What is a port-wine stain?
Port-wine stains are the expression of a non-hereditary local developmental disorder of the skin, in which there is an increase in the number of blood vessels in the skin. They can be present on any part of the skin, but the face is most frequently affected. Port-wine stains are present at birth and occur in about 2 in 1,000 newborns. The official name is naevus flammeus.
What does it look like?
At birth, port-wine stains are light- to dark-red patches, level with the normal skin. The size can vary from a few millimetres to a whole leg. Later in life the surface can become irregular and take on a purple colour. In contrast to haemangiomas, port-wine stains do not tend to disappear spontaneously.
How is it treated?
In the past, only camouflage could offer relief from the cosmetic drawbacks of port-wine stains. Nowadays, however, there is the possibility of treating them with laser.
Laser therapy
Laser therapy works with light of a very pure wavelength. The laser beam passes straight through the skin without damaging it appreciably, and then reaches the blood vessels of the port-wine stain. The energy of the laser is selectively absorbed by the blood, which leads to a very short, strong heating. This heating damages the wall of the small blood vessels, after which they are cleared away by the body. The results are usually very good. Several types of laser can be used, such as the argon laser and the pulsed dye laser.
Is laser treatment reimbursed?
Laser treatment of port-wine stains is generally reimbursed by health insurers.
Rare forms of port-wine stains
Port-wine stains can be part of certain syndromes, such as Sturge-Weber syndrome, in which — besides a port-wine stain in the facial skin — there can also be neurological abnormalities. There is a risk of Sturge-Weber syndrome when the port-wine stain is located around the eyes and on the forehead.
When to see a doctor
A port-wine stain present at birth should be assessed by a doctor, particularly when it is located around the eye or forehead, as this warrants checking for eye and neurological involvement. See a dermatologist to discuss laser treatment, and have any change such as thickening, darkening or the development of lumps within the stain reviewed.