It can be distressing for any new parent to find that their child has been born with a birthmark. Birthmarks can vary in size and position; some fade on their own, while others can increase in size as the child grows.
Some types of vascular birthmark, such as that known as the salmon patch, tend to be lighter in colour and will gradually disappear. Birthmarks such as these require no treatment and should not affect the child in any way.
Others, like port wine stains or café au lait spots, can prove to be more problematic. Port wine stains tend to grow with the child, and although at birth they are usually flat and smooth, the texture can change in later life if left untreated.
Port wine stains can become raised and lumpy over time, and as the deep red or purple discoloration is rather visible, they can have a detrimental effect on a child’s social and personal development.
Self-confidence can be adversely affected by disfiguring birthmarks, and this can be difficult for both the child and his or her parents to live with even if the birthmark poses no risk to the child’s health. Birthmark removal can offer real relief in cases such as this, causing the mark to fade over a course of treatment.
