Common Causes And Complications Of A Port Wine Stain

A port-wine stain is a type of congenital capillary vascular malformation that affects an estimated one in every three hundred newborns. This birthmark develops most frequently on the face, scalp, and neck, and it is a pink or reddish color at birth. As a child ages, port-wine stains tend to become darker in color, often reaching a deep purple. Unlike some other types of birthmarks, port-wine stains are flat (not elevated above the skin's surface). However, adult patients with port-wine stains might notice the formation of ridges or lumps in the area. To diagnose port-wine stains, doctors simply observe the skin.