Is a birthmark on my arm harmful?

Many people have birthmarks on their arms, which are present at birth, but different birthmarks have different meanings. Some birthmarks will not cause harm to the body, but if the birthmark on the arm is a port-wine stain, cafe-au-lait stain, or pigmented mole, you should pay attention to it because it may be a signal sent by the body.

1. Causes of birthmarks

Birthmarks are caused by the proliferation of skin tissue in the fetus, which appear in abnormal shapes and colors on the skin. They are a relatively common phenomenon, with an incidence rate of about 10%. Birthmarks may be more obvious after the baby is born, or they may gradually appear a few months after birth. Most birthmarks will gradually disappear as the baby grows older, but some birthmarks will not only not disappear, but will also increase in size.

2. Which birthmarks do not affect health?

1. Strawberry hemangioma. They are usually red or purple and appear on the face, scalp, back, or chest. It usually forms a few weeks after the baby is born and is slightly above the surface of the skin. It will not disappear with age, but it will not affect the baby's health.

2. Cavernous hemangioma. It often appears on the baby's head and neck. If the color is darker, it will be similar to the skin and will not be easy to find. Birthmarks usually disappear on their own before puberty.

3. Mongolian spots. It is mostly blue in color and mostly appears on the back, waist and buttocks. Birthmarks are larger in size and may be more numerous. It usually goes away on its own before school age.

4. Salmon red spot. It is orange-red and has an incidence rate of about 33%. Birthmarks are small and usually appear on the back of the neck, between the eyes, on the forehead, and on the eyelids. They usually disappear with age.

3. Which birthmarks should be watched out for?

1. Port wine stains. Birthmarks vary in size and can be granular, round or oval. After the fetus is born, it appears pink, then gradually darkens and eventually turns lavender. They usually appear on the face and neck and tend to grow larger with age. If it grows on the eyelid, it may cause glaucoma and requires timely treatment. Laser therapy is currently the most advanced method for treating port-wine stains.

2. Café au lait spots. The birthmark is brown in color, like the color of coffee mixed with milk, and is oval in shape. It usually appears on the trunk, buttocks, and legs. Most of them occur in children under five years old. If there are only a few cases, it will not affect their health. However, if there are more than six spots and the diameter is greater than 1.5CM, it should be taken seriously as it may be related to neurofibroma.

3. Pigmented nevus. It is a benign skin tumor composed of nevus cells containing melanin. It occurs on the face and neck, mostly in infancy. Most moles develop slowly or do not develop for many years. However, once this type of birthmark exists, it is not easy to disappear. The pigment is brown or black, and most of them are small dot-shaped moles. If a pigmented nevus is accompanied by hair, it becomes a hairy nevus. This type of birthmark tends to become malignant with age and should be removed surgically as soon as possible.

Therefore, parents must pay more attention to observing their baby's birthmarks, mainly based on the color, shape and position of the birthmarks. They can also consult a doctor. If the birthmark indicates some disease, it should be treated as soon as possible. Do not cause irreparable regrets to the baby's health due to carelessness.