Café-au-lait spots
| Café-au-lait spots are dark spots on the skin that look like birthmarks. Since this is a common feature of the disorder, physicians always look for café-au-lait spots when making a diagnosis of NF1. |
|
- How large are they? Café-au-lait spots range from about about five millimeters to more than several centimeters in diameter.
- Are café-au-lait spots harmful? No. Like birthmarks, café-au-lait spots are harmless. In fact, birthmarks that could be classified as café-au-lait spots often show up in people who don't have NF1. In most cases, however, a person will only have one or two such birthmarks, whereas people with NF1 may have several, or more.
- When do they typically show up? Café-au-lait spots are usually present at birth, increasing in size and number with age.
- How many café-au-lait spots do people get? Again, the number varies.
- How common are they? About 95 percent of people with NF1 have café-au-lait spots.
|
Back
|
|
