Why is it called a Mongolian birthmark?

The name Mongolian blue spots came about because the spots were most commonly found in children of Mongolian or other Asian ancestries.

What race has Mongolian spots?

Mongolian spots (MS) are congenital birthmarks seen most commonly over the lumbosacral area. They are bluish-green to black in color and oval to irregular in shape. They are most commonly found in individuals of African or Asian ethnic background.

Can white babies have Mongolian spots?

Mongolian spots are gray-blue to brown macules or patches located in the lumbosacral/gluteal region. They affect a majority of Asians, African Americans, and American Indians but are rare in Caucasians. The lesions are present at birth but often spontaneously regress within a few years.

What does Mongolian spot indicate?

Mongolian blue spots are flat bluish- to bluish-gray skin markings commonly appearing at birth or shortly thereafter. They appear commonly at the base of the spine, on the buttocks and back and also can appear on the shoulders. Mongolian spots are benign and are not associated with any conditions or illnesses.

Do all mixed babies have Mongolian spots?

A child may have one or several. At least one Mongolian spot is present on over 90% of Native Americans and people of African descent, over 80% of Asians, over 70% of Hispanics, and just under 10% of fair-skinned infants (Clinical Pediatric Dermatology, 1993).

Birthmark - Spotting the Mongolian Spot

Is a Mongolian birthmark rare?

On average, only about 10% of Caucasian infants have Mongolian blue spots. Blue spots are found in about 50% of Latinos, and 90% to 100% of Asian and African populations.

What is a royal birthmark?

9 According to Bloch, belief in the royal birthmark—a mysterious mark on sovereigns' bodies indicating their royal status—was "one of the most lively superstitions in the Middle Ages," which gives "a deep insight into the popular mind."10 It provides evidence of the concept of the sacred and miraculous nature of ...

Why are babies born with Mongolian spots?

Mongolian blue spots appear on the skin at or shortly after birth. The spots appear when melanocytes (cells that produce pigment, or melanin) remain in the deeper skin layer during embryonic development. What causes this to happen isn't known. Mongolian blue spots aren't related to an underlying health condition.

Are Mongolian spots inherited?

Mongolian spot is a hereditary developmental condition caused by entrapment of melanocytes in the dermis during their migration from the neural crest into the epidermis.

Is Mongolian spots genetic?

Mongolian spots are benign skin markings at birth which fade and disappear as the child grows. Often persistent extensive Mongolian spots are associated with inborn error of metabolism. We report thirteen people of the single family manifested with extensive Mongolian spots showing autosomal dominant inheritance.

Why does the First Born look like the father?

There's an old theory that says first-born babies were genetically predispositioned to look more like their father. It was believed this was so the father accepted the child was his and would provide and care for them. There's also another theory that says it was so he didn't eat the baby…

What are Mongolian spots called now?

This cutaneous condition has been more appropriately termed and is now colloquially referred to as congenital dermal melanocytosis (CDM). Other alternative names proposed include ink-blot macules, blue-gray macules of infancy, or slate grey nevus [1,2].

What age do Mongolian spots disappear?

Mongolian blue spots almost always disappear on their own by the time kids turn 6; many spots go away during the first 12 months of life. They can occasionally last until puberty, but it's rare for them to stick around through to adulthood.

Can Mongolian spots stay forever?

Most of these spots disappear on their own before the child reaches five years of age. Occasionally, a person may have this birthmark permanently. Your doctor will check on the spots during the baby's well-child visit. Mongolian spots do not require any special treatment.

Is Mongolian a race or ethnicity?

The Mongols (Mongolian: Монголчууд, ᠮᠣᠩᠭᠣᠯᠴᠤᠳ, Moŋğolçuud, [ˈmɔɴ. ɢɔɬ. t͡ʃot]; Chinese: 蒙古族; Russian: Монголы) are an East Asian ethnic group native to Mongolia, Inner Mongolia in China and the Buryatia Republic of the Russian Federation. The Mongols are the principal member of the large family of Mongolic peoples.

How do you remove a Mongolian birthmark?

Laser therapy: Doctors commonly use this type of therapy for port-wine stains and other birthmarks that are close to the skin's surface. Surgery: If other therapies are not effective and the birthmark is causing a medical problem, a doctor may recommend surgery.

How much of the world has Mongolian DNA?

An international group of geneticists studying Y-chromosome data have found that nearly 8 percent of the men living in the region of the former Mongol empire carry y-chromosomes that are nearly identical. That translates to 0.5 percent of the male population in the world, or roughly 16 million descendants living today.

What countries have Mongolian DNA?

Introduction. The Mongolian ethnic group, a population of East Asia, has approximately 10 million individuals. They primarily reside in China, Mongolia, Russia, the Republic of Kazakhstan, and other countries. The ethnogenesis of Mongolians is vaguely known.

Who has Mongolian blue spots?

They occur in around 80% of Asians, and 80% to 85% of Native American infants. Approximately 90% of Polynesians and Micronesians are born with slate grey nevus, as are about 46% of children in Latin America, where they are associated with non-European descent.

How are Mongolian spots treated?

No treatment is needed or recommended. The spots do not cause any medical complications. The discolouration often fades within the first years of life, and the birthmarks have usually gone once the child reaches adolescence.

What is a rare birthmark?

Very occasionally, some are caused by gene mutations. For example, some babies born with a type of birthmark called port-wine stains (because they look similar to a splash of wine) may have a rare condition called Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome. This condition is caused by a genetic mutation that isn't generally inherited.

What kind of birthmark is rare?

Nevus Sebaceous

"This type of birthmark is very rare but it is important because it has a high risk of developing into basal cell skin cancer. It is one of the few birthmarks that may be surgically removed at an early age to prevent it from becoming cancerous," says Miller.

What is a diamond birthmark?

As a result of this natural process, most diamonds possess slight imperfections on their surface (blemishes) or inside the diamond (inclusions). These characteristics can be seen as the diamond's fingerprint or birthmark because they make each diamond unique from the next.

Do Native American babies have Mongolian spots?

A Mongolian spot is a normal bluish-green or bluish-gray flat birthmark. They occur in over 90 percent of Native American, Asian, Hispanic, and African American babies. They are also seen in 10 percent of Caucasians, especially those of Mediterranean descent. They occur most commonly over the back and buttocks.

Do birthmarks run in families?

Some birthmarks are hereditary and run in families, but most aren't. Very occasionally, some are caused by gene mutations. For example, some babies born with a type of birthmark called port-wine stains (because they look similar to a splash of wine) may have a rare condition called Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome.