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What are Café Au Lait Macules and Why Do They Occur?

Many people are born with what’s called Café Au Lait Macules, or CALMs. Very similar to birthmarks, Café Au Lait spots are areas of the skin affected by hyperpigmentation, often developing more prominently during infancy and resulting in smooth or irregular-bordered patches on the skin. They are called Café Au Lait Macules because they usually appear light to dark brown in color. Café Au Lait Macules may appear only once or twice along the skin, or they may appear multiple times in different areas, which may be an indication of a genetic disorder called neurofibromatosis – a condition which causes cells to grow abnormally in nerve tissues. While ranging from very small “splotches” on the skin to large, highly visible hyperpigmented lesions, Café Au Lait Macules can cause people to feel very self-conscious about their appearance.

Treatment Options

Like birthmarks, the appearance of Café Au Lait Macules can often be reduced with laser treatments. Our dermatologists at the Dermatology & Laser Surgery Center offer a number of advanced laser skin renewal procedures that may be effective at diminishing the prominence of Café Au Lait Macules.
Effective Café Au Lait Macule Reduction Treatments

Our Patients’ Results

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*Individual Results May Vary