Are Red Birthmarks Harmful?
If your baby got birthmarks that look like someone has spilt wine on the affected skin, it is a red birthmark. It is commonly known as the port-wine stain. It does not affect people’s life if it occurs in body parts that remain covered under clothes. Port-wine stains can severely reduce a person’s charm if they occur on exposed body parts.
Treatments are available to remove the red birthmark. Suppose your baby got port-wine stains, consult a specialist to remove them safely. Your baby won’t face any troubles in his life if port-wine stains are removed before school. Continue reading to reveal some essential details about red birthmarks and their treatments.
What Are Port-Wine Stains Or Red Birthmarks?
Port-wine stains or red birthmarks commonly occur on the baby’s neck and face. These marks can also occur on other body parts. These spots can appear in dark purple, dark red, or orange-red colors. These spots do not indicate any underlying health condition, but they may reduce the visual appeal of a person.
Red birthmarks occur mainly due to genetic changes in the body and millions of people get these birthmarks. Parents should not presume that the baby got some sort of health condition due to these red spots. Health experts consider these birthmarks a common clinical congenital disease. A specialist doctor can easily treat red birthmarks during the first few years of the baby’s life.
You should take your baby to a skin expert if you spot red birthmarks on his skin. These stains do not pose any risk to the baby’s health. However, some red birthmarks may indicate an underlying health condition.
A well-experienced doctor will carefully check red birthmarks to ensure it is harmless. If it is a sign of a disease, the doctor will provide the best treatment to cure it quickly. Thus, there is no need to worry if your baby got red birthmarks. This post will present some more essential information on port-wine stains and their treatments. Thus, you will know what to do if your baby got such spots on his skin!
What Are the Causes of Red Birthmarks?
Every person has tiny blood vessels, which are known as capillaries. Red birthmarks occur mainly due to issues with these small blood vessels. Every baby is born with narrow capillaries. However, in the case of red birthmarks capillaries get overly dilated. Thus, more blood is collected in those blood vessels. Port-wine stains occur due to excess collection of blood in capillaries.
1. Port-wine stains on face or scalp
The size and shape of red birthmarks can change with your baby’s growth. If these stains occur on the forehead, scalp, or area around the baby’s eyes, it may indicate Sturge-Weber syndrome.
This health condition is caused by unusual blood vessels below the baby’s delicate skin. It can restrict the smooth flow of blood and oxygen to the brain. Therefore, parents should consult with a doctor if the baby got port-wine stains on his face.
Red birthmarks on the arms or legs: If your baby got red birthmarks on his arms or legs, they may be a sign of Kippel-Trenaunay syndrome. This symptom will occur only on one limb. It is quite a rare genetic health condition. Blood vessels in the affected limb can change due to this condition. Some muscles or bones in that limb can grow abnormally wider and longer.
2. Mother’s eating habits
Red birthmarks can also occur due to genetic mutation! Many children get red birthmarks nowadays. Their occurrence is increasing due to the living habits of parents and also due to the increased pollution.
Excess consumption of foods such as eggs, meat, and pesticide-containing vegetables should be avoided by pregnant women. Parents should also avoid growth hormones to have healthy babies in the future.
If you do not stop the consumption of the mentioned foods, it can badly affect the growth of the fetus. Mothers should quickly adapt to a healthy diet plan during the first three months of pregnancy. Remove foods, which may affect your or the baby’s health in the future. This is how you can reduce the chances of genetic health issues and red birthmarks.
All the explained causes reveal how red birthmarks are formed. Is it possible to avoid them? It is not in your hands. You can do regular workouts and take a healthy diet during the pregnancy period. Thus, your baby will develop perfectly and get a perfect life to live!
How To Cure Port-Wine Stains?
Red birthmarks can quickly spread if you do not provide your baby with the necessary treatment. It can badly affect your baby’s appearance if a red birthmark appears on the face. Therefore, you should choose a perfect treatment to remove red birthmarks from your baby’s skin.
Two widely chosen methods for the removal of red birthmarks are as follows:
- Melanocyte- stimulating hormone inactivation
- Laser treatment
Many parents chose laser treatment because it is highly effective against red birthmarks. It is a reliable cosmetic procedure, especially if the birthmark has appeared on the face. The laser treatment targets abnormal blood vessels responsible for red birthmarks.
The laser emits a powerful beam, which closes and disintegrates the affected blood vessels. The treatment is completed in several cycles to prevent damage to healthy blood vessels and skin tissues. The red birthmark starts fading away on the first day.
The one-time treatment is not enough to get rid of port-wine stains. Therefore, the doctor may suggest a series of treatments. The exact number of treatments will rely mainly on the baby’s skin color, red birthmark location, and the size of the birthmark.
It is possible to completely remove some red birthmarks. However, some types of port-wine stains do not vanish completely. The doctor can lighten their appearance. Thus, the birthmark will be less visible and the kid can enjoy a normal life.
The treated skin region might look slightly discolored after the treatment. Choose a reliable doctor to get the best results because your baby deserves to live a normal life!
How to Take Care of Skin After Removing Red Birthmark?
The doctor will provide ample guidance on what to do after removing red birthmarks. You should take care of the following things after removing red birthmarks from the baby’s skin:
1. Clean the treated region daily
Even though laser birthmark removal procedures are safe, it requires proper care of the treated region for the best results. Clean the cured skin region daily. Do not use soaps containing harsh chemicals. Keep that region covered for a few days to protect your baby’s skin against pollution. Keep the entire house clean to prevent germ attacks on the treated skin region.
2. Do not pull the skin
If skin comes out from the treated region, you should not pull it by your hands. Clean it daily and leave it as it is. That skin chunk will dry out and fall off on its own. You may cause a scar on your baby’s skin if you pull the skin out.
3. Do not let your baby scratch the treated skin region
Every patient experiences itching or a slight burning sensation after birthmark removal. It is common and it is often accompanied by redness of the skin. You should not worry about it because that skin redness will disappear in a few days. Take some ice cubes in a plastic bag and cold compress the treated region to soothe the burning sensation. Do not apply heat because it may further increase the problem.
4. Do not expose the treated skin to the sunlight
The sunlight might feel comforting during winter days, but it is harmful to your skin. Do not let your baby expose the birthmark removed skin region in the sunlight. It can cause itching and skin problems. Wait a few days and the red birthmark will vanish completely. Now, your baby can enjoy a normal life like other kids.
Are Port-Wine Stains Dangerous to Health?
Red birthmarks, port-wine stains especially look quite weird. They often appear like the patient has some kind of muscle abnormality. It is not the truth though, some birthmarks can be a symptom of a serious health issue. Red birthmarks are also one of those serious health issue symptoms.
Parents are advised to take their baby to the doctor for a complete health checkup. Port-wine stains around the eyes can cause glaucoma eye condition. Excess pressure is applied over the eyes in this condition. Some people have also lost their eyesight due to this condition.
Conclusion
Red birthmarks are removable birthmarks. Many people choose to keep them if such marks occur on hidden body parts. Some people take a professional surgeon’s help to remove them for cosmetic purposes.
Try the best treatment available for birthmark removal if your baby got a port-wine stain. The doctor will suggest laser treatment and it is completely safe. The laser treatment is known for its accuracy. Patients get positive results quickly and those ugly red birthmarks vanish quickly.
Now you know everything about red birthmark treatment, try it. Whether you got a red birthmark or your baby, remove it before it affects your social and professional life.
