Nobody has a pristine, mark-free complexion. Our skin carries all sorts of imperfections that remind us of where we’ve been, like scars. They spark stories like tattoos when people ask about them. Other marks come without a story, like birthmarks.
Some birthmarks may affect your ability to eat, see, or interact with other people so it makes sense that you might be looking into removal of the lesion. Birthmarks like lip hemangioma can be annoying, and you may not like the attention they bring you. Of course, you can elect to get them removed.
Keep reading to learn more about lip hemangioma and venous lakes, and how we can help you treat them.
What Is It?
Lip hemangiomas and venous lakes are blue or purple lesions that occurs on the upper and/or lower lip. Hemangiomas are caused by a group of blood vessels, while a venous lake is just one single dilated blood vessel. Because the trapped blood doesn’t have any oxygen in it, these can often appear blue (thus giving venous lakes their name).
Lip hemangioma are sometimes bestowed upon you by some unknown source when you’re born. These can often resolve themselves after a few years, so unless the lesion is causing your baby to experience issues seeing, hearing, eating, or eliminating, you might want to leave it alone and see what happens. Sometimes, these tumors can crop up spontaneously. Other times, lip hemangioma and venous lakes can occur as a result from trauma or prolonged sun exposure.
Is It Cancerous?
Though they are technically tumors, lip hemangiomas and venous lakes are benign. “Tumor” simply refers to them being an irregular mass of tissue. Put your worries to rest, though you might want to have your specific lesion looked at, just to make sure that it is in fact a lip hemangioma or venous lake and not something else.
How Do I Treat It?
We can help treat lip hemangiomas and venous lakes with a targeted laser treatment. Sometimes one treatment is all it takes, though you may need to come in for more treatments if you develop more lesions.
Call us today to schedule a consultation regarding lip hemangiomas or venous lakes. Dial (403) 255-1633 for Dr. Todd Remington and (403) 252-7784 for Dr. Kent Remington.
