Cafe Au Lait Macule
Café au lait macules (CALMs) are flat, pigmented brown spots on the skin. They may occur in infancy and childhood and not always at birth.
When do we worry?
Having one or two café au lait is not uncommon. However, having 6 or more (>0.5 cm in children or >1.5 cm in adults) may herald an underlying genetic condition known as Neurofibromatosis (NF) Type 1. Up to 50 % of patients with NF 1 do not have a family history. There are also a number of other syndromes that may also be associated with CALMs.
Treatments available in the clinic include:
If the patient does not have any other signs to suggest an underlying syndrome, and cosmesis is of concern, we can consider laser treatment to lighten the CALMs. Response is variable and there is always a potential for the CALMs to recur or darken with laser treatment.
Mount Alvernia Hospital
820 Thomson Road
St Anne Mother & Child Centre
#02-81
Singapore 574623
Opening Hours
Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri
8:30 am to 5 pm
Wed
8:30 am to 1 pm
Saturday
8:30 am to 12 pm
(closed every 3rd and 5th Saturday)
Phone or WhatsApp
(65) 91252808