What Are Birthmarks?

Birthmarks are very common and we do not generally notice or think much of the small ones. But birthmarks are also known as vascular anomalies, and they can be large and severe. One in every ten children is born with a birthmark and between fifty and sixty percent of them will require some form of treatment. Also, disturbingly, more than 60% of those are misdiagnosed.

There are two main types of birthmarks, hemangiomas and vascular malformations.

Hemangiomas

Hemangiomas are made up of capillaries and tend to grow throughout the first year of life and then regress. Although all vascular anomalies are commonly called hemangiomas, this is not accurate. You may hear these lesions referred to as capillary hemangiomas or strawberry birthmarks. There are actually two types of hemangiomas, infantile hemangiomas and congenital hemangiomas.

Superficial hemangiomas involve skin only. Deep hemangiomas involve the layers of tissue below the skin and can vary in color from deep purple/blue to skin tones if they are really deep. Compound hemangiomas involve both the skin and deeper tissues.

Vascular Malformations

Unlike hemangiomas, vascular malformations are made up of arteries, veins, or lymphatic channels. They tend to grow throughout life and usually will require some type of intervention.

In addition to these two main types, Sturge-Weber Syndrome and Klippel-Trenauney Syndrome (KTS) are important to know about.

Sturge-Weber Syndrome

Its characteristics are a port wine stain that involves the skin around the eye and cheek as well as the covering of the brain. It can cause seizures, atrophy of the brain tissue, and developmental delay.

Klippel-Trenauney Syndrome (KTS)

KTS usually involves the extremities. There is usually a port wine like stain on the affected limb and there is usually a difference in size between the affected and nonaffected limb, the affected one being larger. The growth tends to be slowly progressive and can be painful with cramping. There is currently no cure