Some Disappear, Some Grow

As I looked in the mirror a week ago, I noticed something I wish was not true…my birthmark is growing. It always is–I guess it just took me a while to notice the new province it made home to. When I was a itty bitty baby, my birthmark was much smaller too. Even thought I’m done growing now, my birthmark isn’t out of fuel. *sigh*

But why is it that some birthmarks grow for an entire life, while others–like hemangiomas and Angel’s Kisses–very often decrease both in size and hyperpigmentation, or even disappear (1)?

Being that I’m not a doctor, I can’t say for sure. The cause for birthmarks themselves even remains unknown (2)! However, I do know that Angel’s kisses, salmon patches, and hemangiomas (aka strawberry birthmarks) are macular vascular birthmarks, and they develop from blood vessels that are close to the surface (1). “Unlike other vascular birthmarks, hemangiomas usually grow very rapidly. Growth generally begins during the first 6 weeks of life and continues for about 8-12 months. After the first year, most hemangiomas will stop growing. They then begin to turn white and slowly shrink. Half of all hemangiomas (50%) are flat by age five” (2). “Babies born with macular birthmarks on the eyelids tend to fade away within the first year. However, macular birthmarks on the neck tend not to fade and may require birthmark removal treatment” (3). Port wine stains are also “the result of an abnormal formation of blood vessels…” Port wine stains, on the other hand “will not fade away” (3). In a cafe au lait spot, the cause is hyperpigmentation, and that hyperpigmentation goes through all the layers of the skin, so skin lightening lotions will not work. Lasers are used to lighten/remove port wine stains and cafe au lait spots, however, speaking from experience, the lasers do not always completely get rid of the birthmark, even after several attempts. Consult with your doctor.

Footnotes:

1 – medicinenet.com/birthmarks_and_other_skin_pigmentation_problems/article.htm
“Angel’s kisses may appear on the forehead and eyelids, but will typically disappear early in childhood.”
“Most hemangiomas will go away on their own; roughly 50% resolve by age 5, 70% by age 7 and 90% by age 9.”

2 – torontodermatologycentre.com/Vascular_birthmarks
“The exact birthmarks causes are unknown. However, vascular birthmarks are not inherited, nor are they caused by anything that happens to the mother during pregnancy.”

3 – www.sknclinics.co.uk/what-are-birthmarks
**It is important to note that this link contains inaccurate information under its “What are Pigmentation Birthmarks” section, so I can’t guarantee if the quotes I used from the page are accurate. It says, “Dark birthmarks are the result of hyper pigmentation and are often referred to as café-au-lait marks, moles or pigmentation birthmarks. These types of birthmarks occur when there is too much colour or pigmentation in the skin. Birthmark removal is not necessary for most pigmentation birthmarks as they typically fade or disappear within five years.“
The underlined sentence is a false statement. Hyper-pigmented birthmarks do not fade or disappear ever. In the case of Cafe au lait spots, they darken in sunlight (summer time), and lighten in lack of sunlight (winter time), but they do not fade nor disappear over the years as I am 25 and have yet to see mine do that!!