A or '''''naevus flammeus''''' is a vascular
Birthmark consisting of superficial and deep dilated
Capillaries in the
Skin which produce a reddish to purplish discoloration of the skin. They are so called for their colour, resembling that of
Port Wine .
Port-wine stains are present at birth. The incidence is 3 out of 1,000 people. Port-wine stains occur most often on the
Face but can appear anywhere on the body. Early stains are usually flat and pink in appearance. As the child matures, the color may deepen to a dark red or purplish color.
The presence of PWS can cause emotional and social problems for the affected person because of their cosmetic appearance (see
Disfigurement ). Port-wine stains that involve the upper and lower eyelids (trigeminal distribution) may be associated with the development of
Glaucoma .
PWS may be one of a group of symptoms and signs, in which case it is considered to be part of a
Syndrome such as
Sturge-Weber Syndrome or
Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber Syndrome . Hypertrophy (increased tissue mass) of the stains may occasionally produce deformity and increasing disfigurement. Nevertheless, all birthmarks should be evaluated by the health care provider during a routine examination.
A physician can usually diagnose a port wine stain based entirely upon its appearance. In unusual cases, a skin
Biopsy may be needed to confirm the diagnosis. Depending on the location of the birthmark and other associated symptoms, a physician may choose to order a measurement of intraocular pressure or
X-ray of the
Skull .
Many treatments have been tried for port-wine stains including freezing,
Surgery , radiation, and tattooing; port-wine stains can also be covered with
Cosmetic s.
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 is used to treat thick, nodular, deep purple port-wine stains.
Treatment of infants with the flashlamp pumped dye laser generally produces marked improvement in appearance. Stains on the face respond better than those on the trunk or limbs. Older stains may be more difficult to treat.
The most famous person with a port-wine stain is former President of the
Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev , whose birthmark is located on his forehead. Another example would be young actor
Branko Tomovic .
