There are so many kinds of birthmarks! See which one you have?

Author: Zhang Weizi, popular science creator

Reviewer: Feng Jun, deputy chief physician of the Dermatology Department of Sinopharm Tongmei General Hospital

Were you born with a birthmark? Birthmarks are actually very common in newborns. According to statistics, 9 out of every 10 newborns in my country have birthmarks! These birthmarks are basically harmless, and most of them will gradually disappear as they grow up. Birthmarks can be divided into many different types. They not only have different shapes but also different colors. Many birthmarks have names related to food, such as "café au lait spots" and "salmon spots". Let's get to know some of these special marks on our bodies and the origins of their names.

Birthmarks can be divided into two categories according to their causes: pigmented birthmarks and vascular birthmarks. Pigmented birthmarks are formed due to the deposition of skin pigments, while vascular birthmarks are caused by abnormal blood vessels. Among pigmented birthmarks, Mongolian spots are the most common birthmarks in Asians, with about six to seven out of ten newborns having Mongolian spots. This birthmark is formed when melanocytes fail to reach the epidermis normally during embryonic development and are trapped in the dermis. They are bluish-gray or bluish-black, irregular in shape, and mainly appear on the lower back, buttocks and shoulders. Most of them will disappear on their own between the ages of three and five. The naming of Mongolian spots actually originated from a misunderstanding: when it was named in 1883, it was mistakenly believed to be the most common among Mongolians and was given a wrong name.

Another common pigmented birthmark is the café au lait spot, also known as the giraffe spot, named for its light brown color. Café au lait spots are relatively rare, with an incidence of only 4 in 1,000. They are formed due to the deposition of pigment in the epidermis and can appear anywhere on the body. This birthmark usually does not disappear as the child grows older, but may become larger due to weight gain.

Next, let's take a look at vascular birthmarks. Salmon spots are one of the most common vascular birthmarks. About 20% to 30% of newborns will carry this pink patch, which is also the source of its name. Salmon spots are a benign capillary malformation that is common in the back of the neck, forehead, eyelids and other parts. The color will deepen and become more obvious when the baby cries. Usually, salmon spots will disappear on their own within 18 months after birth. This birthmark also has another name that sounds quite sacred: in Western legends, babies are delivered to thousands of households by storks, and some babies will be left with the stork's kiss mark as a blessing, so this birthmark is also called "Angel's Kiss" in the West.

Strawberry spots are benign hemangiomas that appear as red bumps on the skin, named after their strawberry-like surface. Strawberry spots are caused by excessive proliferation of endothelial cells in blood vessels, are relatively rare (2 to 7 per 1,000), and usually shrink and disappear on their own before the age of ten.

There is also a type of vascular birthmark called port-wine stain, which ranges in color from light red to dark purple, like spilled wine, and occurs in about 3-4 per thousand. Although it is a vascular birthmark, it is actually caused by abnormal development of the nerves that control blood vessels, which causes the capillaries to be in a state of expansion. Because the human nervous system is divided into left and right, a special feature of port-wine stains is that they do not cross the left-right dividing line of the body. The birthmark on the head of former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev is a port-wine stain.

Each birthmark is our unique mark, which records our development process in the mother's body. If it is for health or aesthetic reasons, you can also seek help from a doctor. But in any case, we should look at the birthmarks on ourselves or others with a positive attitude and appreciate the unique beauty of each person.

References

Shih I, Lin J, Chen C, et al. A birthmark survey in 500 newborns: clinical observation in two northern Taiwan medical center nurseries[J]. Chang Gung medical journal, 2007, 30(3): 220.

Tsai FJ, Tsai C H. Birthmarks and congenital skin lesions in Chinese newborns[J]. Journal of the Formosan Medical Association, 1993, 92(9): 838-841.

Author: Zhang Weizi, popular science creator

Reviewer: Feng Jun, deputy chief physician of the Dermatology Department of Sinopharm Tongmei General Hospital

The article is produced by Science Popularization China-Creation Cultivation Program. Please indicate the source when reprinting.