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A Mongolian spot, also known as slate grey nevus or congenital dermal melanocytosis, is a benign, flat, congenital birthmark with wavy borders and an irregular shape. In 1883, it was described and named after Mongolians by Erwin Bälz, a German anthropologist based in Japan, who erroneously believed it to be most prevalent among his Mongolian patients.
A little over 1 in 10 babies have a vascular birthmark present by age 1. [2] Several birthmark types are part of the group of skin lesions known as nevi or naevi, which is Latin for "birthmarks". Birthmarks occur as a result of a localized imbalance in factors controlling the development and migration of skin cells.
Depending on the location of the birthmark and other associated symptoms, a physician may choose to order a measurement of intraocular pressure or X-ray of the skull. An MRI of the brain may be performed (under anesthesia) on infants who have a port-wine stain in the head area in order to check for signs of Sturge–Weber syndrome .
The birthmarks, which are pinkish and irregularly shaped, occur most frequently on the nape of the neck; however, they are also common on the forehead, eyelids and upper lip. [2] A baby may be born with a stork bite, or the birthmark may appear in the first months of life. They may also be found occasionally on other parts of the body.
Some individuals advocate the use of hair removal laser for the treatment of congenital nevi. While this is likely safe and effective for small congenital nevus, laser removal for larger lesions might pose a liability for the laser surgeon if malignancy developed from a deep (dermal) component of the nevus that is not reached by the laser.
It should not be confused with Mongolian spot, which is a birthmark caused by entrapment of melanocytes in the dermis but is located in the lumbosacral region. Women are nearly five times more likely to be affected than men, and it is rare among Caucasian people. [6] Nevus of Ota may not be congenital, and may appear during puberty.
Mongolian spot (congenital dermal melanocytosis, dermal melanocytosis) Mongolian spot; Mulberry molar; Nager acrofacial dysostosis; Nasal glioma (brain-like heterotopia, cephalic brain-like heterotopia, glial hamartoma, heterotopic neuroglial tissue, nasal cerebral heterotopia, nasal heterotopic brain tissue) Nasolacrimal duct cyst; Nevus ...
The birthmark is a Mongolian spot and is apparently homozygous recessive. Nearly all Samoan infants were born with this mark, but any ancestry outside of Samoa, however slight, results in the infant not showing the mark. The birthmark is now very rare in Samoa, and can only be found occasionally on remote islands to the west.