Does everyone have a birthmark? Or have you noticed any different pigmentation of sorts in your skin since your childhood? Every person is unique, not only psychologically, but physiologically as well. You might have seen some irregular-shaped pigmented patch on your shoulder, face, or anywhere in your body and wondered what it is? Fret not! They are birthmarks. Does everyone have a birthmark? No, not everyone has a birthmark. Then why do some people have them? Read this article to get full-on information about birthmarks, the myths about birthmarks, and their facts. Also, you will get an answer to why do some people have birthmarks?
1. What are Birthmarks?
Does everyone have a birthmark or it is only a skin pattern? Well, birthmarks are skin abnormalities usually present in a baby or develop soon after a baby is born. Some features are listed below:
- These birthmarks vary from person to person.
- They can be raised or flat, regular or irregular, etc.
- They also vary in color. Usually, they have different shades of brown, purple, pink, pale blue, red, black, etc.
- Some are noticeable as they cover a large portion of a person’s body, and some are not.
- Most of the birthmarks are not harmful. Some might go away or shrink over time.
But does everyone have birthmarks? Read on to find out. (See 90 Mind Blowing Human Body Facts)
2. What are Different Types of Birthmarks?
As said before, birthmarks are unique. Before you learn the answer to does everyone have a birthmark, you should read about their types. Broadly, they fall into two categories, vascular and pigmented.
3. What are Pigmented Birthmarks?
Pigment cells are responsible for giving a natural color to your skin. They determine the skin tone of a person. If the pigmentation is more in a particular part of the skin, i.e., when more pigment cells cluster in one place, it forms birthmarks. The type of pigmented birthmarks are
- Moles: They are typically round-sized. Their color varies from light brown to black. They can be raised or flat. Change in a mole is usually linked to cancerous transformation.
- Cafe au lait spots: The name translates coffee from milk from French. These birthmarks are large oval-shaped pale brown pigmentation. This often fades over time.
- Mongolian blue spots: These bluish spots found in the lower part of the body are often mistaken for bruising and are common in people with dark skin. They fade by the age of 4. (See Why do we have armpit hair?)
4. What are Vascular Birthmarks?
When the extra blood vessels in one’s body get clumped and the cluster is visible, they are called vascular birthmarks. Only 40% of newborns get this type of birthmark. The types of vascular birthmarks are as below:
- Hemangiomas: These are often seen around the eyes, nose, neck, etc., and appear in pink or red. These vascular birthmarks are raised and grow as the baby grows, but eventually, shrink after some time.
- Stork mark: It is also known as salmon patches. These birthmarks occur at the back of the neck or on the face. These birthmarks are seen clearly when a baby cries or strains her face. Like the other birthmarks, this also fades as the baby grows.
- Port-wine stain: This birthmark is permanent and is usually pink or red. They may get darker or larger as the child grows older. Port-wine stains occur on the face. (See What is the funny bone nerve?)
5. Why do Some People Have Birthmarks?
There are various birthmarks, and each has its cause of development. Scientists haven’t found why birthmarks are developed precisely, but the cause of developing a birthmark varies. Mostly, it is due to a cluster of pigmentation cells or the underdevelopment of the blood vessels. You might be wondering, does everyone have a birthmark? To know about it, read the next segment. (See Why do we develop grey or white hair?)
6. Does Everyone Have a Birthmark?
Now that you have an idea about what birthmarks are and how they are developed, you can answer the question, does everyone have a birthmark? The answer is no. Birthmarks are common but not everyone has one. Most types of birthmarks fade as you grow older. So there’s a chance you might have had a birthmark. There’s no way one can know whether the baby will have a birthmark or not. If you don’t have a birthmark, that means you should not be concerned about your health. It’s just an abnormality that fades over time. Still, if you notice anything different like cherry angioma or any other types of moles that affect your skin and heath, you must visit your doctor for the same. (See 6 Nasal Hair Facts)
7. What are the Myths About Birthmarks?
Due to a lack of understanding of a birthmark, many myths surround birthmarks. Some people still ask, does everyone have a birthmark? Here are some of the common ones:
- A theory exists that birthmarks are fatal wounds from an individual’s past life. If someone has a knife-shaped or sword-shaped mark, then those people were stabbed and died in the past life.
- Conversely, it is also said that birthmarks could reveal your past-life occupation. Take the same example. If you or someone has got a sword-shaped birthmark, they were warriors or soldiers in their past life.
- People having birthmarks in regular shapes like a cloverleaf, rabbit’s foot, and heart are considered lucky.
- Birthmarks are also associated with royalty. People having birthmarks are considered to be royal. This theory was so deep-rooted in people’s minds that some groups of commoners were able to capture the thrown by pretending they were royalty in Russia in 1605.
- The myth says that if a pregnant woman often ignores her cravings, touches her belly, experiences strong emotions, or easily gets scared, then the baby will have a birthmark. This is not true as there is no known cause for a birthmark’s development. (Also read Why Do People Get Plastic Surgery?)
Facial features such as eyes, nose, skin tone, height, build, etc., are different for everyone. Your genetic makeup determines these things. The difference is you don’t and you certainly cannot have control over these things. In particular, you can’t control whether you should have birthmarks or not. Having or not having a birthmark doesn’t mean much. I hope this article helped you get the answer to the question, does everyone have a birthmark? Hope you learned about the myths surrounding it. (Also read Number of Bones in Human Body Male vs Female)
