What are vascular lesions?

A vascular lesion is formed by abnormally large or numerous blood vessels located directly under the surface of the skin. These vessels may be visible through the skin or result in a red appearance of the skin. Common types include:

Telangiectasia

Telangiectasia / Spider Veins: Small, unsightly red, purple or blue blood vessels found along the surface on the face, upper chest, neck and rarely on other parts of the body. Similar veins are found on the legs called spider veins. These blood vessels are abnormal, not necessary for any essential body function.

Spider Angioma

Spider Angiomas: An abnormal collection of blood vessels near the surface of the skin. The appearance is often similar to that of a small spider web. A spider angioma lesion typically has a red dot in the center with reddish extensions radiating out for some distance around it (a few millimeters to a centimeter or more). Spider angiomas can occur anywhere but are most common on the face and trunk.

Cherry Angioma

Cherry Angiomas: Small, smooth, dome-shaped papules superficially protruding from the skin. Acquired in adulthood, they usually are multiple lesions located on the trunk, and range in color from red to purple.

Neovascularization

Neovascularization: An increased number of blood vessels in tissue not normally containing them, or proliferation of blood vessels of a different kind than usual in tissue. This can occur as a result of wound healing in the skin.

Port Wine Stain

Port Wine Stains: A vascular birthmark made of enlarged capillaries in the skin, which produce a reddish-purplish discoloration of the skin. Port-wine stains occur most often on the face but can appear anywhere on the body. Early stains are usually flat and pink in appearance. As the child matures, the color may deepen to a dark red or purplish color.

How are they treated?

Some vascular lesions such as Facial Telangiectasia, Cherry Angiomas, Spider Angiomas and Rosacea can be treated using a laser therapy. Our Rosacea Package uses three different lasers that target blood vessels.