• Vascular lesions occur when blood vessels become enlarged (port-wine stains) or too many blood vessels have grown in one area (hemangiomas). The most common types of vascular lesions are the following:

• Hemangioma

This is a kind of vascular birthmark that is characterized by different types of blood vessel growth. Hemangiomas become apparent within the first few weeks since birth and grow rapidly for about a year. The two most common types of hemangiomas are the following:

• Strawberry hemangiomas– This type of hemangioma looks like a slightly raised and strawberry-red mark. It can develop as soon as birth and can occur anywhere on the body.

• Cavernous hemangiomas– This type is described to be a bluish-colored mark that becomes apparent just after birth and can be seen anywhere on the body.

• Port wine stain

A port wine stain, also known as nevus flammeus, is described as a flat, pink, red, or purple mark that is apparent at birth. This type of vascular lesion commonly appears on the face, arms and legs. Additionally, port wine stains continue to grow as a child ages. Unfortunately, these stains stay visible on the body and often require treatment if it has grown on the eyelid or forehead (like on Mikhail Gorbachev's).

• Vascular Specific Laser Treatment
• Carbon Dioxide Laser Treatment

The abnormal development of blood vessels in the skin is pointed to be the cause of the appearance of vascular lesions. Though these commonly appear at birth, there is also a possibility that such lesions develop in the latter part of life. Vascular lesions can also suddenly appear, persist for a certain amount of time, and then disappear again. Such an event may occur upon reaching puberty or having pregnancy, which are two big physiological changes that a person may go through.

Pigmented birthmarks, on the other hand, are different though. Two of the most commonly known forms of pigmented birthmarks are port wine stains and venous plexi intricate networks of veins. Port wine stains are pinkish-red and flat in texture, and may have a darker shade to being purple in color as a person ages. Port wine stains commonly appear on the face but can also be visible on any part of the body. Port wine stains may even grow larger and more conspicuous in the latter part of life, developing into a darker and thicker stain or forming vascular bumps. On the other hand, venous plexi are those that are thin in density, light blue in color, and may either be flat or raised.

The third type of vascular lesion is hemangiomas. These may develop after birth and consist of many tiny blood vessels that are bunched together. This type of vascular lesion occurs in up to two percent of newborn babies, but as many as twelve percent of the babies develop them by age one. Hemangiomas mostly occur in girls. Also, this type has the capability to change in size, and most of them disappear completely by age 10.

Also called naevus flammeus, a port wine stain is characterized by a red or purple birthmark, which can affect about 3 out of every 1000 babies. It is a kind of blood vessel birthmark which is exhibited at birth as a uniform flat red, purple or pink mark on the skin, frequently on one side of the body, usually the face. They are congenital overgrowths of small blood vessels in the skin. Port wine stains are more widespread in girls as boys, and they may darken with age, thicken with raised bumps (papules) or ridges and increase in size proportionally to the child's growth. They develop with the individual and do not improve over time. They can appear on any part of the skin surface but cause most concern when they affect the face.

Port wine stains are rooted from an abnormal development of blood vessels in the area of the skin where they are present. They are not inherited and are not related to anything that the parents may have done during pregnancy.