If you notice a red spot on your baby after birth, the culprit is often quickly identified: the stork! But is this accusation correct, or is there more behind the skin change? Here you’ll learn how to distinguish between a port-wine stain, a stork bite, and a hemangioma—and whether these small marks need treatment.
Port-wine stain (Naevus flammeus)
Often, these red spots are caused by a harmless birthmark. What appears after birth as a bright red, small spot may be barely visible at first, but it can expand as your child grows during the first years of life and gradually turn dark red. Typical of this birthmark are an irregular shape and clear boundaries . Port-wine stains are caused by missing nerve fibers in the affected area of skin. As a result, the blood vessels remain permanently dilated and shine through the skin. This is where the port-wine stain appears. Naevus flammeus often occurs on:
Face
Neck
Sacrum area
Arms and legs (less common)
Port-wine stains usually remain visible for a lifetime. Even with this noticeable feature, your baby is beautiful. However, if your child begins to perceive the mark as a flaw as they get older, laser therapy or, initially, concealing it with makeup can help.
Do you need to see a doctor with your baby because of a birthmark?
In most cases, port-wine stains are completely harmless. Still, it’s always best to have a professional examine the affected area of skin—many red spots tend to fade during the first U-examinations . During the pediatrician’s exam, it can be clarified whether the birthmark might be a sign of a hemangioma ( Hemangioma ). Additionally, birthmarks can, in rare cases, indicate certain conditions such as Von Hippel-Lindau-Czermak syndrome or Sturge-Weber-Krabbe syndrome. Therefore, your baby should be examined more closely if:
Your baby has multiple port-wine stains that are asymmetrically distributed and increase in size.
You notice a port-wine stain on the coccyx.
There is a birthmark near the eye.
The birthmark grows lengthwise along the arm or leg.
Stork Bite
A special form of the port-wine stain is the stork bite: this red, irregular patch of skin can be between five millimeters and ten centimeters in size. It’s found on many babies’ necks—hence the idea that this skin change was caused by the stork’s beak when delivering the baby. But the stork isn’t always to blame; sometimes the benign spot – at least figuratively – has heavenly reasons. :) If you find a red spot on the forehead, between the eyes, or on the bridge of the nose, your baby has apparently received a so-called "angel’s kiss." You don’t need to worry about these skin changes. A stork bite or angel’s kiss is harmless and usually disappears over time, as it is simply due to a delay in the development of blood vessels.
Blood capillaries (Infantile Hemangioma)
Almost five percent of all infants develop a so-called Infantile hemangioma - also known as a strawberry spot. Preterm infants are significantly more often affected by these benign vascular tumors ; however, the exact reason why these blood blisters form is not yet known. You can often see this skin change in your baby within the first days and weeks of life. Does this sound familiar? If you notice a reddish or bluish spot or a birthmark-like change , an early-stage hemangioma could be the cause. They often occur on the head or neck, but can also develop on the rest of the body. During the first year of life, hemangiomas show the strongest tendency to grow—among other things, an intensely reddened nodule can then develop on the surface of the skin. A hellroter bis blau-roter, flacher Knoten , which extends into deeper layers of skin, can also occur. This is followed by a plateau phase, during which growth stagnates for varying lengths of time from child to child. Smaller infantile hemangiomas often disappear again during the regression phase, up to the ninth year of life. With larger hemangiomas, scars, excess tissue, or changes in skin color may remain.
Does the hemangioma need to be removed from your baby?
If a hemangioma is diagnosed in your little explorer, the next steps depend entirely on its size: With a small infantile hemangioma , regular check-ups are usually sufficient. However, if the hemangioma grows significantly, it often requires treatment to prevent limitations for your baby. Early treatment is especially important when the hemangioma grows in problem areas such as the eyes, lips, or nose, or on the neck or in the armpits. Depending on the location of the hemangioma, it may be treated surgically or with medication. Cryo- or laser therapy can also be an option. Your pediatrician will inform you about the different methods.
Any skin change you notice on your baby should be checked by a doctor for safety reasons. Keep an eye on the changes and inform your pediatrician if you notice rapid growth or anything unusual. Most red spots on the skin are completely harmless and make your baby even more special. :)
