Narayana Health Care
  • Cardiology
  • Gastroenterology
  • Nephrology
  • Neurology
  • Oncology
  • Book An Appointment
    • Video Consultation
    • Physical Consultation
  • English
    • Hindi
    • Bengali
Narayana Health Care
  • Cardiology
  • Gastroenterology
  • Nephrology
  • Neurology
  • Oncology
  • Book An Appointment
    • Video Consultation
    • Physical Consultation
  • English
    • Hindi
    • Bengali
Home > Blog > Dermatology > Birthmarks in Children
Dermatology

Birthmarks in Children

by Narayana Health September 10, 2020
written by Narayana Health September 10, 2020
Birthmarks in Children | Narayana Health

Birthmarks in Children: All that parents need to know!

The child gives birth to a Mother! I read this daily while I cross Bandra junction (Mumbai) daily for work. The phrase indicates the strong influence childbirth has on society.

When a child is born, the care given by the parents is one of the strongest bonds that mankind has ever seen. The questions that come in the parent’s minds regarding the influence of chemicals, foods, dust exposure, and many others stress the parents to a high extent. If a parent sees a birthmark or a mole or a red growth on the skin of the child, it breaks them down emotionally.

The worry and stress experienced by the parents need to be addressed by pediatricians, pediatric dermatologists, and other healthcare workers. Birthmarks range from hardly noticeable to disfiguring, but no matter how large or small they are, they can be upsetting.

Birthmarks can be flat or raised, have regular or irregular borders, and have different shades of colour. They’re mostly harmless and many even go away on their own or shrink over time.

Birthmarks in children can be broadly divided into two types for ease of reference. One of those is vascular (blood outgrowths) and ones that are pigmented (moles).

Vascular (blood vessel) birthmarks happen when blood vessels don’t form correctly — either there are too many of them or they’re wider than usual. Pigmented birthmarks are caused by an overgrowth of the cells that create pigment (colour) in the skin.

Vascular Birthmarks

The most common vascular birthmarks are macular stains, haemangiomas, and port-wine stains:

Macular stains: Also called salmon patches, angel kisses, or stork bites, these faint red marks are the most common type of vascular birthmark. They’re often on the forehead or eyelids, the back of the neck, or on the nose, upper lip, or on the back of the head. These do not need any further investigations. Most often they fade on their own by the time a child is 1 to 2 years old, although some last into adulthood.

Haemangiomas are classified as superficial when they appear on the surface of the skin (“strawberry marks”) and deep when found deeper below the skin’s surface. They can be slightly raised and bright red and sometimes aren’t visible until a few days or weeks after a baby is born. Deep haemangiomas may be bluish because they involve blood vessels in deeper layers of the skin.

Haemangiomas grow rapidly during the first 6 months or so of life, but usually, shrink back and disappear by the time a child is 5 to 10 years old. Some, particularly larger ones, may leave a scar as they regress that can be corrected by minor plastic surgery. These might need MRI or CT scans to check for deeper components.

Port-wine stains are discolorations that look like wine was spilled on an area of the body, most often on the face, neck, arms, or legs. Port-wine stains can be any size but grow only as the child grows. They tend to darken over time and can thicken and feel like pebbles in midlife adulthood unless treated. They never go away on their own. Ones near the eye must be assessed for possible problems involving the eye.

Pigmented Birthmarks

The most common pigmented birthmarks are café-au-lait spots, Mongolian spots, and moles:

Café-au-lait spots. These very common spots are the colour of coffee with milk, which explains the name. They can be anywhere on the body and sometimes increase in number as a child gets older. One alone is not a problem. If there are many spots, then the child might need investigations. They can be an indication of genetic disorders of the skin like the Neurofibromatosis clinic. We have specialised in the Neurofibromatosis clinic at the hospital to scan for changes.

Mongolian spots. These flat, bluish-grey patches are often found on the lower back or buttocks. They are most common on darker skin, such as on children of Asian, American Indian, African, Hispanic, and Southern European descent. They usually fade — often completely — by school age without treatment.

Moles (congenital nevi, hairy nevus). Mole is a general term for brown nevi (one is called a “nevus”). Most people get moles at some point in life. One present at birth is called a congenital nevus and will last a lifetime. Large or giant congenital nevi are more likely to develop into skin cancer (melanoma) later in life, although the risk is low in both. Smaller congenital nevi may have a slight increase in risk. Moles can be tan, brown, or black; flat or raised and may have hair growing out of them.

The information written in this article is related to certain marks that appear at childbirth. The parents need to seek their doctor’s opinion for further information.

