Mongolian spot

Mongolian spot is a benign, flat, congenital birthmark with wavy borders and irregular shape, most commonly found among East Asians and Turks (but has been reported in all races). It is named after Mongolians by Erwin Bälz, a German anthropologist who discovered that it was most common among his Mongolian patients.

Description

Mongolian spots are blue or blue-grey spots that appear at birth or in the first or second week of life. They look like bruises but are not caused by trauma. They can appear on any part of the body, but are most commonly found on the sacral area, buttocks, and back. They are flat, irregular in shape, and often have a wavy border.

Causes

The cause of Mongolian spots is unknown, but they are believed to be caused by the entrapment of melanocytes, the cells that produce melanin, in the dermis during their migration from the neural crest to the epidermis during embryonic development.

Diagnosis

Mongolian spots are usually diagnosed by visual inspection. They are distinguished from other similar-looking pigmented lesions by their characteristic location, color, shape, and the age of the patient.

Treatment

No treatment is necessary for Mongolian spots, as they are benign and usually disappear by school age. However, if they persist into adulthood, they can be removed with laser treatment.

Epidemiology

Mongolian spots are most common in people of East Asian and Turkish descent, but they have been reported in people of all races. They are present in 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.

See also

• Birthmark
• Melanocyte
• Melanin
• Dermis
• Epidermis

References

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