About Cafe Au Lait Birthmarks

When bathing my infant son for the first time, I noticed that he had a large but very faint tan colored patch on his lower back. At first, I thought we'd somehow gotten his back dirty, but no amount of washing would remove the light colored stain. As it turns out, my infant son had a cafe au lait birthmark. Cafe au lait birthmarks are called such because of their coffee with cream color.

What Do Cafe au Lait Birthmarks Look Like and Where do They Appear?

Cafe au lait birthmarks don't have a defined shape and can appear anywhere on the body. They really do look like someone spilled some coffee and cream on your baby's skin. Cafe au lait birthmarks can be a small spot or, as in my son's case, a very large patch. My son is a young adult now, and still has his cafe au lait birthmark. It is about the size of small melon. It looks like someone dipped a large paintbrush in some tan paint and sloppily swept it across his back.

A cafe au lait birthmark can change color over time and with sun exposure. It can become very dark brown in comparison with the skin that surrounds the cafe au lait birthmark. Sunscreen can help minimize the darkening of a cafe au lait birthmark if it is on a part of the body that is exposed to sun.

Does a Cafe au Lait Birthmark Indicate Disease?

Many people worry that a cafe au lait birthmark can turn cancerous, but this is not the case. Most cafe au lait birthmarks are harmless and are just another feature that makes your child unique. Your doctor can reassure you that one or two cafe au lait birthmarks aren't something to worry about.

However, a large amount of cafe au lait birthmarks (according to the National Institutes of Health, 6 or more) can indicate a condition known as neurofibromatosis-1, commonly referred to as NF1. NF1 is a nerve disorder that is hereditary, but it does sometimes develop without a family history of the disorder. If your baby has several cafe au lait birthmarks, his or her pediatrician can performs tests to see if they are related to NF1.

Can Cafe au Lait Birthmarks be Removed?

There is no medical reason to remove a cafe au lait birthmark. However, when cafe au lait birthmarks appear on the face or other exposed areas, some people wish to have them removed for cosmetic reasons. There are special cosmetics intended to cover and reduce the appearance of cafe au lait birthmarks, but laser procedures can be effective for permanent removal. You should consult a laser birthmark removal specialist if you wish to have a cafe au lait birthmark removed.

Sources:
National Institutes of Health, Birthmarks - Pigmented
National Institutes of Health, Neurofibromatosis-1