Birthmarks
July 22, 2008
Birthmarks are darker or colored patches on the skin that are either present at birth, or develop very soon afterwards. Birthmarks are very common. One out of ten children has blood vessel birthmarks. These are usually ‘strawberry marks’ or ‘stork marks’ and they tend to disappear in time. It may develop on or just below the surface of the skin.
The medical name of birthmarks is naevus. Most of the birthmarks are harmless and it doesn’t need any treatment but for some medical reasons some birthmarks needed medical treatment. Some may also treat them for cosmetic reasons.
Types of Birthmarks- There are many types of birthmarks. Some of the most common types are described here:
Port wine stain- These type of marks present at the time of birth and affect about 3,000 babies. Generally they are red or purple colored flat marks and also vary in size and shape. They can be occurred any part of the body but most commonly appears on the face, back or upper chest. It generally affects one side of the body. This came under the category of permanent birthmarks and may be grow with the growth of child. It may also develop an uneven or lumpy surface later.
Mongolian blue spots- These types of birthmarks appear on the skin as blue and black marks. It appears generally on the buttock region or lower back. It is most common in African, Chinese or Japanese babies. These types of birthmarks disappear when baby became five years.
Stock marks- These marks arise from tiniest blood vessels. It appears usually on the back of the neck, upper eyelids or in the middle of the forehead. It affects 1 out of 40 babies. It also disappears by the time when child is two years old. In some cases they tend to pale in adulthood.
Causes of birthmarks- The exact reasons of having birthmarks are still not cleared. It’s not thought that vascular birthmarks are inherited. Some evidences say that melanocytic naevi may possible run in families.
Vascular birthmarks appear to be the result of something that is going wrong during the development of capillaries in the skin. Strawberry birthmarks are developed by the over growth of cells and can make up the lining of the skin’s blood vessels. Port wine strains are the areas of skin where the nerves that controls widening and narrowing of the capillaries that are damaged. It concludes the blood vessels are always open so the skin over them is darker as there is constant flow of blood to it.
















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