There are two main kinds of birthmarks, vascular and pigmented. In this article we will be discussing the key differences between the two that you should be aware of. 

The key difference between vascular and pigmented birthmarks is that vascular birthmarks occur due to abnormalities in blood vessels, whereas pigmented birthmarks are due to the overproduction of melanin. These different kidneys of birthmarks also differ in colour. 

Vascular Birthmarks

These birthmarks are caused by abnormal blood vessels. They are usually light pink/red/purple in colour. Below are the different types of vascular birthmarks.

Salmon patches: Also known as angel’s kiss or stork bite, these birthmarks are light pink/red patches of skin that are commonly found on the forehead, back of the neck, or eyelids. These birthmarks are very common but usually fade over time. If you have a prominent salon patch that hasn’t faded much with age, our laser birthmark removal therapy can help.

Hemangiomas: these birthmarks are raised red/purple benign growths. They happen a few months after birth due to blood vessel abnormalities and can continue to grow for a few more months before gradually shrinking over time. 

Port-wine stains: These pink, red, purple marks are caused by an overabundance of capillaries in the skin. The main difference between these birthmarks compared to other vascular birthmarks is that they do not fade or shrink over time, in fact they may darken. 

Pigmented birthmarks

Pigmented birthmarks are caused by an overproduction of pigment cells in the skin. These cells produce melanin, which is the pigment responsible for the colour of your skin. Below are a few of the most common types of pigmented birthmarks.

Cafe au lait spots: these birthmarks are a couple of shades darker than your skin colour and often appear at birth. Whilst one or two of these birthmarks are harmless, having lots of them can indicate an underlying disorder. 

Moles (nevus): Moles are clusters of melanocytes that can appear anywhere on the skin. While most moles are harmless, some may have the potential to become cancerous, so monitoring changes in moles is important.

The key differences

• Vascular birthmarks are often red/purple, whereas pigmented birthmarks are usually tan-dark brown
• Changes over time: Many vascular birthmarks, especially hemangiomas, may change in appearance over time, often becoming smaller and lighter. Pigmented birthmarks, on the other hand, may remain stable or change minimally.

For more information about laser birthmark removal, contact our team today.

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Here at The Laser Treatment Clinic, we can help remove the appearance of birthmarks like café au lait spots permanently leaving the skin healthy and clear, and we’re here to debunk the myths and misconceptions that many people have about this kind of birthmark. 

Myth 1: You can’t reduce their appearance 

Café au lait birthmarks are permanent. They may naturally fade with age, but they’re usually a part of your body forever. Many people make the assumption that they cannot be reduced in appearance or removed altogether. However, professional laser clinics such as ourselves offer cutting-edge laser treatment that can help fade or even remove café au lait birthmarks. 

If you’ve been considering birthmark removal treatment, why not book your free consultation with a member of our team? We can discuss the best treatment specific to your skin. 

Myth 2: Only babies have them 

Café au lait birthmarks are very common in babies. This is because these birthmarks are congenital (present at birth), but this has led some people to believe that only babies have these birthmarks. The truth is, these birthmarks stay with you into adulthood! Since they are permanently part of your skin, some people do not like the appearance of them and wish to remove them. This is where laser treatment comes in, as skincare professionals can use advanced treatment to target the blood vessels beneath the birthmarks, resulting in a faded appearance.

Myth 3: They always indicate an underlying health condition

Sometimes, café au lait spots can be an indication of some genetic disorders such as neurofibromatosis type 1. But this does not mean that if you have a café au lait spot that you have this disorder. If you notice more than 6 café au lait spots on your body, you should visit your doctor to make sure they’re not a sign of a genetic disorder. 

However, if you only have one or two birthmarks, this is not a cause for concern. 

If you wish to have your café au lait birthmarks removed, contact our team for more information. Our advanced laser treatments can help reduce the appearance of your café au lait spots and leave you feeling more confident in your skin.

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If you have cafe au lait birthmarks and are considering having them removed then this blog post is for you. Here’s everything you need to know about these kinds of birthmarks, as well as how we can help fade and remove them from your skin.

Are cafe au lait birthmarks harmless? 

Yes, cafe au lait birthmarks are benign birthmarks that are congenital (present at birth). They pose no threat and cannot turn into cancer. However, if you have more than 6 cafe au lait birthmarks, it can be a sign of an underlying genetic disorder. In this case it’s always best to visit your GP, so they can answer any questions you may have. 

