Birthmarks in Infants
A baby's skin coloring can vary greatly based on the baby's age, race or ethnic group,
temperature, and whether or not the baby is crying. Skin color in babies often changes
with both the environment and their health. Some of these differences are just temporary.
Others, such as certain birthmarks, may be permanent.
What are birthmarks?
Birthmarks are areas of discolored or raised skin that are present at birth or within
a few weeks of birth. Birthmarks are made up of abnormal pigment cells or blood vessels.
Although the cause of birthmarks isn't known, most of them are harmless and don't
need treatment. Babies with birthmarks should be examined by your child's healthcare
provider, especially if they're:
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Located in the middle of the back, along the spine (may be related to spinal cord
problems)
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Large and located on the face, head, or neck
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Interfering with movement or other abilities (for instance a birthmark on the eyelid
that makes it hard to see)
Some common birthmarks include:
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Birthmark
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What it looks like
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Stork bites, angel kisses, or salmon patches
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These are small pink or red patches often found between a baby's eyes or on their
eyelids, upper lip, and back of the neck. The stork bite name comes from the marks
on the back of the neck where, as the myth goes, a stork may have picked up the baby.
They're caused by a concentration of immature blood vessels and may be the most visible
when the baby is crying. Most of these fade and disappear completely.
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Congenital dermal melanocytosis (also known as Mongolian spots)
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These are blue, gray, or purple color areas often found on the baby's lower back and
buttocks. They can occur in darker-skinned babies of all races. The spots are caused
by a concentration of pigmented cells. They usually disappear in the first 4 years
of life.
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Strawberry hemangioma
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This is a bright or dark red, raised or swollen, bumpy area that looks like a strawberry.
Hemangiomas are formed by a concentration of tiny, immature blood vessels. Most of
these occur on the head. They may not appear at birth, but often develop in the first 2
months of life. Strawberry hemangiomas are more common in premature babies and in
girls. These birthmarks often grow in size for a few months and then slowly start
to fade. They may bleed or get infected in rare cases. Nearly all strawberry hemangiomas
completely disappear by age 9.
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Port-wine stain
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A port-wine stain is a flat, pink, red, or purple color birthmark often found on the
head or neck. They're caused by a concentration of tiny, dilated blood vessels called
capillaries. They may be small or cover large areas of the body. Port-wine stains
don't change color when gently pressed. They don't go away over time and may become
darker and thicker as a child gets older. Port-wine stains on the face may be linked
to more serious problems. Skin-colored cosmetics may be used to cover small port-wine
stains. The most effective way of treating port-wine stains is with a special type
of laser.
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Congenital moles
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These moles are small (less than 3 inches in diameter) and common. They're found on
about 1 out of every 100 newborns. They get bigger as a child grows, but usually don't
cause any problems. Your child's healthcare provider will watch them closely as in
rare cases they can develop into a cancerous mole.
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