A Visual Guide to Birthmarks

Did your little babe come out with one of those kissable pink flames on her forehead, or a pale spot on her back or belly? Most birthmarks are adorable and make your kiddo even more of who she is, but are they ever a cause for worry? Could that little red strawberry be a sign of something deeper?

Birthmarks can be flat or raised, have regular or irregular borders, and have different shades of coloring from brown, tan, black, or pale blue to pink, red, or purple. They’re mostly harmless and many even go away on their own or shrink over time, but sometimes birthmarks are associated with other health problems.  A doctor should evaluate a birthmark when it first appears to determine its type and what kind of monitoring and treatment it needs, if any.

Call the doctor if a birthmark ever bleeds, hurts, itches, or becomes infected.

Stork bites, angel kisses, strawberries, moles, salmon patches, cafe au lait spots – watch this WebMD slide show and know for sure if you have anything to worry about.

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Ellen and Rachel are two old friends and “expert” mamas—one a pediatrician and one a family therapist—with fifty years of parenting experience between them.

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