Pioneering Treatments for Port-Wine Birthmarks

UC Irvine Magazine | Winter 2025

Three to five out of every 1,000 babies are born with a port-wine birthmark, a splash of red or purple on the skin somewhere on the body, mostly commonly the face. Unlike smaller, lighter birthmarks, port-wine marks can darken, thicken and develop complications such as bleeding and infections – and may be associated with other conditions like glaucoma and even seizures.

“They can also impact a person’s social interactions and psychological well-being, particularly when they cover a sizable portion of the face,” says Dr. Kristen Kelly, UC Irvine professor and chair of dermatology.

Using a pulsed dye laser, she zaps the purple-tinted blood vessels, heating them with intermittent bursts of light until the blood flow stops and the vessels break or develop clots and resolve. The targeted therapy sometimes requires as many as 30 treatments to effectively lighten a port-wine birthmark.

UC Irvine scientists have been at the forefront of addressing these signature marks for more than a decade. Dr. J. Stuart Nelson, medical director of the Beckman Laser Institute & Medical Clinic, pioneered the first cooling laser device in 1994, revolutionizing treatment for individuals with port-wine birthmarks. The cooling device protects the surface of the skin, allowing doctors to safely deliver higher doses to event the youngest patients while minimizing the possibility of complications. Depending on the size and depth of the blood vessels, many people experience dramatic benefits.

Unfortunately, the discoloration sometimes reappears. “The risk of vessels returning is lower when we start treatment during the first year of life,” says Kelly, whose patients range from infants to individuals in their 90s. To reduce recurrence, UC Irvine researchers are investigating approaches to combine lasers with medication. New medicines may need to be developed, Kelly adds.

These epidermal anomalies aren’t just a cosmetic concern. They can thicken the skin, produce nodules and, in some cases, affect the organs, including the yes or brain. “Since we don’t know which patients are going to develop progression or complications,” Kelly says, “it’s important for anyone who has a port-wine birthmark to seek car from a qualified expert.”