Many people consider birthmarks part of their character and uniqueness. However, some birthmarks can cause disfigurement, social anxiety and even lower self-esteem. While some birthmarks are small and barely visible, other types can be dark, large and prominent, as is the case with port wine birth marks. If your child has a port wine birth mark and you're considering having it treated, here's what you need to know.

About Port Wine Birth Marks

Port wine stains are vascular birthmarks that typically form on the skin at birth. They often start out as pink patches of skin and commonly occur on the face, but can show up on any part of the skin. As your child grows, the birthmark typically becomes grows and becomes a darker, maroon-like color, hence the name port wine. Because they most often occur on the face and can be large and patchy, some parents look into treatment options. The good news is, dermatologists can use laser treatment to greatly reduce, or even remove port wine birth marks.

How It's Done

Laser treatment is commonly recommended as early as possible since the stains are much lighter the younger your child is. However, even after the birthmark darkens, laser treatment can significantly reduce its appearance. To treat port wine birthmarks your dermatologist will use a highly concentrated beam called a Pulse Dye Laser to target the blood vessels in the area of the birthmark. The beam targets only the intended blood vessels ,while leaving the surrounding skin unharmed. The treatment only takes a few minutes and is performed on an out-patient basis. Your child won't need to miss any school to get laser treatment. Keep in mind that it usually takes several treatments to significantly lighten the birthmark, or remove the birthmark.

Post-Treatment

Your child should be able to continue normal daily activities, but your dermatologist may advise you to be careful regarding sports, such as sports where balls may fly toward your child's face. Because the laser utilizes heat to break down the blood vessels, you can expect your child to experience some redness in the area. Some children with sensitive skin experience some light bruising in the area that was treated. Also expect some swelling in the area. It should be back to normal within seven to 10 days. Your dermatologist will wait several weeks between treatments to give your child's skin plenty of time to recover before performing the treatment again. 

For more information, check out places like Shriners Hospitals for Children – Cincinnati.