Are port-wine stains harmful?
Port-wine stains usually are nothing more than a harmless birthmark and don’t cause problems or pain. Rarely, though, they’re a sign of other medical conditions. For example, doctors will monitor port-wine stains on or near the eye or on the forehead.
Can port-wine stain birthmarks be removed?
A Port wine stain birthmark can’t be completely removed, but they can be treated so their appearance fades. When you decide to have your birthmark removed it’s important to visit a reputable medical clinic that has highly trained and experienced Cosmetic Doctors and Cosmetic Nurses performing this treatment.
Are port-wine stains permanent?
A port-wine stain is a permanent birthmark present from birth. It starts out pinkish or reddish and turns darker as the child grows. Most often, a port-wine stain appears on the face, but it can affect other areas of the body.
Can port-wine stains become cancerous?
Most birthmarks, such as the common port wine stains and strawberry marks, carry no risk of developing into a cancer. But a very rare type, called a giant congenital melanocytic naevus, can develop into a melanoma if it is larger than 20cm.
Do port-wine stains come back after laser?
“Although pulsed-dye laser treatment of port-wine stains is still the best and most effective method currently available, patients should be aware of the fact that the effect of this treatment may not last forever and that the port-wine stain may return — in part — at long-term follow-up,” said Dr.
How many laser treatments does it take to remove port-wine stains?
Multiple treatments are the norm, and most patients require eight to ten treatments or more for optimal results.
Can port-wine stains appear later in life?
Port-wine stains (PWSs) are congenital vascular lesions caused by progressive ectasia of blood vessels located in the vascular plexus of the dermis. Acquired PWSs develop later in life but are identical in morphology and histology to the congenital PWSs.
Can port-wine stain spread?
Commonly called port wine stains, capillary vascular malformations are present at birth and do not go away. They grow proportionately with the child, and although they do not spread out to cover unaffected skin, they can darken and thicken as the vessels slowly dilate when patients reach adulthood.
Can port-wine stains develop later in life?
A Port Wine Stain is a collection of abnormally formed blood vessels (capillaries) in the skin, which results in a red mark that may have the colour of port wine. Although most Port Wine Stains are present at birth, it has been reported in few cases to develop later in life (‘acquired Port Wine Stain’).