1.What is coffee milk spot? Is it present at birth, or does it appear slowly after birth? Will it disappear?
Coffee milk spots, also known as coffee spots, are light brown patches that can be found at birth, ranging from light brown to dark brown in color, but the color of each patch is the same and very uniform, the shade is not affected by sunlight, the size varies from several millimeters to tens of centimeters, round, oval or irregular in shape, with clear borders and completely normal surface skin texture. Under the microscope, its performance is very similar to that of freckles, mainly showing an abnormal increase in the amount of melanin in the epidermis, but the number of melanocytes is normal. Coffee milk spots can occur on any part of the body, and with age, some of them will show a gradual deepening of color and will not fade away on their own. It has been reported that 10%-20% of children have a single coffee milk spot.
2.What is the relationship with neurofibroma?
However, if the number of coffee milk spots is large and gradually getting bigger, you should be alert to the possibility of “neurofibromatosis”.
Neurofibromatosis is a common autosomal dominant disease with an incidence of about 1/3000, and the first type is the most common. Before puberty, there is little to no abnormality in appearance other than the appearance of coffee milk spots on the skin. Later, some patients may develop neurofibromas of the skin or optic nerve tumors of the eyes, as well as tumors of various organs of the body, sometimes resulting in hypertension due to narrowing of blood vessels or scoliosis due to the impact on bone growth. In a few severe cases, abnormal limb growth or lymphedema, with the appearance of an elephant’s leg, may also occur.
To diagnose neurofibroma, the number of coffee milk spots must first be relatively large, at least six or more. The size of the spots is also required to be diagnosed, at least if the spots are larger than 5 mm in diameter before puberty and larger than 15 mm after puberty. One of the main manifestations of neurofibromatosis is coffee-milk spots, but not all children with coffee-milk spots are necessarily neurofibromatosis. Normal people can also have one or two coffee milk spots. It is important not to be particularly nervous about the sight of coffee milk spots and think of neurofibromas. In addition, coffee milk spots can also be seen in tuberous sclerosis and other neuroectodermal syndromes. If you do have more coffee milk spots on your body, it is recommended to go to the hospital to do some necessary systematic examination.
3.How to get rid of the more obvious coffee milk spots on the face and other areas? How safe is it? What are the precautions? Will it recur after removal?
Once the coffee milk spots appear on the face, it will not only affect people’s appearance, but also have a serious psychosocial impact.
Due to the characteristics of local melanocyte metabolism, the results of coffee milk spots treatment are sometimes unpredictable. The most commonly used laser is the Q-switched 755nm emerald laser, and the 532nm Q-switched multi-frequency Nd:YAG laser can also be used. As well as the fractional laser such as 694nm ruby fractional laser that appeared in recent years, the treatment has also achieved very good results.
The average number of treatments for coffee-milk spots is high, and each laser treatment needs about 3 months interval. After several treatments, most patients’ coffee-milk spots disappear or the color fades, and some patients may need several treatments to eliminate the lesions. Some lesions may have reactive pigmentation after treatment, making it difficult to continue treatment. It is necessary to wait for the reactive hyperpigmentation to subside naturally and then continue treatment. There is usually no postoperative hypopigmentation or loss of pigmentation, skin texture changes or scar formation.
However, it should be pointed out that after one treatment, the pigment debris of the spot is not discharged out of the body at once, but needs time to be discharged slowly, which is the natural recovery process of the skin and a process that cannot be crossed. After the surgery, initially, the trauma can have black scorching demented, after 1-3 days, the trauma has slight redness and oozing (especially in the orbital area or the trauma with a large burn area), a few can have blisters, and then dry and knot demented, 10 days to 2 weeks, the demented skin peels off and heals. There will probably be a process like this after each treatment, so you need to be prepared to stay off work before treatment.
Of course, in order to maintain a good effect of laser coffee milk spot removal, postoperative care should never be neglected.
1. Keep the area of coffee milk spot treated by laser clean to avoid infection and abrasion.
2.The scab will fall off by itself in 7-10 days if there is demented skin on the site of coffee milk spot treated by laser, otherwise the pigmentation will be serious and scars will be easily left.
3.After the scabs fall off, there may be short-lived pigmentation in the area. To prevent or reduce this situation, you can reasonably apply sunscreen spot removal products.
4.After the laser treatment of coffee milk spot, there will be a slight burning sensation and slight reddening of the skin in the treatment area, which is a normal reaction. If necessary, you can do 20-30 minutes of local cold compress to relieve or eliminate the redness and heat phenomenon.
5.After removing coffee milk spot, especially after laser coffee milk spot removal because the skin is more delicate, you should prevent sun exposure. You should apply sunscreen (SPF≥30) when you go out, and the use of aspirin and alcohol (including cosmetics containing alcohol) is strictly forbidden, and you should not squeeze, press, touch or rub the treatment surface.
6, laser treatment of coffee milk spot during the prohibition of light-sensitive food (such as celery, leek, parsley, etc.) and light-sensitive drugs. Sensitive skin is prohibited to eat food that will cause skin allergy.
7.After the laser treatment of coffee milk spot, because the absorption ability of the skin is enhanced and the metabolism is accelerated, some patients may have dry and dehydrated skin, so the skin must be taken care of after the operation to replenish enough moisture and nutrition.
Now we all know how to remove coffee milk spot, in fact, removing coffee milk spot is a comprehensive process of treatment and daily care, if you want to remove coffee milk spot perfectly and get rid of all the troubles brought by coffee milk spot as soon as possible, you must adhere to good living habits and actively cooperate with the treatment.