Asklepion / Your problems / Port wine stain
Port wine stain (naevus flammeus)
In this abnormality there is a biggish surface growth of microscopic blood vessels, sometimes in one or more layers. Most frequently it occurs on face, or neck where it forms a red spot. There is no health problem associated with this sign; it is primarily a cosmetic problem, which is not well tolerated by affected patients. Unfortunately with advancing age the neavus becomes more prominent. This is the reason why there should be an early therapy.
The only way how to remove the neavus or change it to a lighter colour is with so called sclerotic lasers.
In Asklepion we achieve the best results using laser Vbeam. The rays of laser are caught in red coloured tissues, the veins are burned and later absorbed by the body. After a few weeks another layer appears and the therapy is repeated.
After about 2–3 therapies there is a marked improvement. The darker naevi need longer treatment than the light types, in most cases 5–6 sessions. The final effect is permanent and is obvious about three weeks after the end of treatment. The majority of these stains improve about 75–95 % in colour.
Because it is usually a large area which has to be treated, it is a custom to desensitize the area. This is most frequently achieved with EMLA, a special cream, which is efficient and does not harm the skin. The application varies according to position and size and it takes usually 30–120 minutes to start to work.
There are often small scabs after the procedure which drop off after a few days. For a few weeks the skin is very sensitive to exposure of the ultraviolet light. The area has to be protected against sun, with our Photoderm creams with their high protection factor. Long exposure to water also has to be avoided.
This laser therapy is suitable even for children and infants. They should be properly sedated during this procedure. We allow parents to test these laser effects on their own skin before their child’s procedure.