Guide To Identifying A Port Wine Stain

Do They Cause Other Symptoms?

While most port-wine stains are harmless and do not cause any additional symptoms, patients who have these birthmarks might occasionally develop blood vessel blisters such as papules and pyogenic granulomas. The blisters can bleed easily, and doctors recommend treating them with laser therapy, freezing methods (cryotherapy), or surgery. The tissue underneath a port-wine stain might enlarge, and this could result in soft tissue hypertrophy, a condition that occurs most often with port-wine stains near the lips. In addition, port-wine stains are sometimes associated with more serious medical conditions. Patients who have a port-wine stain around their eye should have their eye pressure monitored. Individuals with a port-wine stain on their eye, forehead, or scalp should be evaluated for Sturge-Weber syndrome, a rare condition that may cause seizures and learning difficulties. The presence of a large port-wine stain on the arms or legs is sometimes associated with Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome. This syndrome causes the affected limb to grow longer than the unaffected side. If a leg is affected and is less than two centimeters longer than the unaffected leg, patients may be given specialized insoles to wear in their shoes. If more than two centimeters of growth occurs, surgical interventions could be recommended.