Roughly three in 1,000 babies are born with a birthmark caused by an abnormal formation of tiny blood vessels in the skin. Known as port-wine stains, capillary malformations, or nevus flammeus, these marks appear as red or purple discolorations. They can appear anywhere on the body, but are most likely to occur on the face, neck, scalp, arms, or legs. At birth, port-wine stains are often smooth and pink in color, but they tend to darken with age and the texture may thicken with time. Patients interested in minimizing the appearance of these marks can benefit from laser treatment for port-wine stains at New Jersey’s Skin & Laser Center of NJ.
Port-wine stains do not fade or disappear over time. For some people, this reality might not be a problem. Because these birthmarks most frequently occur in highly visible areas like the face, some patients may be uncomfortable about their appearance. Port-wine stains may be small, while others may cover most or all of the face. Many people confide that these birthmarks negatively impact their quality of life, causing embarrassment and distress—but patients born with port-wine stains tend to report an improvement of 75 to 100 percent after laser treatments.
Learn more about treatment for port-wine stains at New Jersey’s Skin & Laser Center of NJ. Call 201-500-7525 or contact us online to schedule a consultation.
In late 2016 she founded the Skin & Laser Center of NJ, LLC in Mahwah, NJ where she continues to treat her medical and cosmetic patients, and further pursues her interest in laser medicine. Dr. Lieb’s mission is to provide high quality dermatologic care using up-to-date medical information and cutting edge technology in an efficiently run practice. Dr. Lieb is board certified in dermatology, is a Fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology, a member of the American Society of Dermatologic Surgery, the American Society of Laser Medicine and Surgery, and the New Jersey Dermatologic Society. Dr. Lieb is a Staff Dermatologist at The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood.
For patients and parents of patients pursuing reduction of port-wine stains, Skin & Laser Center of NJ uses a pulsed dye laser called Vbeam® Perfecta. Treatments can happen at any age, but the younger the patient, the easier and more effective the treatment is considered to be. Treatment can begin for patients as young as six months old, but if you’re not certain whether or when to begin treatment for your child, you should consult with one of our providers to discuss your concerns and decide when and whether treatment is the best choice. Extensive studies have concluded that laser treatment for port-wine stains in infants is both safe and effective.
During treatment with Vbeam® Perfecta, the patient will be given goggles to protect their eyes from laser light. A topical anesthetic cream or gel may be applied to minimize the sensation of the laser, though younger patients may require general anesthesia. Your provider will discuss the best choice for you at your initial appointment.
For the treatment itself, the laser is moved over the birthmark, and the patient may experience a hot or cold sensation, like the snapping of a rubber band. The entire process typically takes less than half an hour. After a port-wine stain laser treatment, the treated skin will likely be discolored and bruised, but these effects are temporary and should resolve within a few days to two weeks.
Most patients require eight to 10 treatments to achieve the full effects of the laser treatment, depending on the location and size of the birthmark and age of the patient. It’s rare for treatment to completely erase the appearance of a port-wine stain, but it’s common for patients to see an improvement of 75 percent or better following multiple laser treatments.
Your provider will give you aftercare instructions to ensure the treated area heals as quickly as possible.
In addition to treatments for port-wine stains, we offer solutions for other pigmentation and vascular issues, including broken blood vessels, facial redness, melasma, vitiligo, and brown spots.
Skin & Laser Center of NJ in Ramsey provides a wide range of medical, surgical, and cosmetic services for patients in and around New Jersey. Patients can get diagnosis and treatment for acne, skin cancer (with Mohs surgery), chronic conditions (like psoriasis, rosacea, and eczema), moles, melasma, vitiligo, athlete’s foot, toenail fungus, scabies, contact dermatitis, and more. Cosmetic options include wrinkle-relaxing BOTOX® and Dysport®, dermal fillers like Juvederm® and Restylane®, Kybella® for reducing a double chin, chemical peels, Hydrafacial MD, microneedling, laser hair removal, laser acne treatments, laser scar treatments, laser tattoo removal, CoolSculpting®, laser vein treatments, sclerotherapy, and more.
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