Port wine stains are discolorations of the skin caused by a capillary malformation or vascular anomaly. They are name due to the unique color they present that is similar to red wine.
A port-wine stain is almost always a birthmark, and in rare cases it can develop in early childhood. Either way, port-wine stains ordinarily persist throughout life. The area of skin affected grows in proportion to general growth
Port-wine stains are discolorations of the skin caused by a capillary malformation or vascular anomaly. They are name due to the unique color they present that is similar to red wine. PWS or port-wine stains are classed as red vascular birthmarks, and are made up of thousands of tiny capillaries lying in different depths of the skin. They can be slightly pink when early, but a deep purple in adult age. PWS most commonly occur in the face and neck area, but can affect any part of the body including the limbs.
A port-wine stain is almost always a birthmark, and in rare cases it can develop in early childhood. Either way, port-wine stains ordinarily persist throughout life. The area of skin affected grows in proportion to general growth
PWS do not cause symptoms, but can be psychologically distressing, especially if they occur on the face.
Port-wine stains occur most often on the face but can appear anywhere on the body, particularly on the neck and upper trunk. Early stains are usually flat and pink in appearance. As the child matures, the color may deepen to a dark red or purplish color. In adulthood, thickening of the lesion or the development of small lumps may occur.
Occurring in about 3 out of every 1000 newborns, PWS present as pink, red or purple, generally flat and often misshapen discoloration on an otherwise normal skin. Depending on the size and location of the PWS, the most common treatment is laser. Lasers, if used properly, and with the appropriate wavelength, can give effective results without downtime.
Lighter port wine stains or pink based port wine stains tend to respond well to visible light wavelengths such as BroadBand Light (BBL), and pulsed dye lasers. It is suggested to start treatment as early as two months of age and up to 8-10 treatments should provide for best results. Certainly, an adult can treat successfully as well, depending on the colour and location of the PWS, but treating early increases efficacy as well as alleviating social stress to the patient if the PWS is visible on the face or neck.
Vascular lesions, caused by enlarged or broken blood vessels, can take many forms all over the body — from rosacea and port wine stains to spider veins and birthmarks. Vascular lesions usually do not go away on their own, which is why many patients are seeking treatment options.
Product solution for these vascular indications include BBL Photorejuvenation
As a rough guide, 90% of patients can expect improvement with laser treatment. The earlier the treatment, the better the clearance rate.
In all cases, multiple laser treatments are required (6-15) over a course of months to years.
