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Doc shares birthmark basics

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(CNN) -- Birthmarks are often referred to as stork bites or angel kisses. They're pretty common in the United States. It's estimated more than half of all new babies are born with a birthmark.

CNN learned more about what causes them and current treatment from Dr. Milton Waner, a pediatric facial plastic surgeon. He's also co-director of the Vascular and Birthmarks Institute of New York at Roosevelt Hospital.

CNN: What are birthmarks?

Waner: A birthmark is essentially an abnormal mark on the surface of the skin found at birth or within a few days after birth. There are some birthmarks that are very common, for instance the birthmark at the back of the neck or on the forehead. I think 50 to 60 percent of children have some form of that kind of birthmark.

CNN: What are the different types of birthmarks?

Waner: There are really three types of birthmarks. There are the vascular, made up of blood vessels, the pigmented made up of pigment cells, and the other group, which is much rarer and these are made up of another type of tissue.

CNN: Do all of these need to be treated?

Waner: Generally speaking, all birthmarks should be seen by a physician. I think the first physician should be a pediatrician, and the pediatrician will make a referral. Any child with a disfigurement should be considered for treatment

CNN: What type of treatment is used?

Waner: Vascular birthmarks such as port wine stains should be treated with lasers because most of them are progressive. In other words, as the child gets older and becomes an adult, the lesion will get bigger and bigger with time, and some of them become incompatible with normal life. Some of them can bleed. Some of them can be extremely disfiguring.

CNN: What about treatment for other types of birthmarks?

Waner: Pigmented lesions should be treated because some of these can become malignant. The most common type is known as the café au lait or a coffee-colored stain. They can be treated with a laser, but unfortunately some of them will come back. Hemangiomas, on the other hand, will grow, and in about nine months to a year will stop growing and start shrinking. Some of these will not require treatment, but others will require treatment, mainly for disfigurement.

CNN: Are some treatments done for cosmetic reasons?

Waner: This is not just a cosmetic issue. I think every child has the right to look normal. There are psychosocial implications. There are all sorts of implications that a child's formative years are affected by the presence of a birthmark which will clearly distinguish that child from other children.

CNN: What can parents do to help?

Waner: The most important thing is to make the child aware of this and teach them coping skills. I think it's very important for a child to realize this is not a defect -- that there's nothing wrong with a child. Some people have them, some people don't.

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