Growing up, I have heard various mythical versions of the birthmark story. The one which struck me particularly was the tale the old people peddled. I use 'peddling' because it is not true, not true and can't be true! *giggling*.
They hold the belief that birthmark is the expressed, unsatisfied craving the mother had while carrying the child. This makes me laugh, always especially, since I have a friend whose birthmark is splattered on the left side of her face, deep brown stain matting her eye down to her cheek and oh she detests it.
To my people, her mother craved Bush Rat while pregnant for her. I would argue saying, " nooo, it is more like mummy dear craved syrupy chocolate delight so badly." C'mon who craves Bush Rat?
I was never satisfied with their theories so I postulated mine. Birthmark is God's Identification label imprinted on our skin just like an ID chip. It helps God know where you are, who you are, what you doing, every tiny winy detail. Erm yea you could also describe it as a form of tracker.
Then there was a second theory I conjured because everyone laughed at my first one. Birthmarks came with Cain after he killed Abel. Remember God marked him. So since then that mark passes from generation to generation to generation to generation and then to us.
Those were the stories I spun years ago, when I could find no explanation for my birthmarks.
"Birthmarks are not hereditary, in most cases." Said a science journal, proving my theory wrong. Oh yea, whatever, you win some and then lose some.
"Birthmarks are blemishes on the skin that are noticeable at birth, or shortly afterwards". It continued.
There are various types of birthmark.
Vascular birthmarks - a red, pink or purple blemish -caused by abnormal blood vessels under the skin."
Pigmented birthmarks- usually brown and are caused by the clustering of pigment cells.
Mongolian spots- blue-gray marks commonly seen in darker skinned people. The mark may look like a bruise and appear over the lower back.
Hemangiomas- red strawberry mark.
Angel kisses. Birthmarks used to be called "voglie" in Italian, "antojos" in Spanish, and "wiham" in Arabic - meaning "wishes" or "whims."
Birthmarks fade with age but don't disappear completely. It features in any part of the body; In fair-skinned individuals it usually has a light brown color, while in darker-skinned people it may be almost black.
P.S: Am light skinned but the birthmark plopped in the middle of my head is dark, as dark can be. So, don't always believe science journals, stick with my theories. wink.
Comments