How to Get Rid of Birthmarks?

• Before turning to various birthmark removal methods, it’s important to understand what type of birthmark or birthmarks you have
• Hemangiomas are one type of raised birthmark that can appear in many pigmentation forms such as blue, red and purple
• Café-au-lait spots form another skin discoloration condition and are named for their light to chocolate brown coloration

All of us want perfect looking skin. After all, its our skin that helps create people’s first impressions of us and that helps us feel confident about ourselves. For many people, however, their birth marks have interfered with that dream. These marks on the skin which appear at birth are usually not harmful but many people are desperate to get rid of birth marks they believe makes them look less attractive. The good news is removal treatments are available in many cases.

Types of Birth Marks

Before you decide to get rid of birth marks on your body, you first need to identify what types you have because treatments can vary. One of the most common are port-wine stains which are called this because of their coloring (begins a light red and darkens to an almost purple shade). These can vary greatly in size. Some are small patches while others can cover large areas of the body.

Another common type of birth marks are hemangiomas. Unlike most birth marks which are flat, these are actually raised off the skin. The marks come in darker colors such as blue, red, and purple and can grow anywhere on the body. Some hemangiomas even grow inside the body.

Other types of birth marks include café-au-lait spots named for their light to chocolate brown coloration. Most of these marks are found on the legs or other parts of the body that are normally covered. Salmon patches are small, light-colored birth marks which appear on the upper face or the neck most frequently.

Be careful not to confuse birth marks with moles which are usually small, round, and dark in color. While birth marks rarely cause any health problems, moles do have a potential risk of developing into skin cancer so they should always be monitored closely.

Removing Birth Marks

Now that you understand some of the different types of birthmarks, you can learn how to eliminate them from your skin. Hemangiomas are probably the most serious form of birth marks and the ones which are most likely to require some type of treatment. That’s because they are caused by a cluster of blood vessels which do not grow normally. If multiple hermangiomas are present or if they are growing quickly, health problems can develop.

To get of birth marks like these, most physicians would recommend the use of pulsed dye laser or sometimes surgery for the removal of hemangiomas. For smaller examples of these birth marks, you may be able to take steroids that would stop the blood vessels from growing.

Port wine stain birthmarks are also commonly removed from the body, especially when they are rather large. The most common way to get of rid of birth marks such as these is through a laser treatment which stops its growth and attempts to return the skin to its normal color.

With the exception of surgery, most of these procedures cause discomfort to the patient but no severe pain. Obviously, if surgery is required to get rid of birth marks, anesthesia will be given so you don’t feel anything during the procedure.

The information supplied in this article is not to be considered as medical advice and is for educational purposes only.