CafÃÆ'Â © au lait spots or cafÃÆ' Â © au lait macules is a flat and pigmented birthmark. The name cafÃÆ' Â © au lait is French for "coffee with milk" and refers to their light brown color. They are also called "giraffes" or "beaches of Maine".
They are caused by a collection of pigment-producing melanocytes in the skin epidermis.
These spots are usually permanent, and may grow or increase in number over time.
Cafà © Å © au lait spots are often harmless, but may be associated with syndromes such as type 1 neurofibromatosis and McCune-Albright syndrome.
Video Café au lait spot
Cause
CafÃÆ'Â © au lait spots can arise from various and unrelated causes:
- Having six or more cafà © Å © au lait that has a diameter of more than 5 mm before puberty, or more than 15 mm after puberty, is a diagnostic feature of type I neurofibromatosis, but other features are needed to diagnose NF-1.
- Familial multiple cafà © Å © au lait spots have been observed without NF-1 diagnosis.
- They can be caused by vitiligo in the rare McCune-Albright syndrome.
- Legius Syndrome
- Tuberous sclerosis
- Fanconi Anemia
- Idiopathic
- Ataxia-telangiectasia
- Basal cell nevus syndrome
- Benign cutaneous skin lesions
- Bloom Syndrome
- ChÃÆ'Ã… © diak-Higashi syndrome
- Congenital navus
- Gaucher's Disease
- Hunter syndrome
- Jaffe-Campanacci Syndrome
- Maffucci Syndrome
- Multiple mucosal neuroma syndrome
- Noonan Syndrome
- Lung Stenosis
- Silver-Russell Syndrome
- Watson's syndrome
- Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome
Maps Café au lait spot
Diagnosis
Diagnosis is visual with spot size measurements. The number of points can have clinical significance for the diagnosis of related disorders such as Type I neurofibromatosis. Greater than or equal to 6 freckles with a minimum diameter of 5 mm in pre-puberty and at least 15mm in post-puberty individuals is one of the major diagnostic criteria for NF1.
Prognosis
CafÃÆ'Â © au lait spots are usually present at birth, permanent, and can grow in size or increase in number over time.
The cafe au lait spot itself is benign and does not cause any illness or problem. However, they may be associated with syndromes such as Type 1 Neurofibromatosis and McCune-Albright syndrome.
The size and shape of the spots has no meaning or implication with regard to the diagnosis of related syndrome.
Treatment
Places cafà © Å © au lait can be removed by laser. The results vary because the spots are often not completely lost or may return after treatment. Often, test sites are treated first to help predict the likelihood of successful treatment.
See also
- Birthmarks
- Nevus
- List of skin conditions
- List of conditions associated with cafÃÆ'Â Â au lait macules
References
External links
- eMedicine
Source of the article : Wikipedia
0 Comments