Red birthmarks (Port Wine stain)
Port Wine Stains are smooth birthmarks that are formed by enlarged blood capillaries. They develop before or just after birth. At birth they are already present. Their colour varies from pink and red to dark purple. Port Wine Stain appears most often on the face skin and are of varying size.
What is the difference between port wine stain and hemangiomas?
Port Wine Stain, unlike haemangiomas, do NOT disappear with age. Typically, it progresses over time, changing its colour and relief. Usually the change in colour occurs during and after puberty, the spots becoming red or dark purple. As the years go by, a change in the skin in the area of the stain begins – it becomes thick, rough, with enlarged pores and sometimes with the appearance of small bluish “nodules” and “beads” that make the relief even rougher.
What therapy is used for Port Wine Stain?
The “gold standard” in the treatment of Port Wine Stain is lasers. Early beginning of therapy is considered to reduce the number of treatments and increase the likelihood that the spots will fade completely. Most often a significant (over 80%) fading of the stain lasts for months or years. After the end of the treatment course and the achieved satisfactory effect, it is necessary to undergo annual maintenance treatments.