What is a Birthmark? Does everyone have Birthmarks? How they form , Drew Brees, Bill Corgan, Celebrities & Babies+Pictures

What are birthmarks? How are they defined and what do they mean to different cultures? Does every person have a birthmark? Are they hereditary? How do birthmarks form? Are they moles? Who are the celebrities/famous people with birthmarks? What are the most weird and strange birthmarks that have attracted most attention? Read on to find answers with pictures of the marks newborn babies.

What is a Birthmark? Meanings/Definition, Medical Term & Types

What is a birthmark or what are birthmarks and how is it Pronounced?

A birthmark is a colored mark or blemish that is visible on either an adult’s or a baby’s skin. Usually, birthmarks are benign and noticeable at birth, or they may develop soon after. The reason why these marks are given the name birthmarks is because they are mostly on the skin of quite a significant number of newborn babies. Birthmarks come in diverse colors (red, pale blue to pink, purple, brown, tan or even black) and sizes. Most of them are flat but some may be bumpy, raised or hairy and they may have regular or irregular borders.

While some birthmarks hardily disappear completely (they may even continue to grow), majority of them do fade during the kindergarten years. They are most often found on the face or neck but can be anywhere on the skin of your body. A tiny red or purple mark is the most popular appearing birthmark.

Birthmark Pronunciation

Click below to here how the term birthmark is pronounced.

Other birthmark Meanings/Definitions

Medicine.net defines it as a persistent visible mark on the skin that is evident at birth or shortly thereafter.

Urban Dictionary has a quite interesting meaning/definition for the term birthmark. The dictionary defines it as “A mark given to someone at birth by God because he decided it should grow on that person in a certain place. Sometimes they look really cute and attractive and are not moles. Most people who have them don’t like them but they usually make them more appealing because they are different than the rest of us ….”

According to the Free Dictionary by Farlex-Medical Dictionary, birthmarks, including angiomas and vascular malformations, are benign (noncancerous) skin growths composed of rapidly growing or poorly formed blood vessels or lymph vessels. Found at birth (congenital) or developing later in life (acquired) anywhere on the body, they range from faint spots to dark swellings covering wide areas.

Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary defines a birthmark as a brownish or reddish mark that is on a person’s skin from when they are born.

In simple terms a birthmark is just a mark, usually harmless, that is on your skin when you’re born or it may appear later after your birth.

What is the medical term for Birthmarks?

The medical term for a birthmark is naevus and when they are many (birthmarks) they are called naevi.

Birthmark Meanings according to different Cultures

Depending on one’s culture, birthmarks may have different meanings. Envie, Antojos, Voglie and wahimm (all mean wishes)are the names by which birthmarks are referred to in French, Spanish, Italian and Arabic respectively.
Other cultures(Indian) associate these marks with demons or evil: they mean bad luck!
According to other folks, the shape of your birthmark may mean a lot. Hearts, crosses and stars  may symbolize religious divinity or luck. These cultures believe that birthmarks are luck and no one should hesitate to give them a touch.
Yet more, some cultures are said to believe that these marks are gifts from other powers. It is thought that this is why some birthmarks such as angel kisses and stork bites occur.
In cultures where  reincarnation or rebirth is widespread, birthmarks have other meanings. For example, these marks are believed to indicate  an area where an individual was incapacitated  in a previous life.
You might want to learn more about beliefs, superstition or myths & interesting facts about birthmarks.

Synonyms of the term birthmark?

Elsewhere you might hear birthmarks called by the following names. You don’t want to imagine it is something else…So the alternative words which you may come across or hear while on birthmarks topic or discussion include;

• Angioma
• Hemangioma
• Nevus
• Mother’s mark
• Port wine stain
• Naevus
• Strawberry mark
• Mole
• Blemish
• Discoloration
• Patch
• Beauty spot/mark

How popular is the term birthmark? How often do people search or use it on the internet? What are the statistics? Here  are the statistics of term birthmark usage over shown graphically. The data is based on Google searches.

