Baby’s Purple Birthmark Identified as Port Wine Stain

Shannon Smith, 27, and Ayrton Hall, 29, welcomed their son Reuben by C-section in the United Kingdom. At birth the infant displayed a flat purple mark covering part of his left arm and hand. The parents wondered whether the mark resulted from the surgery. “We asked a midwife if she knew what it was, and she told us that I might have bruised him,” — Shannon. By four weeks the discoloration turned bright red, prompting further anxiety. “It changed a lot in color and texture very quickly, which made us anxious,” — Shannon.

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A pediatrician evaluated Reuben and diagnosed the lesion as a port-wine-stain birthmark—a vascular anomaly caused by abnormal blood vessels beneath the skin. The family was referred to a dermatologist and, subsequently, to a vascular-anomalies team. Matthew R. Greives, MD, MS, FACS, Thomas D. Cronin chair of plastic surgery at UT Health and director of the vascular anomalies team at Memorial Hermann Health System, explained that such birthmarks are benign but can thicken over time if untreated. He recommends that infants with port-wine stains be assessed by a vascular-anomalies team early in life.

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Greives advises laser therapy to lighten the birthmark and curb potential thickening. “Treatment for port wine stains involves laser treatments, which lighten the birthmark and help prevent it from worsening,” — Matthew R. Greives. He adds that initiating care in infancy offers added benefit: “There is a benefit to starting treatment at younger ages, so we recommend establishing care with a vascular anomalies team in infancy,” — Greives. After an initial series of laser sessions, patients are typically seen annually to monitor progress.

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Now 10 weeks old, Reuben’s mark has a “cobblestone” appearance with some fading patches. Shannon posted a TikTok video (@raisingreu) dubbing the birthmark his “iron fist,” encouraging him to view it as a symbol of strength. “We want him to embrace it and be able to push past any potential horrible comments,” — Shannon. The post attracted dozens of supportive comments, with users describing similar birthmarks that faded over time.

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• “We asked a midwife if she knew what it was, and she told us that I might have bruised him,” — Shannon

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• “It changed a lot in color and texture very quickly, which made us anxious,” — Shannon

Newsweek

• “Treatment for port wine stains involves laser treatments, which lighten the birthmark and help prevent it from worsening,” — Matthew R. Greives

Newsweek

• “There is a benefit to starting treatment at younger ages, so we recommend establishing care with a vascular anomalies team in infancy,” — Matthew R. Greives

Newsweek

• “We want him to embrace it and be able to push past any potential horrible comments,” — Shannon

Newsweek