Mongolian spots (MS) are congenital birthmarks seen most commonly over the lumbosacral area. They are bluish-green to black in color and oval to irregular in shape. They are most commonly found in individuals of African or Asian ethnic background.

Most birthmarks are harmless and many fade completely over time. Some, such as port-wine stains, are permanent and may even occur on the face. These can be removed using treatment such as laser therapy. Treatments to remove birthmarks are often most effective when started during infancy.

Sometimes called stork bites or angel kisses, salmon patches are reddish or pink patches. They are often found above the hairline at the back of the neck, on the eyelids or between the eyes. These marks are caused by collections of capillary blood vessels close to the skin.

Page Content. Hemangiomas are clusters of extra blood vessels on a baby’s skin. They may be there when a baby is born, or form within a few weeks or months of birth. Some may look like rubbery, bumpy red “strawberry” patches while others resemble deep bruises.

Types of birthmark

1. are red or pink patches, often on a baby’s eyelids, head or neck.
2. are very common.
3. look red or pink on light and dark skin.
4. are easier to see when a baby cries.
5. usually fade by the age of 2 when on the forehead or eyelids.
6. can take longer to fade when on the back of the head or neck.

Dr. Friedlander noted that although white birthmarks are generally harmless, they can sometimes result in a permanent loss of pigmentation in the affected area. Some can grow and removal may be a consideration. “Generally, a few white spots that are flat are not cause for concern.

Congenital hemangioma often look like a large round or oval bump or mass. They tend to be purple to blue, but may also have tiny red blood vessels on the surface and a white ring around the base. Some of these birthmarks begin to disappear quickly (a type called rapidly involuting congenital hemangioma).

Brown birthmarks can be light or dark brown in colour and occur anywhere on the body. They are sometimes present at birth and sometimes appear during the first year of life. Some brown birthmarks are flat and some develop a thickened surface and become hairy as the child gets older.

Most often they fade on their own by the time a child is 1 to 2 years old, although some last into adulthood.

Pigmented birthmarks are present at birth or appear on a child shortly after birth. An overgrowth of cells that create pigment in skin causes the birthmarks, which are usually harmless.

Most types of birthmarks can be removed with laser treatments. The laser used depends upon the type and colour of the birthmark being removed. In some rare cases and depending on the size, surgical excision might be necessary to remove a birthmark.

Laser treatment is often viewed by insurance companies as a “cosmetic procedure” and not “medically necessary”. Consequently many patients are denied coverage for treatment of their disfiguring birthmarks.

Moles and birthmarks are not necessarily one in the same, but they can be easily confused as a mole can be present at birth. Some doctors do consider a mole as a “beauty mark” as it is a pigmentated area. However, birthmarks are flat and located on the surface of the skin, while a mole will protrude above the skin.

Most birthmarks are harmless and need no treatment. Some will even fade or disappear over time. But in rare cases, birthmarks need treatment because they are growing quickly, growing on an internal organ, or causing a medical problem (such as a problem with sight, breathing, hearing, speech, or movement).

Performed by our radiologists, an ultrasound can show how far below the surface of the skin a birthmark reaches and whether other parts of the body may be involved. Doctors also use ultrasound to look for birthmarks that may have developed internally and determine whether they pose a health risk.

But some things are pretty different. Things like freckles, moles and birthmarks. These are marks on your skin, as if someone dabbed you with paint.

What causes strawberry nevus? A strawberry nevus will appear when extra blood vessels cluster together. The cause of this is unknown. There are rare cases of several family members having hemangiomas in which genetics is assumed to play a role.

Berries, including strawberries, aren’t considered a highly allergenic food. But you may notice that they can cause a rash around your baby’s mouth. Acidic foods like berries, citrus fruits, and veggies, and tomatoes can cause irritation around the mouth, but this reaction shouldn’t be considered an allergy.

What are red birthmarks? Red birthmarks are colored, vascular (blood vessel) skin markings that develop before or shortly after birth. Red birthmarks are caused by an overgrowth of blood vessels.

Angel kisses tend to fade by age 1–2 (although some parents report that, for years, when their child cries, the angel kiss temporarily darkens and becomes apparent again), and stork bites tend to not go away at all but are usually covered by the hair on the back of the head.

Most stork bites on the face go away completely in about 18 months.

Café-au-lait birthmarks vary in size and are often round or oval in shape. These birthmarks form when skin cells produce an excess of melanin, which is the body’s natural pigment. Café-au-lait birthmarks generally don’t fade and may get bigger or darker over time. Most are harmless.

Birthmarks generally result from an overgrowth of a structure that is normally present in the skin. For example, an overgrowth of blood vessels produces vascular birthmarks or haemangiomas; an overgrowth of pigment cells produces congenital naevi or moles.

Genetics and sun exposure are the primary causes of freckles. Some people are more likely to get freckles than others, depending on their genes and skin type. If a person is genetically more likely to develop freckles, exposure to sunlight can make them appear.