Strawberry marks. Strawberry marks are very common and are caused by an overgrowth of tiny blood vessels called 'capillaries' underneath the baby's skin. The medical term for these marks is an 'haemangioma'.
Most strawberry marks are not obvious at birth, or may appear as tiny red dots somewhere on the baby's skin. A few strawberry marks are larger and more obvious at birth. The marks will often grow and become more apparent in the baby's first 6 to 12 weeks of life. Some can have a growth period up until the baby is around 9 months old, before shrinking and disappearing.
Strawberry marks look like a bright red (or purplish), soft, raised, spongy swellings. They can often have a bluish appearance around the edges. Some will grow more outwards, covering more of the baby's skin before the child 'outgrows' the haemangioma's blood supply causing it to disappear on its own.
In the past strawberry marks were aggressively treated with either laser, x-rays, freezing or injecting chemicals. These sometimes led to scarring and side effects for the child. Removal of strawberry marks is now not recommended unless the mark is growing in an area that may cause a problem, such as close to the child's eye and possibly interfering with their sight. Some parents will consult with a dermatologist when the haemangioma is small and consider removal of the mark before it enlarges.
Most strawberry marks are completely gone within 2 years, while some can still be detectable up until the child is 10 years of age. They can appear anywhere on the body including inside the mouth or on the genitals and there can be more than one.