Types of Birthmarks

Birthmarks are categorized into two types that is, vascular or blood vessel birthmarks and pigmented birthmarks. The difference between the two types of marks originates from the causes as you will learn shortly. Under the two main types of birthmarks there are several sub-types of birthmarks.

Pigmented types

• Café au lait spot
• Mongolian spot
• Mole

Vascular types

• Strawberry mark
• Stork bite/salmon patch
• Port-wine stain

Does everyone have a Birthmark? – Yahoo Answers

Does everybody have a birthmark? Is everyone born with a beauty spot or mark? The answer to this may be a yes or no basing on some factors.

First and foremost, it is a fact that majority of individuals have birthmarks. It is estimated that in every three infants, one has a birthmark and the marks are more common in girls than boys: twice as many girls as boys have birthmarks.

Everyone may be having a birthmark! Why? Basing on the idea that a birthmark is a mark anywhere on your skin and it varies in size and color …You probably have it, only that you have not noticed it. It may be very small and hidden or maybe it blends with your skin color making it had for you to spot it.

Someone went ahead and asked the question “does everyone have a birthmark” on yahoo answers

Most users agree that birthmarks are a common phenomenon. Some people have them while others don’t. However, it is clear that some people have birthmarks that are on some weird, covered or hidden places on their body. It therefore implies that not seeing a birthmark on your skin does not necessarily mean that you don’t have one.

What does it mean if you don’t have a birthmark?

It does not mean anything harmful. It is normal to have or not have a birthmark.

How are Birthmarks formed?

How do birthmarks form or what does cause them? Are they where you were killed? Can these marks be inherited? Keep on reading to find out.

At this point you already know what a birthmark is and the different types. So how are birthmarks formed?

According to experts, how birthmarks form is not fully understood. Vascular birthmarks are believed to form when blood vessels under or in the skin don’t develop in a normal way. The blood vessel may be too many or abnormally wide.

When the cells that create pigment, color or melanin in your skin overgrow, pigmented birthmarks form. The pigment producing cells are called melanocytes and they found in the bottom layer of the skin’s epidermis. The reason(s) why vessels develop incorrectly or cells overgrow is now known.

Are Birthmarks Hereditary or where you were killed in Past life?

Are birthmarks genetic? Is it true that these marks symbolize where you died in the past?

Are Birthmarks Hereditary?

Are birthmarks genetic or do you inherit them? Most experts agree birthmarks, especially the vascular types are usually not inherited.

However, there is plenty of anecdotal evidence that birthmarks can be inherited. There are cases where several generations of family members having birthmarks of similar shape, color, size and on the same location. It is also thought that birthmarks may be an inherited weakness of vessel walls.

Are birthmarks where you were killed in past life?

Some other related questions to this include;

• Do birthmarks show how or where you died?
• Are birthmarks wounds from how you died?
• Are birthmarks where you were killed in another life?

There is no scientific evidence regarding these questions. As mentioned earlier, how birthmarks come about is not fully known: they form either by an abnormal formation of blood vessel or overgrowth of melanocytes. Find out more hearsays about birthmarks and past life.

Mole or Birthmark- Are moles Birthmarks? Can birthmarks be Cancerous?

Can birthmarks be cancerous? Usually most birthmarks are known to be harmless. Common types like the strawberry marks and port wine stains hardly develop into a cancer. However, according to cancerresearch.org, a congenital giant melanocytic naevus, an exceptional type of birthmark, can develop into the most serious form of skin cancer  known as melanoma. So what is the point here? Not all birthmarks are benign or harmless.

Mole or Birthmark? Are moles birthmarks? Absolutely yes, a mole can be a birthmark. Moles are small colored spots on the skin made up of melanocytes. They are brownish in color, darker or skin-colored. They are medically known as melanocytic naevi. Moles may be present at birth but most of them develop afterwards.

