Birthmark Treatments

Birthmark treatments can erase or fade pigmented skin spots like moles and port wine stains. At Adult & Pediatric Dermatology Specialists in Trumbull, Westport, and Derby, Connecticut, the expert team provides plenty of advanced treatment options that can permanently remove your birthmarks. To learn more, schedule an appointment by phone or online at Adult & Pediatric Dermatology Specialists today.  

What are birthmarks?

Birthmarks are discolored spots on your skin that are normally a shade or two darker than your natural skin tone. These marks are present from the time you’re born, which is why they’re called birthmarks. Some of them are raised while others are flush against your skin.

Some birthmarks are permanent and can even grow larger over time, while others shrink or fade away as you grow in age. The wide majority of them are harmless and do not indicate any underlying health conditions, but some can come from a medical condition that needs to be addressed. 

The two main categories for birthmarks include:

Pigmented birthmarks

Pigmented birthmarks come from excess melanin, a type of pigment your skin produces. These include moles and café au lait spots (light brown or tan birthmarks that look like a spilled latté). 

Vascular birthmarks

Vascular birthmarks are spots that show up because of malformed blood vessels. You can get one where you have a particularly wide blood vessel or where you have a cluster of concentrated blood vessels. Common types include hemangiomas (vascular birthmark) and port-wine stains. 

What are birthmark treatments?

While most birthmarks are harmless and removing them won’t benefit your health, you might be interested in the cosmetic benefit of removing them. 

The team at Adult & Pediatric Dermatology Specialists provides birthmark treatments of several kinds according to the type of birthmark or birthmarks you have. After examining your skin, they might recommend:

• Laser treatment
• Beta-blocker medications
• Corticosteroids
• Surgical removal

If you’re not quite ready to say goodbye to a birthmark, the team might recommend watchful waiting. While the majority of birthmarks won’t harm you, some moles can become cancerous because of ultraviolet (UV) light damage to your skin. Look out for changes in their shape, size, and color. 

Are the results of birthmark treatments permanent?

Many birthmark treatments can remove the marks from your skin permanently. This means you won’t have to come in for future treatment if or when the mark reappears. However, it’s important to keep in mind that some birthmark treatments may leave a scar. 

Your provider may have suggestions for you to follow to minimize scarring or suggestions for scar treatments, as needed. 

Learn more about birthmark treatments, and explore your options today. Schedule a consultation by phone or online at Adult & Pediatric Dermatology Specialists.