Birthmark Exams and Treatment

Birthmarks rarely point  to problems requiring medical treatment. However, doctors do like  to monitor  some types  of marks. 

When investigating  a birthmark, doctors perform  a physical examination  of the spots. If  the spot raises any suspicion, your doctor  may take a series  of pictures over time  to see how  the marks might change  in size  or shape. Your doctor  may also order tests  of internal organ function  to see  if there are any symptoms  that may  be related  to the marks. For more answers, doctors might also employ MRI, ultrasound  or biopsy tests. 

Vascular birthmarks  are often more responsive  to treatment than pigmented marks. Doctors generally don't  treat macular stains, simply because they lighten  with time. Because port-wine stains  and obvious hemangiomas often make children self-conscious, doctors treat them  to alleviate  the child's social distress. 

Doctors often use  a series  of laser treatments  to help fade port-wine stains.  The treatments often begin during infancy  to increase their effectiveness.  The success  of these treatments varies widely,  and some patients see their stains return to dark blotches  as years go by. 

Hemangiomas tend  to shrivel without medical intervention. Large hemangiomas, especially those near  the eyes where they block vision, need  treatment. Surgery  is one option,  but a regimen  of steroids  is often more effective  and far less invasive. 

Doctors usually  do not treat pigmented birthmarks. However, large moles  may be  a precursor  to skin cancer, so surgery  may reduce  a patient's risk  of developing melanoma. Even  with surgery, though, very large moles may be difficult to remove completely. 

As with port-wine stains, laser treatments sometimes work for café-au-lait marks. These also resist lasers  and can become highly visible again later in life. 

Barring surgery, lasers,  and other medical procedures, some people resort  to basic means when disguising their birth marks. Sometimes a change  in hair style or makeup application helps conceal  the mark  from curious onlookers  and helps  a patient feel more at ease  in social situations. 

Of course, most people would prefer  to simply prevent birthmarks from  the beginning. There's just one problem -- science currently has no  means to prevent these spots  from occurring.