It is especially important to seek medical advice if the lesion is located on the face, near the base of the spine or if a lesion seems to be If your baby has any birthmark, or new lesion appearing after birth, show it to your GP, paediatrician or Maternal and Child Health Nurse. Haemangiomas of infancy (strawberry naevus). If your child develops a birthmark at a later stage then it will be a different kind of birthmark. This means that a port wine stain can be found on the left or right sides of the body, but not crossing from one side to the other. They tend not to cross over the midline (an imaginary, vertical line drawn down the centre of the body).While they do not grow to cover a larger area of your child's body, they will grow in proportion to your child as they grow older. They vary in size from small to large body regions.They may become thick and lumpy after many years. The colour often becomes a darker, purple colour with age. The birthmark is a flat area, red to blue in colour.If it is on the body or limbs, the affected limb may grow slightly larger than the other side. If the port wine stain is on the forehead, eyelid or cheek, there is a rare risk of epilepsy or eye problems. The birthmarks are not contagious or genetic and normally there are no other related problems. They can make people feel self conscious or lose their self confidence. They will grow as the child grows (not enlarge by themselves) and become darker in adulthood.

Port wine stains can be found anywhere on the body, but most often appear on the face, neck, arms, legs and scalp. Some port wine stains are small, others can be quite large. They are quite common and happen in an estimated three out of 1000 babies. Port wine stains (also known as capillary malformations) are permanent red or blue-coloured birthmarks that are present from birth.

Port wine stain face