What is the treatment for red birthmarks?

What is the treatment for red birthmarks?

Many capillary birthmarks such as salmon patches and strawberry hemangiomas are temporary and require no treatment. For permanent lesions, concealing cosmetics might be helpful. Cortisone (oral or injected) can reduce the size of a hemangioma that is growing rapidly and obstructing vision or vital structures. Other oral medicines have been used experimentally with some success in these cases, as well.

Port-wine stains on the face can be treated at a young age with a yellow-pulsed dye laser for best results. Treatment of the birthmarks might help prevent psychosocial problems that can result in individuals who have port-wine stains.

Permanent red birthmarks might be treated with methods including:

• Cryotherapy (freezing)
• Laser surgery
• Surgical removal

In some cases, birthmarks are not treated until a child reaches school age. However, birthmarks are treated earlier if they result in unwanted symptoms or if they compromise vital functions such as vision or breathing.