Who gets Mongolian blue spots?
A man called Erwin Balz discovered blue spots on Japanese infants. He named them ‘Mongolian spots’ believing them characteristic of Mongoloid races. Mongolian blue spots commonly occur among dark skinned people. Most East Asians, East Africans, and people descended from Native Americans carry the mark when born. But the blue spot also occurs among fair skinned people. Between one and ten percent of European children are born with a blue spot. Are Mongolian blue spots dangerous? Mongolian blue spots have no association with any illness. For Asians, they occur as frequently as freckles. The spots usually begin to fade by the age of three and most have disappeared by five years. By puberty only five percent of blue spots remainusually the ones which appear in more unusual positions. Since the spots fade quickly, treatment is not normally recommended or necessary. Some people cover prominent spots with cosmetics. The Japanese have reported some success with laser removal treatment. So, whe