As for cafe au lait birthmarks, there is no medical treatment required. However, many people choose cosmetic treatment like the ones we offer here at The Laser Treatment Clinic. If your cafe au lait birthmark is an insecurity of yours, we can help boost your confidence by having it removed. There’s a number of ways we can do this, the most effective is laser treatment.

What causes cafe au lait birthmarks?

These birthmarks are a type of hyperpigmentation. This happens when the body produces too much melanin (the substance responsible for the colour of your skin). The excess melanin causes darker patches to show up on the skin, usually 2-3 shades darker than your skin tone. 

Cafe au lait birthmarks can also vary in size, usually severe larger birthmarks are the ones we remove. We understand that skin abnormalities can cause you to feel insecure and experience low self esteem, but we can help. 

What are the removal options?

As mentioned before, we have a variety of laser treatments to remove cafe au lait birthmarks. These include: IPL therapy (intense pulsed light), vascular laser treatment, and NdYag laser. Laser treatment works by heating up the blood vessels in the target area, which causes them to collapse and divert the blood flow away from the birthmark. This then allows the birthmark to fade and eventually disappear from the skin.  

To find out more about how we can help with the removal of cafe au lait birthmarks, and our various treatment options, contact us today. Feel free to book a free consultation too. 

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Despite there being nothing harmful about these birthmarks, many people seek our expertise in removing them cosmetically. As some people do not like the appearance of hyperpigmentation on the skin. These birthmarks are typically coffee coloured, which is how they got their name (cafe au lait means coffee with milk in French). 

Laser treatment removal

There’s a number of different ways in which we can fade and remove cafe au lait birthmarks. The most common and highly effective way to do this is through laser treatment. Our team of professionals offer a variety of different laser treatment options. After an evaluation of your birthmark, one of our skincare experts will decide the best course of action for your skin specifically. The laser treatments we currently offer are: NdYag laser, Vascular laser and Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) therapy.

Laser treatment works by heating up the blood vessels that have caused the birthmark, this causes them to collapse and break down, reducing the appearance of them. As the blood vessels collapse, this stops the flow of blood which in turn, causes the cafe au lait birthmarks to fade. 

If you have any questions about how we remove cafe au lait birthmarks, please contact our friendly team of professionals at any time. Additionally, you can book your free consultation here. 

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These marks fall into two main categories; vascular and pigmented. In today’s blog, we are looking at what vascular birthmarks are and how they can be lightened using a professional birthmark removal treatment.

How Vascular Birthmarks Are Formed

The body’s vascular system is made up of the heart and blood vessels that supply every part of the body. However, when these vessels divide and grow into a cluster, they become visible on the skin with a red or purple appearance.

Different Types of Vascular Birthmarks

As with most skin conditions, there is no single definition of a vascular birthmark, with several different types existing.

Salmon patches typically have the lightest colouration of all vascular birthmark types, often appearing as flat patches with a pink or salmon hue to them – hence their name. They can sometimes fade over time to a certain degree without intervention and are usually present either on the face or the back of the neck.

Next up in severity of colouration are haemangiomas. Unlike salmon patches, haemangiomas are usually raised marks and have a much brighter red colour. They can appear anywhere on the body but are most commonly found either on the face, chest, or back area. At first, haemangiomas are can grow for up to a year, after which they will begin to shrink, flatten, and sometimes even improve in colour. The colouring of haemangiomas can usually be used as an indicator of their type. Deep haemangiomas will usually have a dark purple colour, while those that form on top of the skin have a much brighter, strawberry-red colour.

Then there are port wine stains. Medically known as nevus flammeus, this type of birthmark will usually remain the same size, unlike other vascular birthmarks that can often shrink with age. As you can probably guess from their name, these marks are the darkest in colouration out of the different birthmark types.

Removing Vascular Birthmarks

With over 25 years of experience, the team of skin experts at our Harley Street Clinic are able to offer the latest treatments using cutting-edge technology to address a variety of skin issues. Using this wealth of knowledge and experience, we can treat most types of birthmarks with impressive results.

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Marks that have the commonly recognised black or brown colour to them result from the excess production of melanin, hence why they are referred to as pigmented birthmarks. The second type of birthmarks – vascular – are composed of blood vessels and will normally be purple, red, or even blue in colour.

Birthmark Treatments

With recent advancements in technology and procedures, we are not able to successfully treat both pigmented and vascular birthmarks, regardless of their size and location. However, the treatment recommended will vary on what the benefits and risks are deemed to be for each individual.

