Vascular birthmarks, usually just called birthmarks, are marks on the skin which appear at birth or within the first few weeks of life. One in 10 children are born with birthmarks of some kind.

They can be brown, tan, blue, pink or red, and are comprised of blood vessels bunched together under the skin. They can be flat or raised.

You'd think medical science could explain this phenomenon, but it can't. Birthmarks aren't inherited or caused by anything that happens to the mother during pregnancy.

The most common vascular birthmarks are macular stains, hemangiomas and port-wine stains.

Macular stains are known as angel kisses if they're on the face and stork bites if they're on the back of the neck, but can occur anywhere on the body. They usually go away by age 2, but might last into adulthood, and require no treatment.

Hemangiomas usually become visible within the child's first few weeks and are divided into two types: strawberry and cavernous.

Strawberry hemangiomas are slightly raised and bright red because the abnormal blood vessels are close to the skin. Cavernous hemangiomas are blue because the abnormal blood vessels are deeper under the skin. They're more common in females and premature babies.

Port-wine stains occur in about three infants in 1,000. It's sometimes called a nevus flammeus or capillary hemangioma, but shouldn't be confused with a hemangioma.

Port-wine stains appear at birth and are purplish discolorations most often found on the face, neck, arms or legs. They grow only as the child grows and last a lifetime. In time, they might develop small bumps or ridges.

For more information, check the Web site of the American Academy of Dermatology

http://www.aad.org

Why are beans such a "fragrant" food?

The fragrance in question isn't the pleasant smell that wafts from the kitchen during a family gathering. Beans contain sugars our body simply can't digest. These sugars are called oligosaccharides.

The bacteria in your intestines go berserk when they come in contact with oligosaccharides. The bacteria try to break down the sugars, but they can't, and before you know it, no one wants to be in the same room with you.

The most offensive sugars are raffinose, stachiose and verbascose, all of which are found in beans. Beans aren't the only food conducive to producing offensive smells: corn, bell peppers, cauliflower, cabbage, milk, bread, eggs, beer and raisins are also culprits. People unable to digest milk due to lactose intolerance might suffer extreme flatulence if they consume dairy products.

Recipes exist online for preparing dry baked beans that do not cause lingering side effects.

Who is the Baby Ruth candy bar named after?

There is no one answer to the Baby Ruth naming controversy. It's open to hearsay and conjecture.

The National Confectioner's Association maintains the mixture of peanuts, chocolate, nougat and caramel takes its name from Grover Cleveland's baby daughter, Ruth, who died in 1904.

Grover Cleveland was our 22nd and 24th president, holding office from 1885-89 and 1893-97. He's the only president to hold nonconsecutive terms, and the Baby Ruth candy bar is not named for his little girl. Chicago's Curtiss Candy Co. did not manufacture Baby Ruth candy bars until 1920.

Another theory is that Baby Ruth candy bars are named for the granddaughter of the president of the Williamson Candy Co., where the recipe originated.

And yes, New York Yankees slugger Babe Ruth plays a part in this saga.

Curtiss Candy gave away thousands of Baby Ruth candy bars as promotions and priced them at 5 cents, half the going rate.

Children started sending Babe Ruth Baby Ruth candy wrappers to autograph. The Bambino demanded royalties for the use of his name and was denied.

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