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