A "birthmark" is what you and I call a mole that a baby is born with. The medical term for birthmark is congenital nevi. Here are a few facts that
will help you understand congenital nevi a little better.
Approximately 1 percent of all newborn babies are born with-or develop shortly after birth- a mark, or lesion on their
bodies. These moles, or nevi, can be located anywhere that there is skin-the face, back, neck, arms, legs, head, hands, etc.
There
are three general classifications of congenital nevi
- small (typically less than 1.5 centimeters in diameter)
- medium (1.5-19.9 centimeters in diameter)
- and large, or giant(anything largerthan 20 centimeters in diameter).
Since this is quite a large size difference, an easier classification system has been
playing arole lately, and it bases itself on how easy the removal of the mole would be, as well as it's location.
An example of this system
would be:
a mole that may require a graft after removal or is in a difficult area to stitch, such as the bottom of the foot, or a mole that
occupies a large area of flesh, such as the throat or forearm, would be considered a "large" congenital nevi, while a mole (nevus) that
could be sliced off with very little risk or effort-a small, round mole on the back of the shoulder or neck, for instance-would be considered small.
There is a slightly higher risk of congenital nevi becoming cancerous, depending on their size. The larger the size of the nevus, the greater the risk.
Whatever classification it falls under-small, giant, large, whatever- all congenital nevi should be examined by a dermatologist. Usually, a small tissue
sample is taken to be examined in a laboratory. Sometimes, the entire mole will be removed.
Recent studies show that newborns with medium to large congenital nevi are
over 5 percent more likely to develop melanoma by age 60. Therefore, it is imperative that a health care professional looks at and analyzes any congenital nevi,
regardless of size classification. It is a relatively simple procedure to have a nevus analyzed, often requiring no more than a tissue sample for lab tests. However, if
it can be removed entirely with minimal risk, and can be easily stitched up, most doctors will opt to do so.
Congenital nevi are not racist or sexist- they don't occur in men more than women, caucasions more than hispanics, or asians more than africans. every race and
sex is equally at risk of falling into the 1 percent mark of those affected. However, genetics do play a role in determining the risk factor. If congenital nevi run in
one's family, chances are more likely that it will be passed on to future generations.
Congenital nevi have been linked more and more to melanoma risk factors in adults and teenagers.
If your doctor says "your mole is benign", consider a natural removal process, like NoNevus mole remover.
