These are very common birthmarks; I suppose the name “stork bite” comes from the concept of the stork carrying the baby by the back of the neck.
Description
Salmon patches are faint pink birthmarks caused by dilated blood vessels (capillaries) in the skin. This is a normal developmental process and these marks are present in all babies before birth; in some, they have not yet faded when the baby is born.
Salmon patches are not the same as hemangiomas or port-wine stains.
Symptoms
Salmon patches are flat, pink, irregularly shaped birthmarks. They can turn redder when the baby is crying. They are most common at the nape of the neck (“stork bites”) and on or near the eyelids (“angel kisses”) or on the forehead, often between the eyes. They can also appear on other areas of the face.
Who gets them?
About 30% to 40% of newborns have at least one salmon patch.
Are they contagious?
No, they are not.
How long do they last?
Most patches fade and resolve completely by 1 to 2 years of age. About 25% of the ones at the nape of the neck persist into adulthood as a birthmark (Unna’s nevus), which is usually covered by the person’s hair.
How are they diagnosed?
They are diagnosed by their characteristic appearance in a newborn baby.
What is the treatment?
No treatment is necessary.
How can it be prevented?
They cannot be prevented.
When to be concerned
Salmon patches should not cause concern. If the patches are growing, then the diagnosis should be reconsidered.
