VIDEO: Speaker highlights updates in managing vascular birth marks in infants

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — From diagnosis to treatment, a speaker at the Masters of Pediatric Dermatology conference discussed updates for treating vascular birth marks in infants.

In an interview with Healio, Mercedes E. Gonzalez, MD, FAAD, medical director of Pediatric Dermatology of Miami and Pediatric Skin Research, highlighted diagnosis processes, risks and treatment options for the two most common types of vascular birth marks in infants: infantile hemangiomas and port wine stains.

“For infantile hemangiomas ... we now have a nice, very safe and effective systemic treatment option — that’s propranolol — that we’ve been going to now more often,” she said. “In terms of treatments for port wine stains, the standard of care is pulsed dye laser therapy.”

Gonzalez went on to explain when these treatment options are necessary, providing a comprehensive guide for pediatric dermatologists.