
Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Cafe au lait
Introduction
Café au lait spots or cafe-au-lait spots (CAL) are pigmented birthmarks.
Etymology
Etymology
The name café au lait is French for “coffee with milk” and refers to their light-brown color in persons with light skin. It will appear as a darker lesion café noir in people with dark skin.
Pathophysiology
Pathophysiology
While café au lait spots are usually not associated with any medical problems, having many (three or more) such spots is linked with neurofibromatosis and the rare McCune-Albright syndrome.
Also, having six or more of such spots greater than 5 mm in diameter prepubertal or greater than 15 mm in diameter postpubertal children is a cardinal diagnostic feature of Neurofibromatosis type I.
Differential Diagnosis
Differential Diagnosis
Other syndromes that may include Cafe au lait spots:
Diagnosis
Diagnosis
Physical Examination
Skin
References
References
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Cafer Zorkun, M.D., Ph.D. [2]

![Cafe au lait spot[1]](https://www.wikidoc.org/images/9/93/Cafe_au_lait_%28NFT1_or_NFT2%29.jpg)
![Cafe au lait spot (with MR, it's McCune Albright)[2]](https://www.wikidoc.org/images/9/9a/Cafe_au_lait_%28with_MR%2C_it%27s_McCune_Albright%29.jpg)