Drew Brees & Bill Corgan Birthmarks Pictures-Celebrities & Famous People + Babies with Common Birthmarks

Enough of questions about birthmarks! You might be interested to see pictures, images or photos of celebrities and other people or babies with common birthmarks. In addition, you will have a look at strange, weird or rare birthmarks.

Drew Brees Birthmark/Mole + Video

Who is Drew Brees? Drew Christopher Brees is an American football quarterback for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). Brees has a prominent birthmark placed prominently over his right cheek. In the year 2010, when Oprah met him in her show for the first time, she thought that the birthmark on Drew’s face was a lipstick smudge…

So what does it feel like if a celebrity or  famous person  has a strange physical flaw which happens to be called a birthmark? Can this make people around you treat you different? Here is a video about what NFL player feels about the birthmark on his left cheek since he was a kid.

Bill Corgan, Joaquin Phoenix, Cassandra Naud & Mikhail Gorbachev Birthmarks

Billy Corgan Birthmark -William Patrick “Billy” Corgan Jr. is an American musician, producer, songwriter, TV writer, and poet. He is best known as the lead singer, guitarist, and sole permanent member of The Smashing Pumpkins.

Billy was born with a big red port-wine stain birthmark that coats most his left hand’s fingers and palm. Just like Drew Bees, kids treated him differently due to his birthmark. Though the mark does stop him from doing what he does best and he is no longer concerned about it, he has never forgotten his childhood experience.

Joaquín Rafael Phoenix, is an American actor, producer, music video director, musician and activist. Many people ask what Joaquin Phoenix’s scar is from. It is thought the he must have underwent a surgical correction of a cleft palate but that is not the case. It is a birthmark which has been there since his birth.

Cassandra Naud is a dancer & model. She has a large birthmark below her right eye. She embraces it. In this case, her mark qualifies to be called a beauty mark since it makes unique.

Mikhail Sergeyevich was the President of the Soviet Union 15 March 1990 – 25 December 1991. Mikhail Gorbachev is one of the most famous person with a birthmark (Port-wine stain) visible on the forehead

More Pictures of Common Birthmarks on Newborns & Babies Face

Below are pictures of birthmarks on newborns.

Birthmarks on Babies Face Photos

Weird /Strange/Rare Birthmarks

Zhang Hongming, from Chongqing in South-Western China, suffered an exceptional congenital giant pigmented nevus giant birthmark that covered his shoulder and arm. On top of Zhang’s birthmark was a layer of thick black hair that lead to him being nicknamed “Chimpanzee or Monkey.” He received the first of several procedures to help him rid the thick hair.

Another strange birthmark was that of a kid from Colombia. Didier Montalvo, called ‘turtle boy’ had a shell-like giant mole that covered his back. The rare condition is called Congenital Melanocytic Nevus. British surgeon helped Didier live normal life by getting rid of the mole. However, according to the surgeon, this condition was the most extreme case he had ever come across.

Ciera Swaringen, from Rockwell, North Carolina, has yet weird birthmarks. She was born with mole-like birthmarks that are spread all over her body. Luckily, she grew in an environment where majority of individuals understood birthmarks. Ciera embraces her birthmarks and she feels normal about the condition.

Other kids who had weird birthmarks include;

• Li Xiaoyuan (Cat Girl)
• An Qi
• George Ashman

Strange Birthmarks on Animals

Birthmarks not only appear on human beings but also animals for example pets. Animals may be born with heart and other commonly known shapes on their skin. Other animals have birthmarks of themselves check below image with cat-like birthmark on a cat.

Interesting related information about birthmarks

1. Types of Birthmarks: Vascular Red/Pink Birthmark- Salmon Patch & Pigmented Brown Birthmark- Café-au-Lait, Causes & Removal
2. Mongolian Birthmark/Spot on Babies, Meaning, Pictures, Myths, Removal & Treatment
3. Strawberry Hemangioma Birthmark Pictures, Meaning, Causes, Removal + Treatment
4. Birthmark Myths & Interesting Facts about Birthmarks
5. Port Wine Stain Birthmark Removal/Treatment, Cost, Causes +Pictures