Port wine stain birthmarks appear as pink, purple, or reddish patches on the skin. They occur due to a malformation of small blood vessels, or capillaries. They are mostly harmless but may result from an underlying health condition.Another name for this type of birthmark is a congenital capillary vascular malformation.
Port wine stains are rare and affect approximately 0.3% of newborns. Here, we discuss what a port wine stain birthmark looks like, its causes, complications, and possible treatments. We also answer some common questions about port wine stain birthmarks.
What do Port Wine Stains look like?
Port wine stains are pink, purple, or reddish patches of skin. People most commonly have these birthmarks on their faces. Another common location for port wine stain birthmarks is the neck.
Less commonly, they may appear on a person’s:
- abdomen
- arms
- legs
If a person does not receive treatment for their birthmark, it may get darker as they age. It can also develop nodular thickening over time and may develop small, raised red bumps. Port wine stains can range in size from very small to quite large.
If a person’s birthmark does develop vascular nodules, it may be prone to spontaneous bleeding. The birthmark may also bleed internally.
Causes of Port Wine Stains
The capillaries are small blood vessels that transport oxygenated blood to the cells in the organs and systems throughout the body.Port wine stain birthmarks occur due to dilated capillaries. These dilated blood vessels are wider than usual in the affected area, which allows blood to build up in them. This causes an increased number of red blood cells to build up in the skin.
Port wine stains may also occur due to a rare vascular disorder called Sturge-Weber syndrome (SWS).
Around 15–20% of children with a facial port wine stain birthmark that involves the ophthalmic nerve are at risk for SWS.
SWS is a condition that can affect the skin, brain, and eyes. According to the National Organization for Rare Disorders, it can cause a person to develop:
- a port wine stain birthmark
- atypical blood vessels in the brain
- eye conditions, such as glaucoma
SWS may also cause a person to experience seizures and have a weakness on one side of their body. People with SWS may also have developmental delays. The symptoms and severity of SWS can vary widely from one person to another.
Treatment
Port wine stains often do not require treatment. However, if they do, the most common option is pulsed dye laser treatment. This treatment aims to destroy the affected capillaries, reducing the amount of blood that is built up in the skin. This may cause the birthmark to fade and become less red.
During this treatment, a medical professional uses lasers to accurately treat a target. In this case, the target is the affected capillaries. The capillaries absorb the photons, which causes them to heat up. This process ultimately destroys the selected capillaries. This procedure tends to avoid causing damage to the surrounding structures.
Research suggests that healthcare professionals should begin this treatment during a person’s infancy in order to encourage a better outlook.
