear anywhere on the body. Angel kisses and stork bites are the most common types of vascular birthmarks:

– Angel kisses. Marks located on the forehead, nose, upper lip and eyelids that usually fade with age.

– Stork bites. Marks on the back of the neck that usually disappear with age.

– Haemangioma. A common vascular birthmark. Haemangiomas become visible within the first few weeks or months of life and continue to grow rapidly for about six to nine months. Then they gradually lose this red colour and also shrink. These are called strawberry patch haemagiomas. By the age of five, 50% resolve and 90% resolve by the time the child is nine years old without any treatment. Hemangiomas that grow into other organs or structures, or that ulcerate, should be evaluated by your health care provider.

– Port-wine stains (also called nevi flammeusi). A port-wine stain is a flat pink, red or purple mark that appears at birth, often on the face, arms and legs, and continues to grow as the child gets older. Port-wine stains do not go away and often need to be treated if they are located on the eyelid or forehead. Port-wine stains that occur on the face may cause eye problems and be associated with other developmental disorders.

What are the most common types of pigmented birthmarks?

The following are the most common types of pigmented birthmarks:

– Moles (also known as congenital nevi). They can be skin-coloured, brown or black, flat or raised and small or large. They can appear anywhere on the body. Moles can also appear in adulthood, but only moles that are present at birth are considered birthmarks. Other nevi that behave as if they were congenital may appear within the first two years of life. The congenital nevus may develop into cancer later in life. Larger nevi have a higher risk of becoming cancerous.

– Cafe-au-lait spots. This means café au lait in French. These are usually oval-shaped and light brown in colour. Typically, they fade with age and are not a problem. However, many of them clumped together may be a sign of other health problems and should be checked by a health care provider.

– Mongolian spots. These are blue or blue-gray spots on the lower back or buttocks. They are more common in dark-skinned babies, such as African-American and Asian babies. They can be mistaken for bruises and usually disappear with age.