One in ten babies that is born has a birthmark. Some birthmarks are hard to see because they are small or under a person's hair whereas others are larger and harder to miss because they stretch across large pieces of skin. Given how common it is to have birthmarks, it's no wonder that there are many meanings or superstitions that are linked to the phenomenon.

Not only are birthmarks a common occurrence, they also often have medical meanings and can warn people about their potential risk for everything from cancer to glaucoma.  The following are some of the superstitions people used to have about different marks and some of the medical meanings behind these marks.

Common superstitions or sayings about birthmark meanings range from people thinking that the marks identify children of great fortune to those that say that the marks signal something the mother did during a pregnancy. For example, one of the most common sayings or myths about strawberry birthmarks or café au lait spots is that the mother ate a lot of red-colored foods or coffee.

Often, the placement of the birthmarks relates to the meanings people place on certain marks. Some people believe that if a woman has a mark on her chin area, she will then experience great riches. Similarly, some believe that if a man has a birthmark on the right side of his body, it means he will experience great fortune in his life.

Some of the medical birthmark meanings can help you recognize whether or not you need to consider birthmark removal for health reasons. If you have strawberry birthmark on or around your eye, it may make it difficult to see or to blink your eye. Such a mark has also often been linked to glaucoma. Additionally, if you have congenital pigmented nevi, the moles could signal that you have or are at risk for cancer. Thus, it is important to have doctors check your moles so they can point out any medical meanings.