Your vascular system is made up of a network of vessels that carry blood throughout your body. When this system becomes compromised, you can develop vascular lesions in the form of skin marks, tumors, sores, ulcers, or wounds. They might be on the surface of your skin, just below, or deep in your vein tissue. These lesions typically appear when you’re born and develop during childhood.
Dr. Stephanie Herrera and her team at Lake Jackson Medical Spa are experts on vascular issues and can treat them accurately and efficiently. Whether yours is simply a matter of aesthetics or is more serious, we offer various treatment options that can address your specific vascular issue.
Although there are many types of vascular lesions, the most common are hemangiomas, vascular malformations, and pyogenic granulomas. Each type looks different and requires different treatment. Here’s what you should know.
Hemangiomas
Hemangiomas are common and benign. These lesions show up as a bright red outward growth on the surface of your skin and usually stop growing after 6-12 months of age. Often, the lesion shrinks in size and fades in color over time, but it can also leave permanent scarring.
Hemangiomas are most concerning when they’re located near your eye, in your ear, or on sensitive areas like the tip of your nose. We usually prescribe laser therapy to help reduce the appearance of hemangiomas. Only on rare or serious cases does a hemangioma need surgery.
Vascular malformations
Vascular malformations occur when there are problems in the formation of your vessels. Common vascular malformations are capillary, venous, lymphatic, and arteriovenous malformations.
Capillary malformations
You may know them as birthmarks, stork bites, port wine stains, or salmon patches — splotches of discoloration on the surface of the skin. Ranging from a deep purple color to a bright red, this type of vascular lesion disappears as you grow. But if it’s still around in your teens or adulthood, laser therapy treatment is effective in making your capillary malformation disappear.
Venous malformations
These malformations consist of collections of vessels. They typically aren’t noticeable until they grow and look like soft masses underneath the surface of your skin. Some of these lesions are almost invisible, while others cause extreme cosmetic and even functional problems.
Sclerotherapy has proved to be one of the best methods in treating venous malformations. During this therapy, you receive an injection that causes the blood vessels to clot and your malformation to fade. Excision — surgically removing the malformation — is necessary in some cases.
Lymphatic malformations
Like venous malformations, lymphatic malformations occur when there’s an abnormal collection of vessels. These show up as cysts beneath your skin. Sclerotherapy is often the best treatment for this type of malformation, but surgical excision is often needed for more serious cases.
Arteriovenous malformations
The rarest of the vascular lesions, arteriovenous malformations occur due to abnormal connections between vessels. These malformations are usually located in your head or neck and might not present any symptoms other than a light-red patch on the skin. They may even go undiagnosed until complications arise, such as headaches, strokes, or even hemorrhages.
Smaller arteriovenous malformations can be left alone. However, malformations of this kind that grow in size can present serious risks to your health and likely need surgical intervention.
Pyogenic granulomas
These vascular lesions show up as a fast-growing, red bump. When disturbed, it bleeds easily. You often find these lesions on children and pregnant women. Typically, conservative surgical intervention can treat this kind of lesion.
At Lake Jackson Medical Spa, we always aim to prescribe the most conservative and least invasive treatment methods. That’s why we offer several ways to treat your lesions. After an initial appointment, our team develops a treatment plan specific to you using the most advanced technology and techniques.
When you’re ready to get rid of your unsightly splotches, uncomfortable swelling, unflattering masses, and unhealthy vascular lesions, call today or request an appointment online.
