Birthmark: any mark, spot, or bump on the skin which is present at birth or appears shortly after birth in the infancy period is called birthmark.
Birthmarks are caused by overgrowth of blood vessels, melanocytes, smooth muscle, fat, fibroblasts, or keratinocytes. Most birthmarks are harmless, and do not cause medical problems.
They are broadly classified as two types of birthmarks: Pigmented birthmarks & vascular birthmarks.
Pigmented birthmarks are formed by the accumulation of pigmented cells under the skin or abnormalities in skin color.
Nevus of Ota: green colored mole generally on one side of face, may be associated with dark patches in the eye.
Cafe-au-lait macules: colored flat patches.
Congenital Melanocytic Nevus: : Nevus is due to concentration of melanin-producing cells. These nevi are generally, small black thick mole with or without hair, no larger than quarter inch diameter.However, they can be quite large, covering a significant portion the infant's skinthere is small risk of skin cancer in larger moles.
Mongolian spots: green color patches on body, generally clear spontaneously within one year of life.Becker’s nevus: Dark brown colored patch with excess hair growth, appears during puberty.
Nevus Spilus: a skin lesion that presents as a light brown or tan macule, speckled with smaller, darker macules or papules and also known as speckled lentiginous nevus and zosteriform lentiginous nevus
Birthmark (other) arising from:Keratinocytes: Verrucous Epidermal Nevus
Endothelium of vessels: Lymphangioma, angiokeratoma
Adipocyte: Nevus Lipomaticus
Sebaceous gland: Nevus Sebaceous of Jadasohn, Nevus Comedonicus
Nerve Cells: Neurofibromatosis
are formed due to abnormalities of blood vessels under the skin. These birthmarks are red or purple in color.
The most common type of birthmark appears commonly on the face as pink-red flat patches which turn purple-red; varies in size; can grow in size or look more prominent or rise from the skin as you grow older.
Port-wine stains usually do not fade or disappear. These birthmarks may be a cosmetic concern if located on the face and some around the eye may be associated with eye and or brain problems. It affects at least 3 out of every 1000 babies.
This is pale pink in color and often seen on the face or the neck after birth, and generally vanishes with time.
Red thick skin growths. Generally, most of them require treatment, and some of them clear with time. Among all the hemangiomas they aren’t really birthmarks, as they are often not present at birth, but appear in infancy. These hemangiomas need special attention by a dermatologist if they happen to occur near the eye, mouth, neck, and chin, and as they can obstruct the child’s ability to see, hear, eat, or breathe.
The treatment depends on the nature of the tissue, type of tissue involved and the risk versus the benefit of treatments. Most birthmarks that are small and visually unpleasant require treatment for cosmetic reasons or because of rapid growth. Among birth marks; vascular origin hemangiomas deserve the most attention. Any birthmark that is likely to impair either the physical (or) mental health of the patient is much more likely to be treated.
Birth marks may grow in-utero or start growing soon after birth. Some birth marks may start growing at age of 10 years to 20 years. Many birthmarks have extensions of dormant cells in hair follicles, and tend to recur after treatment.
There are different ways that a birthmark can be removed, depending upon its type, size, location and other factors.
Lasers are used to treat birthmarks that are close to the surface of the skin. This treatment can be performed at any age. During treatment, short bursts of laser light are aimed at the birthmark in order to shrink it or cause it to stop growing. Multiple visits may be necessary to achieve optimal results.
There are many lasers used to treat birthmarks. As pigmented birth marks are effectively managed by Q-switch Nd:YAG laser, Co2 and Fractional lasers; and Vascular Birth marks are best managed with Intense pulse light, long pulse Nd:YAG laser, and pulse dye laser.
Surgery: This method is used when other non-surgical treatments have not worked. A hemangioma that is large, or found on an internal organ also requires surgery.
| DO | DON'T |
|---|---|
| Avoid direct exposure to sunlight during the first 4-6 weeks following your laser treatment. | Do not forget to apply sunscreen of SPF 30+ and wide-brimmed hats, sunglasses, sun-protective clothing or bandages may also be used for sun protection. |
| Showers are permitted, but gently pat the area to dry. | Do not scratch, pick or rub the treated area. |
| Wash the treated area with a mild soap daily. | Do not apply make-up to conceal treated areas for 24 hours. Be careful not to rub or abrade your skin when removing make-up. |
| If your face has been treated, keep your head elevated by sleeping on 3-4 pillows for 2-3 days to help prevent | Do not forget to use medicines prescribed by doctor. |
| swelling. Ice compresses applied during the first 1-2 days also minimize swelling. |
