Birthmarks

What is a birthmark? It is a unique mark that anyone can be born with that is normally not dangerous and in many cases hidden where no one can see it. Occasionally it disappears as your baby gets older, sometimes it stays and in some cases it can even grow. There are several different types of birthmarks including port wine stain, salmon patches, and strawberry hemangioma.

Port Wine Stain
A port wine stain birthmark is unlike the others because it normally does not go away and will occasionally get bigger and darker as your child gets older. Most of the time it is found on your baby’s head or face and it can travel down the neck. It can also be found on other parts of the body.

A port wine stain birthmark can pose medical problems requiring extra tests and procedures to be done in order to rule out any potential problems. This can include a CT or MRI of the head to make sure that the birthmark is not related to an intracranial lesion. If no negative effects of the port wine stain are found, they can often be removed by using laser surgery. If your baby has a port wine stain birthmark, be sure to ask your pediatrician to look at it for you.

Salmon Patches
These are the most common birthmark that your baby could be born with. It is normally a red and blotchy and can get darker when your baby is upset or crying. Some can be found on the nape of your baby’s neck and often referred to as “stork-bites”. If found above the eye or on the forehead it is called “angel-kisses”. Normally this birthmark disappears by the time your baby has his first birthday.

Strawberry Hemangioma
More commonly called “strawberries”, this birthmark is not always present at birth, but can pop out within the first month of life. These start off small and grow, normally reaching its peak size by the time your baby is 18 months old at which time it starts shrinking. Most of the time these will be completely gone by the time your child starts school. Occasionally depending on the location medical treatment might be necessary. If your baby has a strawberry near his eyes it could restrict his eyesight or by his nose it could affect his breathing.

Most of the time if your baby has a birthmark it will be a nondangerous birthmark. This is not always true however. If you are concerned about your baby’s birthmark, be sure to ask your pediatrician at your baby’s next well-check, or call them up at anytime.