BIRTH MARKS – drkeshav's Skin Hair & Aesthetics Hospital

What are the common Birthmarks

Mongolian-spots/Slate-grey-nevus-of-childhood/dermal melanosis

Bluish grey patches over buttocks/back/legs
May look like bruises
Common in dark skinned infants
Due to atypical presence of melanocytes within the dermis
Tend to fade over 1st year of life, can occur in adulthood.

Hemangioma of infancy/capillary hemangioma/Strawberry nevi

Raised pink/red/purple lesion, soft, compressible
Most common tumour of infancy; up to 10% in caucasians
Develop in first weeks of life
Represents clonal expansion of endothelial cells
Usually grow rapidly from 6 months – 1 year of age, up to 3 inches diam
Tend to fade/shrink with time, 50% by 5 years, 90% by 9 years, often disappearing completely
Treatment with steroids/interferon/laser indicated only if multiple, very large or interferes with function

Port-wine stain/Nevus flammeus

Flat pink/red/purple patches, typically on face, neck, limbs
Present at birth
Can be any size, grow proportionately with child
May thicken or develop bumps
Social/emotional complications
Some association with glaucoma & seizures
Do not resolve, are permanent
Laser treatment may be an option

Salmon patch/Angel kiss/Stork bite/nevus flammeus nuchae

Minor vascular malformations – Macular stains
Flat, pink capillary hemagioma, often seen on eyelids, forehead & nape of neck
Occurs in up to 1/3 of all newborns
Clinical variant of portwine stain
Facial lesions usually fade over years, neck lesions may persist into adulthood.