Vascular Birthmarks
Most birthmarks are made of blood vessels bunched together in the skin. They can be flat or raised, pink, red or blue in color. Ten out of 100 hundred babies have vascular birthmarks. The cause of birthmarks is unknown. Some birthmarks go away on their own, others need to be treated. The prescribed treatment will depend on the type of birthmark. However, lasers have been very beneficial in removing most types of birthmarks safely. Several laser treatment sessions are generally needed to successfully remove a birthmark. The number of sessions will depend on how dark and thick the birthmark is. Fortunately, vascular birthmarks are neither dangerous or malignant. If the hemangioma is close to the eye, glaucoma (high pressure of the

eyeball) may occur in very rare cases, and consultation with an ophthalmologist may be necessary.

VASCULAR TUMORS AND MALFORMATIONS
Vascular tumors and malformations are often present at birth and therefore referred to as "birthmarks". The most common type of vascular tumor is often referred to as a strawberry hemangioma. The most common types of vascular malformations are commonly called port wine stains and cavernous hemangiomas.

Strawberry Hemangiomas
Strawberry hemangiomas usually appear as a single lesion on the head or neck, although they can appear on the trunk and limbs. They are referred to as strawberry hemangiomas because of their shape and color. One in one hundred caucasian females,may have a strawberry hemangioma, which usually appears a couple of weeks after they are born. Boys are less likely to have these lesions. The hemangioma will grow as the child grows for the first year and then will gradually involute going from a bright red, raised, round lesion to apuckered gray, yellow patch. Once thisoccurs, most patients do not seek therapy.

Port Wine Hemangiomas
A port wine hemangioma is an abnormal collection or network of blood vessels present beneath a layer of otherwise normal skin. The dense network of vessels is the remainder of extra blood tissue that was present during the first month of embryonic life. A port wine hemangioma was so named because the skin appears as though a red, pink or purple liquid such as port wine has been poured over it.