Facelift surgery: an adjunct in the treatment of capillary malformations (port wine stains)

Hemangiomas and lymphangiomas remain the most common benign tumors seen by the plastic surgeon that involve a neonate's skin and deeper tissues. A significant number of tumors undergo spontaneous regression and require no treatment. The port wine stain (PWS) remains one of the most difficult variants of hemangiomas to treat and continues to be psychologically traumatic throughout a patient's lifetime. Recently, advanced use of laser technology has yielded beneficial results for a significant number of these patients. This report illustrates the incorporation of facelift surgery as an adjunct in the overall management of older patients resulting in decreased use of cosmetics and great improvement in general well being.