Learn about common birthmarks in babies

This is an automatically translated article.

The article is expertly consulted by Master, Doctor Truong Thanh Tam - Pediatrician - Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Danang International General Hospital. Dr. Tam has 15 years of experience working in the field of Pediatrics.
Every abnormal sign appearing in a newborn baby worries parents, especially birthmarks in babies. Birthmarks can be harmless or warn of a number of health problems in the baby that parents need special attention.

1. What is a birthmark?

Newborn birthmarks are dark patches of skin that appear on a baby's skin a few months after birth. The percentage of newborns with birthmarks is quite high, usually over 80% and often fades and disappears with time. However, there are some birthmarks that stay with the child for the rest of his life, adversely affecting the child's aesthetic and mental health. Therefore, parents need to learn about birthmarks on their children's body, so that they can explain to their children to avoid low self-esteem as well as be able to treat birthmarks on their baby's body early.

2. Types of birthmarks in babies

2.1 Vasodilation Angioplasty occurs when the blood vessels are not formed properly, the blood vessels are not correct, or the blood vessels are too large below the surface of the skin. Vascular birthmarks include salmon spot marks, vascular birthmarks and red wine birthmarks
Salmon spot birthmarks Also known as stork incisions, they are usually light or dark pink spots that appear on the skin on the bridge of the nose, the area around the nose under the forehead, back of the head, neck, and eyelids of an infant. White babies often have more of these marks, but they will disappear after a few months, so parents do not need to worry too much about them.
Vascular birthmarks Also known as hemangiomas, these birthmarks are usually concentrated in the neck, head and trunk areas, and they grow rapidly during the first years of a child's life. Vascular birthmarks are caused by abnormally formed blood vessels located close to the surface of the skin. These vascular birthmarks will disappear over time, possibly in a few days, weeks, or by the time the child goes to school, so there is no need to treat them.
Red wine birthmarks These birthmarks appear due to too much concentration of blood vessels under the skin, usually dark red or purple with irregular shape, wide and flat along the skin. If these birthmarks appear on the upper eyelid or forehead area, parents should take the baby to the doctor to see if the baby has glaucoma or an abnormality of the sturge-weber cortex.
2.2 Reduce Pigmentation

Hyperpigmentation is mainly caused by the overgrowth of pigment-forming cells under the skin. Pigmentation birthmarks commonly seen in newborns include blue birthmarks, melanoma pustules, milia, heat rash, scarlet fever, moles,...
Green birthmarks also known as buttock birthmarks Here It is the most common type of birthmark in babies, up to 80% of babies have this birthmark. They have many different sizes, diverse colors such as gray, brown, blue, purple that look like bruises and blend into the skin. These birthmarks usually go away on their own over a period of time and do not require medical intervention.
Get rid of melanoma pustules These are small blisters that will burst and leave scars like freckles on your baby's skin. When a baby encounters this birthmark, it will feel uncomfortable and painful when it breaks. Although uncomfortable for babies, pustular birthmarks will fade after a few weeks and are harmless to babies. Parents can rest assured that these birthmarks are not harmful to the baby, but should take the child to the doctor for a checkup to prevent infection when the birthmarks burst.
Milia This birthmark usually appears on the nose, chin, and cheeks of the child. These birthmarks tend to disappear by the time the baby is 1 month old. The appearance of this birthmark is caused by a skin protein called keratin that remains inside the skin.
Reduce heat rash Also known as heat rash. These birthmarks often appear in babies who live in hot and humid climates or babies who are swaddled in too hot. When you see these birthmarks, you should loosen your baby's clothes to avoid overheating

Usually appearing in many infants 2-5 days after birth, these erythematous patches are not contagious, and there is no scientific basis to support their occurrence or treatment. These red spots will disappear in babies from 1-4 months old, so parents do not need to worry too much about this birthmark.
Mole This is a common birthmark in babies with a high rate of one in 100 babies having a mole. Moles are less benign, can grow in size as the child grows and have many colors such as black, brown, and red. However, parents need to pay attention if the mole has an abnormal growth because this can be a sign of pathology.

3. Treatment of birthmarks in babies

As for vascular birthmarks, most of these birthmarks will fade over time so parents don't need to worry about treating these birthmarks. However, for red wine birthmarks, usually when the child is 9 years old, these birthmarks will shrink in size but do not disappear. If these birthmarks still affect the aesthetic appearance of the child, you can use laser surgical treatment. However, parents should not arbitrarily bring children to cosmetic centers to handle birthmarks, should consult a doctor before treatment.
For pigmented birthmarks, the family should not handle them because most of these birthmarks are not harmful to the child. As for moles, if there is hair growth on the mole, which changes in size and color, you should take your child to the doctor because this may be a manifestation of rare skin cancer. Moles can grow with children over time, so in cases where moles affect the child's aesthetics, you can also use laser or minor surgery to remove them under the guidance of a doctor. doctor.

As a key area of ​​Vinmec Medical system, Pediatrics Department always brings satisfaction to customers and is highly appreciated by industry experts with:
Gathering a team of leading pediatricians: including leading experts with high professional qualifications (professors, associate professors, doctorates, masters), experienced, worked at major hospitals such as Bach Mai, 108.. Doctors All are well-trained, professional, with a mind - range, understanding young psychology. In addition to domestic pediatric specialists, the Department of Pediatrics also has the participation of foreign experts (Japan, Singapore, Australia, USA) who are always pioneers in applying the latest and most effective treatment regimens. . Comprehensive services: In the field of Pediatrics, Vinmec provides a series of continuous medical examination and treatment services from Newborn to Pediatric and Vaccine,... according to international standards to help parents take care of their baby's health from birth to childhood. upon reaching adulthood. Advanced techniques: Vinmec has successfully deployed many specialized techniques to make the treatment of difficult diseases in pediatrics more effective: neurosurgery - craniofacial surgery, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in cancer treatment. Professional care: In addition to understanding children's psychology, Vinmec also pays special attention to the children's play space, helping them to have fun and get used to the hospital's environment, cooperate in treatment, improve the efficiency of medical treatment.

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