Mongolian Spot
The Mongolian spot is a type of congenital nevus, an area of a single or multiple character of gray—blue pigmentation of the skin, having an irregular or rounded shape and located most often in the sacrum area. Mongolian spots on the skin have such a name because they occur in 90% of one-year-old children of the Mongoloid race: Japanese, Indonesians, Eskimos, Chinese, Vietnamese, Koreans, etc. By the age of ten, spots remain in 6% of children. In representatives of the Negroid race, the Mongolian spot is also quite common, and in European children, blue skin pigmentation appears only in 1% of cases and is a reason to visit a dermatologist. It is noteworthy that the Mongolian spot does not carry any adaptive load, and regarding these pigment formations, many peoples have put together legends, sincerely believing that such a nevus is a heavenly mark and promises the owner happiness and good luck. The localization of the Mongolian spot in the sacrum area was popularly called a “sacred” place.
The content of the article:
Causes of the Mongolian spot
Manifestations of the Mongolian spot
Diagnosis of the Mongolian spot
Mongolian Spot
Causes of the Mongolian spot
As for scientists, they believe that the reason for the appearance of the Mongolian spot in infants lies in the abnormalities of embryonic development caused by a special gene present in the Mongoloid race. In light-skinned children, melanin is released only when exposed to ultraviolet light, and in a child of the Mongoloid race, melanin is produced constantly, and for this reason, Mongolian spots may occur. As you know, the skin consists of a surface layer — the epidermis and a deeper one — the dermis. The cells that produce melanin during normal pigmentation are located in the epidermis. When the embryo develops in the womb, the process of migration of pigment cells from the ectoderm to the epidermis remains incomplete. Because of this, pigmentation remains in the deep layers of the skin, which leads to the formation of Mongolian spots.
Manifestations of the Mongolian spot
Pigmented formations are most often localized in the sacrum, back, lumbar region, buttocks, upper and lower extremities. Occasionally, the localization of the Mongolian spot may change, this is called the migration of the nevus. Mongolian spots are sometimes localized in atypical areas: on the shins, forearms and other parts of the body.
The size of the spots may vary greatly: from very small formations (the size of a small coin), to large areas of pigmentation reaching the size of a plate. In some infants, a congenital spot may completely cover the entire area of the back or buttocks.
Basically, the color of the Mongolian spot is bluish or gray, but sometimes it is bluish-brown if the melanin is in shallow layers of the skin for one reason or another. A characteristic feature of the Mongolian spot is that its color is evenly distributed over the entire surface of the nevus. As the child grows up, the color of the Mongolian spot becomes less saturated, and in most cases the pigmentation completely disappears by the age of five. According to statistics, Mongolian spots disappear in 19 out of 20 children. There are rare cases when blue Mongolian spots remain in a child until adolescence, and sometimes until the end of life. The Mongolian spot is a melanomone—dangerous nevus, and in dermatology there has not been a single case when a Mongolian spot has developed into melanoma. Blue Mongolian spots are often confused with bruises and hematomas, but they have nothing to do with these injuries and are safe for human skin pigmentation. Such stains can only bring aesthetic inconveniences.
Diagnosis of the Mongolian spot
Despite the fact that Mongolian spots on the skin do not pose any threat to the life and health of the child, when they are detected, a consultation with a dermatologist is necessary. The doctor determines the origin of the spot and establishes an accurate diagnosis, because Mongolian spots may have similarities with melanoma-threatening nevi: blue nevi, Ota nevi and pigmented hair nevi that require special treatment. A specialist can prescribe dermatoscopy, sciascopy and even a biopsy for a child with a Mongolian spot to detect melanin in the deep layers of the dermis. If, after the diagnosis, doctors establish the fact of the absence of malignant nevi, then no treatment is required. A Mongolian spot of any shape and size passes by itself, so there is no need to register with a dermatologist.
Pigmented spots on the skin do not itch, are not injured and do not cause any inconvenience to the owner, except cosmetic. The Mongolian spot is not a disease, therefore it does not need prevention. The prognosis for this type of pigmented nevus is favorable.