Here at The Laser Treatment Clinic, we offer several different options to treat birthmarks depending on their type. For vascular birthmarks, we currently use Intense Pulsed Light (IPL), while pigmented birthmarks are treated using an Nd: YAG laser.

IPL is commonly used to treat a wide range of marks and scars including age spots, freckles, acne scarring and, of course, birthmarks. Although it can be used to treat flat, pigmented birthmarks too, at our clinic we primarily use it for the removal of vascular birthmarks. The procedure works by destroying the blood vessels within the birth mark, resulting in a much lighter appearance.

The Nd: YAG laser is used for flat, pigmented birthmarks which are not suitable for excision. Targeting the pigment in the birthmark, this laser treatment promises a signification improvement in colouration, although several treatments will be recommended to achieve the best results.

Whatever type of birthmark you are looking to treat, our team of skin experts will be able to advise you on the most effective treatment plan.

Birthmark Treatment Aftercare

As with any in-clinic procedure, the correct aftercare is an important part of achieving the desired results. While you are receiving the treatments and immediately after, it is important that you look after your skin with the right products. Using a nourishing healing serum like the Zaheda Marine Boost Super Serum will support your skin and keeping it healthy and hydrated while it heals.

You should also use a high factor SPF at all times to prevent any future discolouration, otherwise, you could potentially undo the effects of your in-clinic treatments.

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Not everyone is happy about their birthmarks, however. Some are excessively large, vivid or visible, which can cause embarrassment and self-consciousness in everyday life. What’s more, some birthmarks, such as port wine stains, grow in size as the person grows.

If you aren’t happy about your birthmarks, for whatever reason, the good news is that there is now something you can do about them. There is no need to resort to cosmetic surgery, which can be painful, invasive and even dangerous. You can now use laser treatment to safely, quickly and effectively remove a range of different kinds of birthmarks.

Laser treatment can be used to fade and remove port wine stains, salmon patches, moles, haemangiomas, red birthmarks, café-au-lait spots and Mongolian spots (irregularly shaped blue birthmarks) and many other pigmentation problems.

The treatment works by targeting the pigment in the skin, heating the unwanted skin cells and skin lesions which cause birthmarks and cause them to disintegrate and disappear.

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How are birthmarks formed?

Birthmarks, also known as haemangioma, are caused by a number of new blood vessels growing in a specific area in the skin. It is not definitively known, however, why these blood vessels group together in this way.

It is important to remember that birthmarks don’t cause pain or discomfort and they aren’t usually a sign of illness. Some birthmarks fade with age, whilst others can develop. A lot of people are happy with their birthmarks, but others choose to get them removed using laser birthmark removal treatment.

Types of birthmarks

There are a few different types of birthmarks, but the most common are:

• Strawberry haemangioma – these are small, red in colour, and usually disappear in childhood
• Cavernous haemangioma – these are deeper, puffier and more bluish in colour
• Port wine stains – these are maroon or dark red in colour, usually appear on the face and neck and sometimes grow as the person gets older. Because of this, laser treatment for port wine stains is quite common.

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Skin treatment using lasers is safe and comfortable and patients are known to use it for a whole host of skin complaints from tattoo removal to acne treatment. Birthmarks can be described as patches of pigmentation differing from the surrounding area of skin and laser treatment can help to even out the complexion and the hue in order to cause that area of pigmentation to fade into its environment.

It is important to recognise that laser treatment is based on treating the problem at hand and as such it does not cause damage to the healthy skin tissue around the affected area. It addresses the pigmentation only and leaves the patient with a more even complexion by removing areas of darker pigmentation and encouraging new tissue to stand in its place.

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People who have port wine stains usually have them from birth. The discolouration tends to remain throughout the person’s life and grows in proportion to the rest of the body.

Other facts about port wine stains

• Port wine stains most often appear on the face but they can appear anywhere
• In childhood, port wine stains are usually flat and pink
• In adulthood, port wine stains may deepen into a purplish or dark red colour, and they may also become thicker in appearance
• Around 3 to 5 in every 1,000 people have port wine stains

Can port wine stains be removed?

Until recently, there wasn’t really an effective treatment for getting rid of port wine stains. However, a new treatment has been developed – port wine stain and birthmark removal laser treatment. This treatment involves using laser technology to heat up and eliminate unwanted skin lesions, such as port wine stains, without damaging the rest of the skin.

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