Dr. Pravin Banodkar, Consultant Dermatology & Cosmetology, NH SRCC Children’s Hospital, Mumbai

birthmarksblood vesselsCafé-au-lait spotsHaemangiomasMacular stainsmolesMongolian spotsneurofibromatosisPort-wine stainsskinvascular birthmarks
0 comment
0
FacebookTwitterPinterestWhatsapp
previous post
Recent advances in gynaecological cancers
next post
Paediatrics Cancers – The need for an Early Diagnosis

You may also like

Psoriasis: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment Options

September 15, 2023

Balanoposthitis – Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment Options

September 15, 2023

Identifying and Managing Risk Factors for Skin Conditions

March 27, 2023

Medications for Skin Conditions and Possible Side Effects

March 26, 2023

Are some makeup ingredients toxic?

September 20, 2022

Hair Loss

May 27, 2022

World Melanoma and Skin Cancer Awareness Month

May 15, 2022

Sunscreens in Children: Make children sun safe!  

April 18, 2022

Alopecia: All You Need To Know

April 4, 2022

Effect of excessively using Hand Sanitiser

February 10, 2022

QUICK LINKS

Book an Appointment

Find a Doctor

Hospitals

Medical Services

About NH

Narayana Health

Narayana Health is headquartered in Bengaluru, India, and operates a network of hospitals across the country, with a particularly strong presence in the southern state of Karnataka and eastern India, as well as an emerging presence in northern, western and central India. Our first facility was established in Bengaluru with approximately 225 operational beds and we have since grown to 23 hospitals, 7 heart centres, 19 primary care facilities across India and an international hospital in the Cayman Islands.

Keep In Touch

Facebook Twitter Instagram Linkedin Youtube Telegram

Popular Posts

  • 1

    Boosting your Immune System against Coronavirus: How to minimize the risk of...

    April 2, 2020
  • 2

    How to maintain a Balanced Diet

    September 3, 2019
  • 3

    Coronavirus Testing – How to Test for Coronavirus? – Different Types of Tests

    March 13, 2020
  • 4

    Importance of Balanced Diet in a Healthy Lifestyle

    November 22, 2019

Categories

  • Aids (5)
  • Bengali (1)
  • Blood Pressure (4)
  • Bone Marrow Transplant (12)
  • Breast Cancer (28)
  • Cancer (48)
  • Cardiac Surgery (23)
  • Cardiology (234)
  • Coronavirus (110)
  • Dental Sciences (2)
  • Dermatology (19)
  • Diabetes (37)
  • E. N. T – Paediatric (7)
  • E. N. T. (9)
  • ECMO (1)
  • Endocrinology (13)
  • Gastroenterology (101)
  • General Health (128)
  • General Surgery (4)
  • Gynaecology (86)
  • Haematology (6)
  • Health Nuggets (44)
  • Healthy Life (3)
  • Hepatology (16)
  • Hindi (7)
  • Infectious Diseases (4)
  • Kidney (5)
  • Liver (30)
  • Medical Oncology (2)
  • Mental Health (4)
  • Narayana Health (692)
  • Nephrology (89)
  • Neurology (159)
  • Neurosurgery (30)
  • News (6)
  • NH services (7)
  • Nutrition and Diet (27)
  • Oncology (159)
  • Organ Donation (1)
  • Orthopaedics (155)
  • Paediatric Cardiology (11)
  • Paediatric Liver Transplant (1)
  • Paediatric Oncology (3)
  • Paediatric Surgery (5)
  • Paediatrics (77)
  • Pain & Palliative Care (4)
  • Pregnancy (9)
  • Psychology (5)
  • Pulmonology (41)
  • Radiation Oncology (9)
  • Rheumatology (4)
  • Services (3)
  • Spine Surgery (31)
  • Stroke (7)
  • Swine Flu (1)
  • Transplant (1)
  • Urology (45)
  • Vascular Surgery (10)

Follow us

QUICK LINKS

Find a Doctor

Book an Appointment

Make an Enquiry

Feedback

Hospitals

Blogs

Privilege card

Heart Rhythm Disorder

NH CARES

Hernia

Lung Cancer

Brain Tumour

Liver Cancer

Heart Attack

Urinary Problems

Heart Transplant

Kidney Transplant

Bone Marrow Transplant

Pulmonary Hypertension

CENTRES OF EXCELLENCE

Liver Transplant & HPB Surgery

Cardiology

Cardiac Surgery

Neurology

Neurosurgery

Orthopaedics

Robotic Surgery

Vascular Surgery

Nephrology

Radiation Oncology

MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS

Academics

Clinical Research

NH Colleges

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER

Subscribe to our Newsletter for new blog posts, tips & new photos. Let's stay updated!

About Narayana Health

|

Stakeholder Relations

|

News & Media Relations

|

Awards and Accreditations

|

Leadership

|

Careers

|

CSR

|

Sitemap

© Narayana Hrudayalaya Ltd | All rights reserved
NPPA Implant Pricing     Terms & Conditions     Privacy Policy     Disclaimer

Book Online Consultation