What are these spots (pictured) known as?

Café au lait spots, or café au lait macules, are flat, hyperpigmented birthmarks.The name café au lait is French for "coffee with milk" and refers to their light-brown color. Café au lait lesions with rough borders ("coast of Maine") may be seen in McCune-Albright syndrome. In contrast, Café au lait lesions of neurofibromatosis have smooth borders ("coast of California").

They are caused by a collection of pigment-producing melanocytes in the epidermis of the skin.

These spots are typically permanent and may grow or increase in number over time.

Café au lait spots are often harmless but may be associated with syndromes such as neurofibromatosis and McCune–Albright syndrome.

Café au lait spots can be removed with lasers.Results are variable as the spots are often not completely removed or can come back after treatment. Often, a test spot is treated first to help predict the likelihood of treatment success.