Birthmark Treatmentsin Rockford, IL

Pigmented Birthmarks

Pigmented birthmarks are skin markings that you are born with and can range in color from brown or black to bluish or blue-gray. Types include:

• Congenital dermal melanocytosis, also known as Mongolian spots, are congenital, benign blue-gray patches that can often be confused for bruises. The spots darken and become more intense within a child’s first year, and peaks around age two before correcting itself throughout childhood. It’s usually entirely faded by adulthood.
• Café au lait marks (CALMs) are named for their light-tan color. The name comes from the French term for “coffee with milk”. These marks are circular or oval in shape and tend to develop in the first few years of life. CALMs are mostly harmless but can be a sign of neurofibromatosis type 1 (aka von Recklinghausen disease) if they appear in a cluster larger than the size of a quarter. This genetic disorder causes abnormal cell growth of nerve tissues and affects the skin, nerves, and eyes.
• Congenital nevus or nevi moles are present at birth in 1–2% of the population. These develop anywhere on your face or body and can be small or large, flat or raised, and pink, tan, brown, or black. The genetic mutation that causes these marks develops randomly in utero, but it is not inheritable, so parents with it cannot pass it along. Congenital nevus marks should be monitored, as larger moles can hold a higher risk for skin cancer.