Cafe au lait spots
Literally french for "coffee with milk" these spots look like irregularly shaped large flat light tan moles. Their significance increases if you have more than 6 before puberty as it can be a sign of a condition called "neurofibromatosis".
Dr. Gary Pitts reviewed this
30 years experience
How long it usually lasts:
How common it is:
Body locations
Related questions
A 32-year old female asked:
My son was born with two very small cafe au lait spots. Hes 5.5 now and i just noticed a new one. So 3 total. Can you get new spots?
1 doctor answer • 4 doctors weighed in
A 48-year old asked:
Did my daughter get cafe-au-lait spots from me?
2 doctor answers • 3 doctors weighed in
A 28-year old female asked:
I have three cafe au lait spots ranging from 1-3cm.They are very hard to see. I just found one today. No other nf1 symptoms. Could this still be nf1?
2 doctor answers • 5 doctors weighed in
A 38-year old asked:
What does having cafe-au-lait spots signal?
2 doctor answers • 14 doctors weighed in
A 28-year old male asked:
What is the definition or description of: cafe au lait spots?
2 doctor answers • 2 doctors weighed in
A 47-year old asked:
Can tattoos hide my cafe au lait spots?
2 doctor answers • 3 doctors weighed in
A 25-year old female asked:
Can you grow pimples on cafe au lait spots?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
A 34-year old asked:
Baby with many cafe au lait spots. Is it neurofibromatosis?
1 doctor answer • 3 doctors weighed in
A 48-year old asked:
What the percentage of person who has cafe au lait spots gets neurofibromatosis?
2 doctor answers • 8 doctors weighed in
A 42-year old asked:
Help! Is it possible to have a lot of cafe au lait spots and not have neurofibromatosis?
2 doctor answers • 4 doctors weighed in
A 23-year old female asked:
I have always had many/large cafe au lait spots. Recently, similar irregular shaped pigment is appearing in new areas and darker/larger? Worried?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
A 38-year old female asked:
When do cafe au lait spots dur to neurofibromatosis stop appearing? Would a person have them by the time they are a certain age if they are linked to neurofibromatosis, or can they pop up in their 30s?
1 doctor answer • 3 doctors weighed in
A 28-year old female asked:
If 1 year old baby has three cafe au lait spots, does this mean nf1? How likely is it that he'll get more?
1 doctor answer • 4 doctors weighed in
A 32-year old female asked:
I have 3 cafe-au-lait spots and no other symptoms. I am 30 years old and have a healthy 3 years old daughter. Could my spots be a sign of Nf1? Should I be concerned? Can Nf1 manifest at my age?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
A 43-year old asked:
My son had 2 seizures and has cafe au lait spots, could this be neurofibromatosis?
3 doctor answers • 6 doctors weighed in
A 49-year old male asked about a male:
How are cafe au lait spots linked to autism or neural disorders in toddlers? They recently were noticeable in our 2 year old
3 doctor answers • 7 doctors weighed in
A 38-year old female asked:
When do cafe au lait spots stop appearing that indicates neurofibromatosis? I have two on my buttocks that have been confirmed by dermatologist. Should I worry? Would i have more by now if I had neurofibromatosis? Would I know by now if I had it?
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in
A 27-year old female asked:
Mother had unilateral acoustic neuroma at 34, I have 4 small cafe au lait spots and my son has 2 small ones. Mother doesn't have any. Nf1?
2 doctor answers • 3 doctors weighed in
A 32-year old female asked:
My mom had an acoustic neuroma removed at 35- unilateral. She's 60 now without another one or any other tumors. We both have a few small cafe au lait spots- under 1.5 cm. Does this sound like nf2?
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in
A 38-year old female asked:
What are white matter brain lesions caused by. I have fibromyositis and one on my spine. I have elevated copper levels,cafe au lait spots on body,face?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
A 29-year old female asked:
My son has two cafe au lait spots and possible epilepsy (nocturnal seizures). Doctor mentioned genetic disorder. Is it possible?
2 doctor answers • 6 doctors weighed in
A 32-year old female asked:
I have four very light cafe au kait spots between .5 and 1 cm. And one that is extremely light and 2 cm. Is this just normal? No other symptoms.
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
A 32-year old female asked:
I have two extremely light hyperpigmented areas that are about 2 cm and 1.5 cm each. And then two actual cafe au spots that are both less than 1cm. No other criteria at all. Nf1, nf2? Something else? Or just normal?
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in
A 27-year old female asked:
One cafe au last spot 1.3cm, three more under 5mm... Not even sure if they are cals or sun spots? How can you tell the difference? Nf1?
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in
A 33-year old female asked:
Have cafe au latte spots and since birth of forth child have numbness in right index and Achilles on both feet. Could it be related?
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in
A female asked:
Toddler jerks before sleep, laughs alone, seems far, irritable. had chckn pox @7mo. has cafe au la it spots on bum inner thigh. Could it be NF1?
1 doctor answer • 3 doctors weighed in
A member asked:
Do multiple caf-au-lait spots on my baby's skin mean he has a serious disease?
3 doctor answers • 6 doctors weighed in
A 27-year old female asked:
My son was born with one small (.4cm) cafe au lait spot. He is 5 months now and i think i see another small one. Is this likely nf1?
2 doctor answers • 3 doctors weighed in
A 22-year old female asked:
My sister has NEUROFIBROMATOSIS type 2. She only has the cafe spots on her body. Will I develop it too? Is there a chance she will get a tumor? :(
2 doctor answers • 3 doctors weighed in
A 17-year old asked:
In my lower hips,next to my butt,I have a very lightbrown spot and I think its a cafe au lait spot.Its irregular shaped.Should I be worried?1.9cm in D
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
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