Cleft Lip and Cleft Palate are two of the most common birth defects, affecting one out of every 700-750 individuals. In the early weeks of development, long before a child is born, the right and left sides of the lip and the roof of the mouth normally grow together. However, occasionally those sections do not quite meet. A child born with a separation in the upper lip is said to have a cleft lip. A similar birth defect in the roof of the mouth, or palate, is called a cleft palate. Since the lip and the palate develop separately, it is possible for a child to have a cleft lip, a cleft palate, or variations of both.

Children born with cleft lip and cleft palate are subject to many problems that are often extensive and complex, such as abnormal facial appearance, unclear speech, poor hearing, inadequate dental health and learning problems.

Cleft Lip: A cleft lip can range in severity from a slight notch in the red part of the upper lip to a complete separation of the lip extending into the nose. Clefts can occur on one or both sides of the upper lip. Surgery is generally done when the child is about 10 weeks old.

To repair a cleft lip, an incision is made on either side of the cleft from the mouth into the nostril. Then the dark pink outer portion of the cleft is turned downward and the muscle is pulled, the skin of the lip is then sutured together to close the separation. Muscle function and the normal "cupid's bow" shape of the mouth are restored. The nostril deformity often associated with cleft lip may also be improved at the time of lip repair or in a later surgery.

 Cleft Palate: In some children, a cleft palate may involve only a tiny portion at the back of the roof of the mouth; for others, it can mean a complete separation that extends from front to back. Just as in cleft lip, cleft palate may appear on one or both sides of the upper mouth. However, repairing a cleft palate involves more extensive surgery and is usually done when the child is nine to 18 months old, so the baby is bigger and better able to tolerate surgery.

To repair a cleft palate, an incision is made on both sides of the separation, moving tissue from each side of the cleft to the center or midline of the roof of the mouth. This rebuilds the palate, joining muscle together and providing enough length in the palate so the child can eat and learn to speak properly.

Skin Cancer which is becoming more and more common often begins in a mole. A change in the size, shape, color, or thickness of a skin blemish or mole may be an indication of skin cancer. Symptoms of itching, burning, and especially bleeding can indicate a problem. Some people are born with a noticeable significant skin lesion birth mark, mole, or hemangioma, but most often these and other blemishes develop slowly over time. Most of these are harmless. However, over the years irritated skin and moles can turn into cancer. You should be especially careful if you have a family history of skin cancer or if you have moles that have changed in size or appearance.

You can reduce the risk of developing skin cancer by avoiding excessive exposure to the sun and other forms of radiation, and by avoiding tobacco use, both smoking and chewing. However, even some people who have a dark complexion, who avoid the sun, and who have never smoked still have problems.

The most important thing to remember about skin cancers is that they are almost always curable when detected early. Therefore it is important to have skin cancer screens regularly.