$Unique_ID{PAR00024}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{Medical Advice:  Birthmarks}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{
Editors of Consumer Guide
Chasnoff, Ira J}
$Subject{Birthmark Birthmarks moles skin redness strawberry mark bleeds
bleeding discharge blemish blemishes port wine marks pigmented mole}
$Log{}

Your Child:  A Medical Guide


Birthmarks


     Quick Reference

     SYMPTOMS
     - Red, purple, or salmon-colored marks
     - Blue-black marks on back or buttocks
     - Brown or black moles

     HOME CARE
     - In most cases, birthmarks need no treatment.
     - Protect strawberry marks from rubbing or scratching.  If a strawberry
       mark bleeds, press lightly with gauze to stop the bleeding.

     PRECAUTIONS
     - If there is discharge, odor, or redness of the skin around a strawberry
       mark, call your doctor.
     - In rare cases, strawberry marks may cause anemia or bleeding that needs
       a doctor's attention.


     Birthmarks are any unusual marks or blemishes present on an infant's skin
at birth.  Almost 50 percent of all infants are born with red or
salmon-colored marks on the mid-forehead, upper eyelids, upper lip, or back of
the scalp and neck.  These marks, which are sometimes quite extensive, fade
and disappear during the first years of life.
     Many black and Oriental babies and Caucasian babies who are destined to
become brunettes have smooth, blue-black marks on their backs and buttocks.
These birthmarks are called Mongolian spots.  They are often mistaken for
large bruises.  They gradually disappear and are almost always gone by
adolescence.
     One in ten babies develops one or more strawberry marks during the first
month of life.  These are usually not visible at birth, or they may look like
slightly pale spots on the skin.  As the child grows, the marks become
brilliant red.  They are often raised, and vary in size from one-quarter inch
to two inches across.  They may appear on any part of the body and increase in
size for weeks or months.  The strawberry marks then gradually fade and
shrink.  In almost all instances, they are gone by age five or six years.
     Two uncommon but permanent birthmarks are port wine marks and pigmented
moles.  Both may be tiny or large and may appear anywhere on the skin.  They
grow in proportion to the growth of the child's body.  Port wine marks are
smooth, flat, and purplish.  Pigmented moles are brown to black, are often
slightly raised, and may have dark hairs.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

     Each type of birthmark is recognized by its typical appearance and
behavior.  Mongolian spots are often mistaken for bruises, until it becomes
obvious that the spots are not fading.

HOME CARE

     In most cases, no treatment is necessary.  Strawberry marks are made up
of countless closely packed capillaries (tiny blood vessels).  They should be
protected from scratching or rubbing, which can cause bleeding.  If bleeding
occurs, it can be controlled by pressing lightly with gauze directly on the
bleeding point.  If desired, port wine marks can be hidden by cosmetics when
the child is older.

PRECAUTIONS

  -  Strawberry marks occasionally become infected if the overlying skin is
     broken.  If there is any discharge, odor, or redness of the skin
     surrounding a strawberry mark, call your doctor.
  -  Strawberry marks rarely require treatment; in almost all instances, it is
     best to allow them to disappear by themselves.  In rare situations, they
     may cause anemia or bleeding that requires correction.

MEDICAL TREATMENT

     The doctor may decide to surgically remove some pigmented moles.
Strawberry marks rarely require surgical removal, irradiation, or oral
steroids.  Port wine marks cannot be treated satisfactorily at present, but
laser treatment is in the experimental stage and appears promising.

RELATED TOPICS:  Anemia; Moles