Laser Port Wine Stains Treatment

Port-wine stains, or Naevus Flammeus, are deep red or purple areas of the skin, often called a birthmark. They are most common in the facial area, but can appear on the body anywhere. As a child they tend to be flat and pink, but as a person matures the colour deepens to red or dark purple and thickening of the affected area can occur.

Port-wine stains, especially on the face can be very traumatic for many people and over the years there have been different treatments to remove them with varying degrees of success. However the biggest impact has been using lasers for treatment as these can destroy the dilated capillaries without significant damage to the outer skin.

The other benefits of laser treatment is the fact here is little or no down time, the procedure can be done quickly and effectively in a short span of time (normally about 15-30 minutes depending on the size of the affected area), thus can be part of a lunch break or a flying visit. The number of treatments required can vary greatly depending on the severity of the port-wine stain and the size of the area to be treated.

There is minimal discomfort from the laser treatment, often described as a mild stinging sensation, but there are anaesthetic creams available to treat and soothe this. There is virtually no recovery or down time, and you can continue your daily routine as soon as the treatment is finished, however it is advised to wear sunscreen post treatment and you may experience some swelling and tenderness for a short while.