Birthmarks on baby

Babies are the little angels of every family. If a baby is found to have a birthmark after birth, parents must pay attention, because some birthmarks are harmful to the baby. It may be that the baby has some kind of disease. Therefore, if a birthmark is found on the baby, it is necessary to go to the hospital for diagnosis to see if it is harmful to the baby's health. So today, let’s learn about birthmarks on babies with the editor.

The incidence of birthmarks in newborns is about 10%, which can be said to be very common. Most birthmarks only affect the appearance and do not require special treatment. However, some birthmarks may be accompanied by abnormalities of body organs and may even have the possibility of malignant changes, so they must be treated actively. For example, some cavernous hemangiomas proliferate too quickly, causing limb mutilation and functional impairment. When the hemangioma expands too quickly, it can even cause tissue necrosis, excessive consumption of platelets, and result in low coagulation function and continuous bleeding. Some hairy animal-like moles may develop into malignant melanoma in the future, leading to death after the metastasis of cancer cells.

There are nine main types of birthmarks, including Mongolian spots, café-au-lait spots, nevus of Ota, pigmented nevus, hairy nevus, sebaceous nevus, capillary hemangioma, cavernous hemangioma, and port-wine stains.

1. Port wine stains

About 1/3 of newborns will have this birthmark. It is a small, pinkish rash that appears on the back of the neck, between the eyes, on the forehead, and on the eyelids. Most will disappear as children grow older.

This birthmark is flat and smooth and is present at birth, often on the buttocks or waist. They are mostly light blue, but may also be blue-gray or blue-black. This birthmark looks like a bruise and is common among Asian people. It usually disappears before school age.

3. Strawberry hemangioma (capillary hemangioma)

These birthmarks usually appear on the face, scalp, back, or chest and are often red or purple. Strawberry hemangiomas usually develop in the first few weeks of life and may not protrude from the skin or may be soft, strawberry-shaped lumps that are slightly raised above the skin. Although it will not disappear, it has no impact on health.

It's like a light blue spongy tissue filled with blood. They usually appear under the skin of the head or neck. If they grow deeper, the overlying skin will look normal and disappear before puberty.

The above birthmarks generally do not require treatment.

5. Café au lait spots

Its color is like coffee with milk in it, brown. This type of birthmark is mostly oval in shape and often appears on the trunk, buttocks and legs. They gradually grow larger and darker in color with age and generally do not cause health problems. If several birthmarks larger than a coin appear at the same time, it is likely related to neurofibroma.

6. Congenital pigmented nevus

About 1% of newborns will have this mole. Its shape is irregular, the small one is about a few millimeters in diameter, and the large one can invade the entire back, neck or entire limbs. These moles may develop into skin cancer and should be treated if they are large in size.