Birthmark Treatments Ottumwa IA

Find top doctors who perform Birthmark Treatments in Ottumwa, IA. Whether you’re seeking treatment or looking to schedule a preventative screening, we can connect you with the best dermatologists near you in Ottumwa, IA.

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Birthmark Treatments FAQ in Ottumwa, IA

Where are birthmarks most common?

They are found most commonly on the torso, buttocks, and legs. Café-au-lait spots do not go away, may increase in number, and generally do not require treatment. A single café-au-lait spot is not a sign of a health problem.

How can I fade my birthmarks?

medicines – to reduce blood flow to the birthmark, which can slow down its growth and make it lighter in colour. laser therapy – where heat and light are used to make the birthmark smaller and lighter (it works best if started between 6 months and 1 year of age)

Are birthmarks genetic?

Some birthmarks are hereditary and run in families, but most aren’t. Very occasionally, some are caused by gene mutations. For example, some babies born with a type of birthmark called port-wine stains (because they look similar to a splash of wine) may have a rare condition called Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome.

What happens if you cut off a birthmark?

Shaving or cutting your mole can disfigure your skin and leave a scar if done improperly. Removing a mole without sterile equipment in a nonsurgical condition may lead to infection. If your mole is cancerous, the cells can remain in the skin and spread.

Are birthmarks a disability?

Although there is no further explanation on what qualifies as a “severe disfigurement”, large birthmarks are widely considered to fall into this definition, especially if they are located in a visible area.

Do birthmarks come from parents?

Hereditary – Some people have birthmarks due to their genes. For example, a child may have the same type of birthmark as a father, mother, grandparent, aunt, or uncle. In some cases, the birthmark appears in the exact same spot as the relative!

What do cancerous birthmarks look like?

One part of a mole or birthmark doesn’t match the other. The edges are irregular, ragged, notched, or blurred. The color is not the same all over and may include shades of brown or black, sometimes with patches of pink, red, white, or blue.

Can you lighten brown birthmarks?

Laser treatment uses highly focused beams of light to reduce the size and lessen the color of birthmarks. This includes red birthmarks, such as strawberry hemangiomas and port wine stains; brown birthmarks, such as café au lait spots; and blue birthmarks, such as facial dermal melanocytosis.

Is there a cream to remove birthmarks?

Timolol. Another medication that can shrink a birthmark, such as a hemangioma, is Timolol. Unlike propranolol, it is applied topically to the birthmark.

What kind of birthmark is rare?

Nevus Sebaceous “This type of birthmark is very rare but it is important because it has a high risk of developing into basal cell skin cancer. It is one of the few birthmarks that may be surgically removed at an early age to prevent it from becoming cancerous,” says Miller.

What do birthmarks mean medically?

Birthmarks are areas of discolored and/or raised skin that are apparent at birth or within a few weeks of birth. Birthmarks are made up of malformed pigment cells or blood vessels. Although the cause of birthmarks is not known, most of them are benign (noncancerous) and do not require treatment.

Can you lighten a birthmark?

Laser treatment uses highly focused beams of light to reduce the size and lessen the color of birthmarks. This includes red birthmarks, such as strawberry hemangiomas and port wine stains; brown birthmarks, such as café au lait spots; and blue birthmarks, such as facial dermal melanocytosis.

What causes brown birthmarks?

Pigmented birthmarks are caused by an overgrowth of the cells that produce color in our skin. There are three types of pigmented birthmarks: café-au-lait spots, moles and Mongolian spots. Pigmented birthmarks can be flat or raised with regular or irregular borders and color that ranges from brown to black to blue.