VASCULAR LESIONS - RUBY SPOTS - VENOUS LAKES

An angioma is a dermatological condition referring to a benign vascular tumor or malformation. It manifests as an excessive proliferation of cells from blood vessels, forming a reddish mass.

There are several types of angiomas: flat angiomas, ruby spots, flat vascular malformations, and venous lakes of various origins.

A- Flat Angiomas:
• Flat angiomas or "wine stains" appear as a spot ranging from pale pink to dark red, resembling "port-wine" stains.
• These are congenital vascular malformations that affect approximately 0.5% of births, with varying size and shape.
• The lesions are flat without elevation and may partially or completely disappear upon pressure, without any pulse, thrill, or temperature difference compared to normal skin.
• Flat angiomas can cause cosmetic concerns with psychological impact when extensive or located on exposed areas.
• They persist without a tendency to spontaneously disappear, and their surface increases proportionally with a child's growth.
• In adults, wine stains gradually become darker and thicker due to the progressive increase in the number and size of capillaries over time.

B- Stellate Angiomas:
• Stellate angiomas are common and benign vascular lesions without pathological significance, seen at any age and especially during pregnancy (they often disappear after childbirth).
• They are vascular ectasias (arteriolar dilatation) arranged in a star-shaped pattern centered around a capillary from which radially branching telangiectasias arise. Larger ones may be pulsatile.
• Pressure on the center causes the peripheral branches to disappear temporarily, but the central point persists. The stellate angioma then recolors from the center.
• They preferentially affect the face (lips, nose, cheeks) and extremities (forearms, back of hands, and fingers).
• Treatment with vascular laser or IPL is commonly used, but recurrences are possible.

C- Ruby Spots:
• Ruby spots are also very common and ordinary on the skin after 40-50 years of age.
• They are vascular ectasias (dilations) that appear late in life, without pathological significance, and their origin is unknown.
• Ruby spots are small pinpoint reddish growths of a few millimeters, flat or raised, often found on covered areas (trunk).
• Aesthetic treatments with laser or IPL are possible.

D- Lip Angiomas:
• Lip angiomas are frequent and benign vascular lesions that appear late in life, without pathological significance, and their origin is unknown.
• Venous lakes on the lips are common after the age of 60, resembling a small bluish-violet varix on the lip.
• They can be treated with lasers if not too large; otherwise, surgical removal may be necessary.