Wine stains on the skin - a very common problem and in most cases congenital. It is immediately worth noting that often such neoplasms on the skin are benign. Nevertheless, they give their owner a lot of emotional discomfort, as they are perceived as a serious aesthetic disadvantage.
That is why people are looking for additional information. Why do wine stains appear on the body? Photos, possible complications and related symptoms, diagnostic methods - this is important information that is worth exploring. Another interesting point is the effective treatment, or rather, removing stains from the skin.
What is a skin lesion?
The wine stain, also known as the "flaming nevus", is a benign type of hemangioma. This is a congenital pathology, the reasons for the development of which are not always possible to identify. For one reason or another, during intrauterine development, a malfunction occurs in the process of tissue differentiation, as a result of which vascular dysplasia develops - the vessels in the affected area are dilated, which causes the reddish color of the spot. According to statistics, a similar pathology is diagnosed in 8% of newborns.
Wine stains on the skin: causes
It is immediately worth noting that the exact causes of the development of capillary angiodysplasia remain unknown today. Nevertheless, several factors can be distinguished, the effect of which increases the likelihood of wine stains on the skin of the fetus during fetal development. The list is not so big:
- Penetration of various toxins into the mother's body (together with blood, potentially dangerous substances enter the body of the developing fetus).
- Sharp fluctuations in the hormonal background in a woman’s body during pregnancy (in particular, changes in estrogen and progestin levels).
- Exposure of a pregnant woman to hazardous radiation.
- Infectious diseases of the urogenital system of the mother during pregnancy.
Wine stains on the skin: photo and description
Many people are interested in questions about what constitutes such a disease. In fact, it is very difficult to confuse wine stains on the skin with something else. In the photo below, you can see a portion of the face of a patient suffering from a similar problem. Spots can have different sizes, oval or irregular in shape.
Neoplasms, as a rule, are located on the skin of the face, although their appearance on the tissues of the hands, feet, and back is possible. They can be either single or multiple. Sometimes small nevi merge with each other by the edges, forming very extensive lesion sites - some spots reach 40-50 cm in diameter. The spots can have a pinkish, red, wine or even purple hue.
It is immediately worth noting that nevi rarely cause physical discomfort - their growth is not accompanied by itching, inflammation, burning and other unpleasant sensations. However, they do not disappear on their own. Moreover, they grow with the child, constantly increasing in size. By the way, sometimes in adult patients, nevi acquire a dark purple, cyanotic shade.
What diseases can the appearance of spots indicate?
Wine stains on the skin in newborns may indicate the presence of certain genetic diseases.
- Sometimes spots on the skin indicate the presence of venous angioma (Sturge – Weber – Crabbe syndrome). The angioma is constantly increasing in size, penetrates the subcutaneous tissue, affects certain parts of the motor system. The disease is sometimes accompanied by convulsive seizures and an increase in intraocular pressure.
- Nevus may indicate the presence of Rubinstein-Teibi syndrome. This genetic disease is accompanied by abnormal skeleton development, dwarfism, and intellectual development retardation.
- If reddish spots are located on the skin along the spine, then this may be a symptom of Cobb syndrome. The disease is accompanied by damage to the vessels that feed certain segments of the spinal cord. The disease is characterized by spastic paralysis. In the most severe cases, there is a complete loss of sensitivity of the zone, for the innervation of which the affected segment of the spinal cord is responsible.
- The appearance of flaming nevi on the skin of the legs or arms is a good reason to consult a vascular surgeon. A similar arrangement of spots is characteristic of Klippel – Trenone – Weber syndrome. In this case, the formation of nevus is associated with varicose veins of the superficial. In addition, arteriovenous shunts are formed in the child's body, which leads to a violation of normal blood circulation and tissue hypoxia. Often, the ailment is accompanied by a curvature or gigantism of the affected limb.
Are complications possible?
Wine stains on the skin are mostly the cause of many psychological and emotional problems. Nevertheless, in some cases, the discomfort can have a very tangible physical character.
- If spots have formed on the skin of the eyelids, then this increases the risk of developing glaucoma and other vision problems, sometimes up to its loss.
- Tissues in the area of ​​neoplasms thicken with age. For example, wine stains on the skin of older people sometimes become very dense. If they are located on the skin of the feet or hands, they can hamper the movement (especially if capillary angiodysplasia has developed in the joints).
