Port Wine Stain

Alternative names:

flat hemangioma

Treatment:

Many treatments have been tried for port wine stains including freezing, surgery, radiation, and tattooing. Lasers have made the biggest impact on treatment, because they are the sole method of destroying the cutaneous capillaries without significant damage to the overlying skin. The flashlamp pumped dye laser, a yellow light laser, has been the most successful at destroying stains in infants and young children. Two other yellow light lasers, the copper vapor and krypton laser, have been used successfully in adults. The neodymium-YAG laser is used to treat thick, nodular, deep purple port wine stains.

Expectations (prognosis):

Treatment of infants with the flashlamp pumped dye laser generally produce marked improvement in appearance. Stains on the face respond better than those on the trunk or limbs. Older stains are more difficult to treat.

Complications:

Hypertrophy (increased tissue mass) of the stains produces deformity and increasing disfigurement.

Calling your health care provider:

(All birthmarks should be evaluated by the health care provider during a routine examination.)