The care we take with our babies is countless. So many that it is practically impossible for a mother to know everything about every aspect of her child’s health, behavior, psychology, and body. But fortunately, nowadays we live in a world where information is accessible to everyone, which makes things much easier. Although it requires care and attention, any unusual symptom that the baby presents can be researched and analyzed so that the mother can go to the doctor and confirm whether it is something bad or not. This is something that has happened frequently with mothers who discover Mongolian spots in babies. These small spots1 can be frightening and even cause despair in the more anxious, but it is always important to do some research to better understand what they are, why they appear, how they disappear, and if they really cause any harm to the baby. To better explain Mongolian spots in babies, we will talk about all these points and about how mothers should act when they find one on their baby.
What Are Mongolian Spots?
These are small spots with a purple, green, or pinkish color that usually appear on newborn babies in the region of the back or buttocks. The name “Mongolian” exists because of the Asian region, where cases of these spots are most common: in about 90% of babies. However, this does not mean that such spots appear only in babies of Asian descent. In babies with black skin, the spots also usually appear in 80% of births, and in white Caucasian babies the spots are relatively rarer, appearing in only 10% of babies. Although they closely resemble bruises, Mongolian spots do not pose any risk to the baby’s health and are completely harmless. For some time, a myth was created that they could indicate diseases such as cancer, for example, but this is nothing more than a myth and it is scientifically proven that the spots are just spots. Of course, depending on their size, these spots may indicate some disorder, but this is something we will address further in the text.
Why Do Mongolian Spots Appear?
As you may have noticed from the figures mentioned above, the appearance of these spots is entirely linked to the baby’s ancestry. It is a phenomenon that occurs because of an irregular accumulation of melanin in the skin, which the body gradually corrects over time. For this reason, there are also some cases where these spots appear on the babies’ legs or belly. In Brazil, cases of Mongolian spots in babies are relatively common due to the racial mixing in our country, and thus the probability of a baby being born with Mongolian spots is about 40% in our country2. This number is an average and can vary according to the region of Brazil or even the city where you live, depending on its size and social characteristics. 
Treatment for Mongolian Spots
Contrary to what many believe, there is no need for any treatment for Mongolian spots in babies. They usually disappear gradually over time, typically by adolescence. If the spots are very large, this may indicate a skin problem and in these specific cases a small treatment may be done with medication, ointments and even laser depending on the doctor’s diagnosis. It is common for these spots to disappear by about two years of age, but there are cases where they persist into adulthood, which are called persistent Mongolian spots3. Even so, they remain harmless, although they may appear in other areas of the body.
Care That Should Be Taken
Skin care for your baby does not need to be different from that of a baby who does not have Mongolian spots. Since it is a darker area of the skin, the protection against the sun is naturally greater, but this does not mean that your baby can be more exposed than usual. Sunbathing should take place as normal, always with sunscreen and at times when the sun is not at its peak. The same applies to bath time. All products made especially for babies to prevent their skin from drying out and being irritated can be used as usual, with no special care needed because of the spots. Ultimately, you will find that having or not having Mongolian spots in babies is practically irrelevant, but it can alarm mothers who do not know what it is and make many think the baby has some kind of disease. It is very common to be alarmed and not know exactly how to act when we discover Mongolian spots in babies, especially if we do not know what they are. But as you can see, it is something common like many others and will not harm your baby, although sometimes treatment may be needed for them to disappear completely. During your child’s childhood, you will encounter situations like this many times, where you will not know exactly how to act, but you will learn little by little. That is how you grow as a mother as your child also grows as a human being. See also: Does the newborn’s skin color change? Photo: cherylholt
