When babies are born, there can be any number of marks or skin discolorations that appear. This can be from the way babies were positioned in the birth canal, birthmarks, birth trauma, stork bites, and more. Some of these marks will go away in a short time while it may take others time to fade. But one that may concern parents is hearing that their babies have a sugar bug vein. Fortunately, after an explanation of what the sugar bug vein on babies ‘noses is, parents’ worries will melt away.
Babies’ skin is very thin. This is why parents need to be careful about the lotions, soaps, and laundry detergents they use on their little ones as the chemicals present can easily pass through the skin barrier into the little ones’ systems. But the thin skin also shows much more about what is going on inside babies’ bodies than it does as it begins to thicken with age. And because of this, parents may see discolorations in the skin that they do not witness on themselves.
Here is the sugar bug vein on baby’s nose explained.
What Is The Sugar Bug Vein?
Contrary to its name, the sugar bug vein is not something that is caused by a bug or a parasite. It is instead a vein that is visible across the bridge of the nose that is present in some babies.
According to Parenting FirstCry, a sugar bug vein is a group of small veins that are present either across the bridge of the nose of infants. These veins can also be seen running in between the eyebrows as well.
The sugar bug veins are not painful and will fade over time as the thin skin on the babies’ faces begins to thicken, per publication. And as this happens, the fewer of the veins that were once present, disappear.
What The Sugar Bug Vein Looks Like
Not all babies will have the sugar bug vein. But for those who do, there is a very distinct coloring that will appear at the top of their nose.
According to the Holistic Squid, the sugar bug vein is varying shades of blue in color. It can look anything from a vein to a bruise in between babies’ eyes.
Per the publication, some believe that the prominence of the vein can be lessened if mothers eat less sugar while breastfeeding their babies. Whether this is true has yet to be confirmed. But for those mothers whose babies have the sugar bug vein, and it concerns them, it may be worth trying to see if the shade of blue diminishes.
Don’t Worry About The Sugar Bug Vein
While there is the school of thought in traditional Chinese medicine that the sugar bug is an indicator of poor digestion, an intolerance for sugar, or that mothers had a poor diet when they were pregnant, there are no studies that have proven this to be true .
According to Cook Children’s Checkup Newsroom, Western doctors have not been able to find a link between sugar sensitivity or accelerated appetites when they had the sugar bug vein. Instead, the vein truly appears to be something that is visible under the skin given that its presence is where some of the thinnest skin on babies’ bodies is found.
Further still, per the publication, there is the theory that the sugar bug vein is a gene mutation called MTHFR.
MTHFR is a common gene mutation. According to MedicalNewsToday, those with the mutation may not even realize they have it because there are no symptoms of the mutation being present. Others, per publication, may present with:
- Neurological conditions
- Microcephaly
- Scoliosis
- Anemia
- Cardiovascular diseases
- Behavior disorders
One thing that is not caused by MTHFR, according to Cook Children’s Checkup Newsroom is the sugar bug vein. As such, there is nothing for parents to worry about if their babies have it present.
Cause Of Sugar Bug Vein
The cause of the sugar vein is very simple, according to What To Expect. It is simply a series of veins that are present across the bridge of babies’ noses.
The reason that the veins are present in some babies more than others, per publication, has to do with the color of babies’ skin, how thin the skin is, and how large the veins are.
What Sugar Bug Veins Mean
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While sugar bug veins will begin to fade as babies age, it all depends upon the thickness of the skin and the size of the veins that will determine exactly when the blue hue between babies’ eyebrows will fade away.
According to MomJunction, the majority of babies will have their sugar bug veins nearly non-existent by the time they turn one year old. And once it is gone, the sugar bug vein will not make its presence known again.
Source: Parenting FirstCry, Holistic Squid, Cook Children’s Checkup Newsroom, MedicalNewsToday, What To Expect, MomJunction