What is a Port Wine Stain (PWS)?
A Port Wine Stain is a vascular birthmark and is pink, red or purple. The color of a PWS comes from blood within small blood vessels in the skin. PWS may occur on any part of the body and may be as small as a dime or cover extensive areas of the body. PWS occur in all ethnic backgrounds, and are slightly more common in girls than boys. What causes PWS? It is not known exactly what causes Port Wine Stains. They occur in approximately 3 out of every 1000 births. They are not caused by any fault of the parents, nor can they be prevented. Because parents have one child with PWS does not mean that they are more likely to have a second child with a PWS. Are there medical conditions associated with PWS? Medical conditions may or may not accompany PWS.
