Vascular Birthmarks

Vascular birthmarks, which are sometimes called red birthmarks because of their colour, are caused by an increased amount of blood vessels in a certain area. Almost one in 10 babies will have a vascular birthmark by their first birthday.

Stork Bites

The telangiectatic nevus variety of birthmark is also known as a stork bite, angel’s kiss or salmon patch. These are pink or tanned in colour, and are flat, irregularly shaped marks that can appear on the knee, back of neck, forehead, eyelids, and occasionally the top of the lip. The skin feels no different in texture when a telangiectatic nevus is present, and the marks can fade over time, typically within 12 months. In fact, around half of all babies have this kind of mark.

Strawberry Marks

A strawberry mark, also known as a hemangioma of infancy, is a kind of benign tumour of the cells that line the blood vessels, known as endothelial cells. They appear during the first weeks of a baby’s life, and have usually shrunk by the time the child reaches 10. It’s one of the most common tumours seen in babies, and while this kind of birthmark is linked to PHACES Syndrome, a rare brain, heart and arterial condition, not all babies who have strawberry marks also have that condition.

Port-Wine Stains

Port-wine stains, medically known as nevus flammeus, are probably one of the more well-known varieties of vascular birthmarks. Often mistaken as strawberry marks, port-wine stains are visible at birth and come in a variety of colours from light pink to deep red. They’re irregular in shape and can be quite large, occurring all over the body. Port-wine stains are caused by a deficiency or absence in the supply of nerves to blood vessels, which results in the blood pooling in the area. Unlike many varieties of birthmarks, port-wine stains do not fade with age, and may even grow. They can become thicker, and develop small bumps over time.

Treating Birthmarks

For the most part, birthmarks are entirely harmless and do not need to be treated. The pigmented marks often fade over time, or people simply do not worry about them. With vascular birthmarks, there may be a desire for reducing them due to cosmetic reasons, something that is generally done with steroids (oral and injected) along with dermatological lasers and surgery. In some cases, a vascular birthmark might hinder eyesight or encroach on normal breathing due to size or placement, which is generally done with a mix of treatments, depending on the location and the age of the individual.