Types of Birthmarks

The word birthmark is a general term used to describe skin anomalies that are present from birth. It should not be used as a specific diagnosis, since these skin lesions can be very different in their appearance, treatment and outcome. Many birthmarks, such as infantile hemangiomas or vascular anomalies, are made up of blood vessels.

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Below are some of the more common birthmarks, their signs and symptoms. Learn more about the Birthmarks and Vascular Anomalies Center at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin.

Color/lesion	Birthmark	Location	Other
Brown/macule or patch	Cafe-au-lait macule	Variable, trunk	Can sometimes be associated with neurofibromatosis
Brown (<20 cm)/plaque	Congenital melanocytic nevus	Scalp, trunk	Possible increased risk of melanoma
Brown(>20 cm)/plaque	Giant melanocytic nevus	Trunk most common	3-7 percent risk of melanoma, neurocutaneous melanosis
Brown-flesh colored/plaque	Epidermal nevus	Variable, trunk and neck
Red/patch	Port-wine stain	Variable, face most common
Red/papule or plaque	Hemangioma	Variable, head and neck most common
Red-purple/plaque	Lymphatic malformation	Variable, trunk, proximal leg	Often have a vesicular appearance
Gray -blue/patch	Mongolian spot (dermal melanosis)	Buttocks, lower trunk	Usually resolve spontaneously
Gray-blue/patch	Nevus of Ota	Forehead and eyelids	Ocular pigmentation
Gray-blue/patch	Nevus of Ito	Posterior shoulder
Blue/nodule	Dermoid cyst	Scalp, face, neck	May connect to CNS if midline
Blue-purple/nodule	Cephalohematoma	Scalp
Blue-purple/plaque	Venous malformation	Variable	Enlarge slowly over time
Yellow-orange/plaque	Nevus sebaceus	Scalp, face, neck	Basal cell carcinoma may arise within lesion
Yellow-orange/nodule	Congenital juvenile xanthogranuloma	Trunk
Yellow-brown/papule or nodule	Mastocytoma	Variable	May become urticarial or blister
Hypertrichosis (extra hair)/plaque	Congenital melanocytic nevus	Scalp, trunk
Hypertrichosis (extra hair)/tumor	Plexiform neurofibroma	Trunk most common	Associated with neurofibromatosis
Hypertrichosis (extra hair)/plaque	Smooth muscle hamartoma	Trunk
White/patch	Nevus anemicus	Variable
White/patch	Nevus depigmentosis	Variable