Slide show: Birthmarks

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Port-wine stain

A port-wine stain is a permanent birthmark that starts out pink, but turns darker red or purple as a child grows. Most often, a port-wine stain appears on the face and neck, but it can affect other areas of the body. The involved skin may thicken slightly and develop an irregular, pebbled surface as a child grows.

The physical changes and its cosmetic appearance can cause both medical problems and emotional stress for a child. Laser therapy is the usual treatment of choice. Most port-wine stains aren't associated with other conditions, but sometimes they occur with Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome or Sturge-Weber syndrome, which requires regular medical evaluation.

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