A stork bite is the common, folkloric name for a benign vascular birthmark. The medical term for this finding is nevus simplex, and it is also widely known as a salmon patch. These marks are present at birth and are simply a collection of dilated, or widened, capillaries, the tiniest blood vessels in the body, located just beneath the thin skin of a newborn.

To understand why they appear, it helps to use an analogy. Think of your baby’s circulatory system as a vast landscape with a network of tiny irrigation pipes (capillaries) running just beneath the surface to nourish the skin.

• In most of the landscape, these pipes are very narrow, and the blood flowing through them is not visible.
• A stork bite is like a small, isolated section where the irrigation pipes were made slightly wider than in the rest of the system.
• Because these capillaries are more dilated, there is a slightly greater concentration of blood in that specific area. This pooling of blood in the widened surface vessels is what shows through the baby’s thin skin as a pink or reddish patch.

This is not a new growth, bruise or broken blood vessel. It is simply a minor, localized developmental variation in the size of the capillaries. A key feature of a stork bite is that it will often appear darker or more prominent when a baby cries, gets warm, or strains. This is because the increased blood flow during these activities makes the dilated vessels more visible, a phenomenon that is completely normal and harmless.

In my experience, parents are usually concerned when they see a pink or red mark on their newborn’s face or neck, but I reassure them that a stork bite is a harmless birthmark.

The cause of a stork bite, or nevus simplex, is the persistence of fetal capillaries in the upper layers of the skin. During fetal development in the womb, the network of surface capillaries is much more prominent. As the fetus matures and after the baby is born, these tiny blood vessels normally shrink and become less visible. A stork bite is simply an area where these fetal blood vessels have remained slightly dilated and closer to the skin’s surface after birth. The exact reason why this occurs in some babies and not others is unknown, but it is considered a normal developmental variation, not a defect.

Parents often worry about underlying issues, but I explain that this is a benign vascular birthmark, not linked to genetics or complications during delivery.

A stork bite is a congenital birthmark, meaning a baby is born with it. It is not something that is “gotten” or acquired after birth.

• It is not inherited in any predictable genetic pattern. While it can occasionally be seen in multiple family members, it does not follow a clear genetic pathway and is not considered a genetic disorder.
• It is not contagious.
• It is not caused by anything the mother did or did not do during her pregnancy.

The development of a nevus simplex is considered a common, sporadic, and random event of fetal development. In fact, it is the most common vascular birthmark of all, occurring in an estimated 30% to 50% of all healthy newborns.

In my experience, stork bites are present at birth and are not caused by anything the mother did during pregnancy, they’re simply a normal part of some babies’ development.

The most important feature of a stork bite is that it is a sign, not a symptom. It is completely asymptomatic and harmless. A baby does not feel the stork bite, and it is not itchy or painful in any way.

The signs are purely visual and have several characteristic features:

• Appearance: They are flat, irregularly shaped patches of pink or reddish skin. They are not raised or bumpy.
• Blanching: When gentle pressure is applied to the patch with a finger, the redness will fade or turn white. When the pressure is released, the pinkish color returns. This is a key sign that it is a vascular mark caused by dilated blood vessels.
• Location: Stork bites have a very characteristic distribution along the midline of the body. The different common names for the condition often refer to its location:
  • Stork Bite: The most common location is on the back of the neck, at the hairline. The name comes from the folklore of a stork carrying the baby by the neck.
  • Angel Kiss: When the patch appears on the forehead between the eyebrows (the glabella).
  • Eyelids: It is also very common for salmon patches to appear on one or both upper eyelids.
  • Less commonly, they can appear on the nose or upper lip.

Clinically, I look for location and color. Marks on the face usually fade within the first year, while those on the neck may persist into adulthood.

The diagnosis of a stork bite is made instantly and clinically, based on a simple visual examination by a pediatrician, family doctor, or nurse during the newborn’s first physical exam after birth.

No special tests, blood work, or imaging are needed. The classic appearance, characteristic midline location, and the fact that the patch blanches with pressure are all that is required to make a confident diagnosis.

Differentiating a Stork Bite from a Port-Wine Stain

The most important part of the diagnostic process is for the healthcare provider to differentiate a harmless stork bite (nevus simplex) from a different type of vascular birthmark called a port-wine stain (nevus flammeus). While they may both appear as red marks on the skin, they have key differences.

• Color and Texture: A stork bite is typically salmon-pink and is always flat. A port-wine stain is usually a darker red or purple color and can sometimes become thickened or pebbly over time.
• Blanching: A stork bite blanches easily with pressure. A port-wine stain does not.
• Location: Stork bites have a classic midline distribution. A port-wine stain can appear anywhere but is often on one side of the face.
• Progression: A stork bite will fade or disappear over time. A port-wine stain is permanent and will grow in proportion with the child and may darken over the years.

This distinction is important because a port-wine stain, particularly a large one on the face, can sometimes be associated with underlying medical syndromes (like Sturge-Weber syndrome) and requires further evaluation by a specialist.

In my experience, I make sure to differentiate stork bites from port-wine stains or hemangiomas, which have different implications.

This is the most reassuring part of the diagnosis for new parents. For a stork bite, or nevus simplex, the best and most highly recommended treatment is no treatment at all.

Because this is a completely harmless, benign, and asymptomatic birthmark, there is no medical reason to intervene. The “treatment” for a stork bite is simply time and reassurance.

Natural History and Fading

• Angel Kisses and Eyelid Patches: The salmon patches located on the face, the “angel kisses” between the eyebrows and the patches on the eyelids have an excellent prognosis. The vast majority of these will fade completely on their own within the first one to two years of life. By the time a child is a toddler, these marks are usually gone.
• Stork Bites on the Neck: The patches on the back of the neck are the most likely to persist. Up to 50% of these may remain into adulthood. However, they typically fade to a much lighter pink and are almost always completely covered by the hairline, making them unnoticeable.

Treatment for Rare, Persistent Lesions

In the very rare instance that a salmon patch on the face persists into later childhood or adulthood and is a source of significant cosmetic concern for the individual, a dermatologist may consider treatment with a pulsed dye laser. This laser targets red pigments in blood vessels and can be effective at fading the mark. However, this is a purely cosmetic procedure and is almost never necessary.

Clinically, I only consider laser therapy in rare cosmetic cases where the mark persists into later childhood and causes concern.

For new parents, every spot and mark on their baby’s skin can seem like a cause for concern. A stork bite, with its noticeable pinkish-red appearance, is no exception. However, it is essential to be reassured that this common birthmark is a completely normal and harmless variation of newborn skin. It is not a sign of any underlying disease, it is not painful, and it is not contagious. It is simply a small, temporary cluster of dilated blood vessels that, in most cases on the face, will fade away completely within the first couple of years of life. Clinically, I reassure families that these marks are just a normal part of newborn skin and rarely require medical attention.

Cleveland Clinic. (n.d.). Stork bite. Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved July 6, 2025, from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21975-stork-bite

American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). (n.d.). Birthmarks: AAD’s Top Questions Answered. Retrieved from https://www.aad.org/public/parents-kids/birthmarks/birthmarks-top-questions

The Mayo Clinic. (2024). Salmon patches. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/infant-and-toddler-health/multimedia/salmon-patches/img-20007817

DermNet NZ. (n.d.). Nevus simplex. Retrieved from https://dermnetnz.org/topics/nevus-simplex