My daughter is now 8. She was born with this white patch on the side of her face... like right at the temple. If you look in her hair around that area, it is white in her scalp... she does not tan there. Her face is tanned from the sun, but that sport stays as white as it ever did. Her hair on that side is blonde... not white but a really light blonde color. People used to ask me if I highlight her hair. It is really beautiful because it does look highlighted. Her haircolor is a darker blonde, except for that one side.
Recently kids have started to notice it more. They certainly don't tease her. She seems to have a lot of friends. So that is not my issue.
I guess I wonder, if this kind of birth mark normal? I have never thought to ask the doctor when we go for check ups. It has just become a part of who she is and most of the time is not even noticeable because her hair usually covers it.
Will it lead to any health issues later in life? I know that is probably a dumb question. I think the obvious answer would probably be no. But I am just curious how common this type of birthmark is.
Thanks
Thanks everyone for the responses. It gives me a piece of mind to know she will more than likely be okay =) The spot and the blonde hair really do make her even more a beautiful person than she already is. I have been researching and I know what to look for if it happens to spread to other parts of her body. But for now, I think it is just a birthmark that God wanted her to have =)
Please don't use the words "dirty blonde" when describing her hair color. My mother used to say that about my hair color. For some reason it made me feel icky. Consider ash blonde.
I'm Sorry it's off the subject, but renaming her hair color may be important to her someday.
A.
There are some birth marks that can carry a risk, but I think that this applies to cafe au lait birth marks in certian places on the body. As your doctor, because you just never know what other Mom's don't know!
M.
I went to school with a kid who had dark hair and he had a blonde patch on his head. When he shaved his head it was a light circle on his scalp. My daughter has a red one on the back of her neck, going all the way through her hair line on her scalp.
I had to laugh at A. D's response....my mom used the words "dirty" blonde or "dishwater" blonde. Dishwater....how's that for makin' you feel icky? Must be a word commonly used in their era or something. =)
This is really off subject but, my daughter was born with two birthmarks....One line on the back of her left thigh that was really light in color when she was born, but is darker now. The second one, that is fading, was under her chin.....it was the shape of Texas....no kidding.... the shape of Texas. I have pictures to prove it!!!!! That birthmark is almost gone....kinda sad... :(
Yes, it's normal and fine. Not extremely common, but not rare either. It's just a lack of melanin in that spot. Nothing to worry about.
Since she's had it from birth, it's highly unlikely to be vitiligo, which someone below is describing, where the white patches spread. That's an autoimmune disorder where you gradually lose your melanin.
I have a friend in her 40's who has the same type of birthmark on her face & neck. She's never had any problems.
There are no dumb questions.
I know nothing about birthmarks
except that my son has one,
a brown spot around the bottom of his ribs.
Far as I know, it has never been a problem.
And . . . . y'know what?
HIS son has one, too.
I think it's on his back.
I'm not sure.
It may be in the same place as his dad's.
They are brown, not white.
But probably the same kind of thing.
Something weird happened to the distribution
of color on their skin before they were born.
How's that for a scientific answer?
I wouldn't worry about it.
S.
Normal... yup... i have one on my belly and I'm 39. And it never tans :)
I have one of those. It is on my left side though, and never tanned. As I have gotten less and less tan, especially on my midriff, it is less noticeable. It has never been a problem. My neighbor's son has a very large section on his scalp. He has dark brown hair, AND blond hair, about half and half. I also went to school with a girl that had patches of non-pigmented skin on her hands, elbows and knees. She was Indian so it was more obvious, but never seemed to be a problem.
I also have a white streak through my hair and a white spot on my scalp. I was born with it, and it hasn't caused any problems in 29 years! My hairstylist had to ask me why I bleach a streak in my hair, though. I have always loved it! :)
I don't know what it is called, but my friend had something similar in high school (it was by her lip). While in college, it got worse, and the white spots appeared in several more places. Now the bulk of her skin is the lighter tone with splotches of the original, darker color here and there. I don't know if she could have prevented it, but it is worth talking to your doctor about it. I wish you the best!
I went to school with two guys who had birthmarks on their heads. They both had dark hair, one brown, one black, and a white "patch" on their heads. I think they were about the size of a quarter and a 1/2 dollar. Didn't seem to bother them at all!
You could always ask your dr. She may need a bit more sun screen in that spot as she plays outside (I have a strawberry birthmark on my back that I need to make sure to sunscreen).
L.
Well my son has a similar birthmark but in a different spot. And his did not start showing up until he was probably 10 years old. It is on his side, right under his armpit, and travels around to his back and his front. But his does tan, because a few summers back, when I started to notice it, it was much darker than the rest of his skin and I thought his skin was peeling there from being out in the sun. I have never asked the dr about it either. Figure its a birthmark and everything is OK.
