Café au lait spot

Common card · No. 271228

Café au lait spots, or café au lait macules, are flat, hyperpigmented birthmarks. The name café au lait is French for "coffee with milk" and refers to their light-brown color. They are caused by a collection of pigment-producing melanocytes in the epidermis of the skin. These spots are typically permanent and may grow or increase in number over time. Café au lait spots are often harmless but may be associated with syndromes such as neurofibromatosis type 1 and McCune–Albright syndrome. Café au lait lesions with rough borders ("coast of Maine") may be seen in McCune–Albright syndrome. In contrast, café au lait lesions of neurofibromatosis type 1 have smooth borders ("coast of California").

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