- Over time, the skin in the affected area not only becomes denser, but also becomes covered with small tubercles, nodules that are constantly injured. This, in turn, increases the risk of developing various infectious skin diseases.
As already mentioned, the presence of such neoplasms may indicate more serious, systemic diseases. That is why the appearance of wine stains on the skin in newborns is a serious reason to conduct a comprehensive examination.
Diagnostic measures
If there are characteristic wine stains on the skin of the child, it is very important to undergo a full examination as soon as possible. Since the appearance of nevi is sometimes a symptom of congenital diseases, genetic studies are required - the earlier genetic defects are detected, the higher the likelihood of choosing an effective therapy.
In addition, the patient is additionally sent for examination to a neurologist, vascular surgeon, ophthalmologist. Doctors also scrape off the surface of red spots on the skin. Samples are then sent to a laboratory for histological examination.
Laser stain removal: treatment features
Despite the fact that such skin tumors rarely cause physical discomfort, their presence is often painfully perceived by the patient. For example, a large nevus on the face causes many psychological complexes regarding appearance.
That is why many people are interested in the question of how to get rid of wine stains on the body and skin of the face. Today, laser therapy is the most popular, effective and gentle method for removing tumors.
It should be noted immediately that in this case a special vascular laser is used. The principle of its operation is simple: under the influence of radiation, the temperature in the vessels rises, which leads to the adhesion of capillaries. It should be borne in mind that to completely remove the stain, one procedure is not enough - as a rule, therapy takes about two months.
Experts advise starting laser therapy as early as possible. The fact is that with age, the tissues in the area of ​​the spot become more dense, covered with nodules, which greatly complicates the removal process.
Cryotherapy
Another stain removal method is cryotherapy. In this case, the affected tissues are exposed to ultra-low temperatures (liquid nitrogen). The frostbite cells of the epidermis blacken and then are rejected, and healthy skin appears under them.
It is worth noting that such a procedure is performed relatively rarely, since the effect of it may not be so noticeable, and small scars may form on the skin. In any case, it is impossible to remove wine stains from the skin yourself in any case - this can only aggravate the situation.
Surgical intervention
At one time, the treatment of wine stains on the skin was carried out exclusively by surgery. Affected tissues and small vessels were excised, after which a skin transplant was performed (as a rule, the patient’s own tissues taken from other parts of the body). Today, such a complicated procedure is carried out very rarely. The fact is that during the operation there is a high probability of complications, in particular, tissue infection or transplant rejection. In addition, quite visible scars may remain on the skin.
Alternative methods of treatment: how effective are they?
Of course, traditional medicine offers a huge number of recipes to get rid of spots on the skin.
- Some folk healers recommend lubricating the stain with fresh celandine juice. The procedure must be performed within 7-10 days. The juice of this plant helps to lighten the stain, make it less noticeable.
- Juice of immature figs will also be useful in such a situation - you just need to lubricate the nevus with it for several days.
- A compress of honey and castor oil is considered effective. The components must be mixed in equal amounts, applied to a piece of gauze and applied for three minutes to the affected area of ​​the skin. The procedure is repeated twice a day.
In no case should you use such funds without first consulting with a specialist. The fact is that sometimes self-medication can only aggravate the situation and even start the processes of malignant degeneration of cells. Moreover, according to reviews, ointments and compresses only help to make the stain a little less noticeable - it is impossible to completely get rid of it at home.
Preventive measures: how to prevent relapse?
Wine stains on the skin give its owner a lot of inconvenience. Of course, modern medicine helps to cope with the problem, but even after removal of skin neoplasms, there is a possibility of relapse. In order to avoid the reappearance of spots, it is worth observing some rules.
- Doctors advise more careful monitoring of nutrition, give up alcohol, spicy and fried foods.
- Prolonged exposure to ultraviolet rays increases the likelihood of relapse - wine stains on the skin in an adult may appear again. That is why you should refuse to visit the solarium and treat your skin with a protective cream before going out in the sun.
- Sharp changes in temperature will also negatively affect the skin condition.
- Experts recommend abandoning aggressive cosmetic procedures (for example, deep peeling), especially when it comes to treating those areas of the skin that were previously covered with the notorious red spots.
Of course, if any alarming symptoms appear, you should consult your doctor.