Birthmarks are congenital skin conditions that typically appear at birth or shortly thereafter. They are benign conditions that do not harm the overall health of an individual. When they are located on the face or in other visible areas, however, they can cause some social or psychological distress.
Birthmarks come in many different forms. Typical signs of birthmarks include:
Birthmarks are caused by a variety of things depending on the type of birthmark they are. They are not caused by any actions or choices made by a mother when a child is in utero. In some cases, birthmarks such as port-wine stains or strawberry hemangiomas are caused by a malformation of the blood vessels. Others, such as a nevus sebaceous, occur when a section of the skin overgrows.
