Stork bite on the forehead

Definition

A stork bite is a so-called birthmark, which many newborns have on their forehead, neck, eyelids or even on the root of their nose. It is a red, sharply defined mark, which is counted among the benign skin changes. It is caused by an accumulation and dilation of blood vessels that lie just below the surface of the skin. Usually the stork bite fades in the first 3 years of life and gradually disappears. Active treatment of the stork bite is not usually necessary.

Causes

The stork bite on the forehead is a birthmark with which almost half of all newborns are born. The exact cause for the appearance of this benign skin change has not yet been scientifically clarified. However, it is known that the stork bite is an accumulation of blood vessels in the upper layers of the skin, which are greatly dilated and shine through the skin surface.

As a rule, the small blood vessels are located in much deeper layers and cannot be easily seen from the outside. If the affected children exert themselves hard and develop crying, or even fever, there is increased blood flow to the superficial small blood vessels. These dilate and take on a darker color due to the increased filling with blood.

If pressure is exerted on the small vessels, for example with a wooden spatula, the blood empties out of the skin capillaries and the color fades. A stork bite may also be the result of a minor malfunction during the child’s development in the womb. A stork bite diagnosis is a so-called gaze diagnosis.

The treating pediatrician can detect a stork bite at first sight. It usually manifests itself in certain parts of the body, such as the forehead, the neck (see: Stork bite in the neck), the eyelids or the root of the nose. If the sharply defined reddish spots can be removed for a short time by applying pressure, there is usually no longer any doubt.

However, a stork bite should not be confused with a fire stain. This is also a pathological dilatation of the blood vessels, which, however, grows more and more in the course of time and becomes darker and darker in its color intensity. In some cases, port-wine stains can also be related to other hereditary diseases. Furthermore, the stork bite can also be distinguished from a hemangioma, also called “blood sponge“.