Birthmarks: Causes And Types

Birthmarks can be in various shades of blue, black, pink, red or purple. They can also be raised or flat and have irregular or regular borders. The two main types of birthmarks are vascular birthmarks and pigmented birthmarks.

Birthmarks are mostly harmless and can shrink or go away on their own. In some cases it may indicate an underlying health problem, so it is better to see your doctor and assess the nature of your birthmark.

What Causes Birthmarks?

Birthmarks are generally not caused by doing or not doing something during pregnancy. They cannot be prevented and their exact cause is not known. They can be caused as a result of trauma to the skin resulting from child birth.

Types of Birthmarks

Vascular birthmarks are caused when blood vessels are not formed so correctly. They are either tangled together or there are too many blood vessels in an area that causes birthmarks. An overgrowth of cells can cause pigmented birthmarks which lead to pigment in skin.

Vascular Birthmarks

The most common vascular birthmarks are hemangiomas, macular or port-wine stains.

Macular stains are otherwise called as angel kisses, salmon patches or stork bites. This is the most common type of birthmark. They can be seen on the eyelids, forehead, nose, upper lip, or on the back of the head. These birthmarks fade away naturally by the time the child reaches the age of 2 years. In some cases, it may last till adulthood.

Pigmented Birthmarks

Pigmented birthmarks take the form of Mongolian spots, café-au-lait spots and moles. Café-au-lait spots are in the color of coffee with milk, from which it gets its name. They can be found anywhere and sometimes increase in number with the child’s age. If they are found in large numbers it can be a sign of neurofibromatosis, an abnormal cell growth problem and a genetic disorder.

Mongolian spots take the form of bluish-gray, flat patches and are normally found on the buttocks or back areas of the body. They are most commonly seen on darker skin and fade away completely without the need for any treatment.

Moles or congenital nevi is the common term for brown nevi. Moles that are present right from birth are called congenital nevi and will last a lifetime. Giant sized or large congenital nevi can develop into melanoma or sin cancer later on.