Why Do People Have Birthmarks

If you have ever wondered what birthmarks are and why do some people have them, then we are here to help you. In this article you will find some reasons behind birthmarks and what are birthmarks.

 

A birthmark is a colored mark on the skin. Most of the birthmarks are quite visible at birth but some can show up even after the baby is born. Some kind of birthmarks might just fade or go away with time while others can stay for a lifetime. Birthmarks can be of many types, or can be of any size or shape and can be of different colors as well. These can be of varying colors like blue or blue-gray, brown, tan, black, pink, white, red or purple. There are certain birthmarks which are smoothly laid on the skin while some are rough and raised a little above.

 

Regardless of the texture and color of the birthmark, it is important to note that these are harmless and painless. But it is always advisable to have a doctor check all the birthmarks thoroughly, just to be of the safer side of things.

 

Well, it is not quite clear as to why do people have birthmarks. However, a few of the reasons behind the same can be listed as follows:

Now, that we have seen what birthmarks are and what are the causes of one, it will be helpful to know the various types of birthmarks.

 

Salmon Patches - These types of birthmarks are also known as stork bites, angel kisses and macular stains. These are thin, flat, light pink or red in color. These birthmarks are generally found on the back of the neck, on the upper eyelid, upper lip or even between the eyebrows.

 

Congenital moles - These birthmarks can grow anywhere on the body. They vary in the size and shape. These are mostly brown in color.

 

Cafe-au-lait spots - Most of the cafe-au-lait-spots are smooth, oval shaped birthmarks. These range in color from light brown to chocolate brown and are usually found on the torso, buttocks or legs.

 

Mongolian Spots - Mongolian spots are smooth and the color of the spots are generally blue or blue-gray. The shapes of the Mongolian spots are uneven and can be found on the lower back and buttocks.

 

Hemangiomas - The Hemangiomas are the raised birthmarks. They are red, blue or purple in color. These are blood vessels that did not grow naturally and hence formed a typical shape. These can either grow on top of the skin or deeper down the body.

 

Port-wine stains - These types of birth-marks are pink-red at birth and they gradually become a darker red-purple with time. Port wine stains are blood vessels grouped together.