Light ones may fade, but most endure and enlarge as the child grows. About three in every 1,000 babies are born with these marks. They tend to grow for several years and then usually disappear by age 10. Cavernous hemangioma, a lumpy bluish or bluish-red mass that grows quickly in the child's first six months, then slows and starts shrinking by about 18 months, and is usually gone by the time a child reaches the teen years. Add your comments to the bottom of this page.
Most birthmarks are harmless and many go away on their own in the first few years of life.
Sometimes a doctor will want to do an ultrasound or an MRI to evaluate whether the spinal cord is affected. It's wise to have your doctor check moles, especially large ones known as giant pigmented nevi , which are likelier than small moles to become cancerous over time. Port-wine stains on the face or neck, even small ones, can be very upsetting for parents, though the baby won't realize there's a problem for a couple of years. If your baby's birthmark isn't disfiguring, it's best to leave it alone. However, if your baby has a cavernous hemangioma on her face, you may be understandably distressed by her appearance and want to do something about it now.