Birthmarks

Birthmarks are very common among newborns, and they are safe in most of the cases, but rarely, they can turn into a serious issue.

Birthmarks

Birthmarks are flat or raised skin patches or spots that are present at birth, and they look different from the original skin.

Types of birthmarks:

• Vascular birthmarks (red birthmarks): they are made of blood vessels that aren’t formed properly during fetal development, and their color comes from the blood vessels in the skin.
• Pigmented birthmarks (such as moles): they are made of a mass of a type of cell that gives the skin its color, and they have a different color from the skin, which can be brown, black, or blue. They might increase in size with aging, and they might also change color, especially after sun exposure and during hormonal changes. Adding to that, they can become itchy and bleed when injured.

Causes of birthmarks

• The reason behind birthmarks isn’t clear, but they can form due to family history or an underlying condition that causes birthmark development, such as nevus sebaceous syndrome, skin cancer, or neurofibromatosis.

Diagnosis of birthmarks

• Physical exam.
• Skin biopsy.
• Imaging tests.

Treatment of birthmarks

• Birthmarks don’t require removing unless they possess a risk of skin cancer or if the person doesn’t like how they look.
• Options for birthmark removal include cryotherapy, laser removal, surgical removal, and injections of cortisone.