Laser surgery treatment

Stephanie was born with a large port wine stain on her face. A port wine stain is a common type of birthmark that is made of abnormally dilated blood vessels. If left untreated, these blood vessels get darker and thicker over time. When the port wine stain surrounds the eye, like Stephanie's, it can affect the vision in that eye.

Laser treatment is used to lighten the port wine stain and prevent thickening of the blood vessels. The laser is a concentrated beam of light that targets and destroys abnormal cells without harming the surrounding healthy tissue. Typically, 6 to 20 treatments are required and the birthmark gets lighter after each treatment. Stephanie gets a laser treatment every 8 weeks during the winter months. Lasers do not work well on skin that is tan, so it is best not to get treatments during the summer.