Thickness of Healthy and Affected Skin of Children with Port Wine Stains

Abstract

BACKGROUND Response of port wine stain to pulsed dye laser therapy is variable and dependent on treatment settings used and anatomic site as well as on size and depth of ectatic vessels. OBJECTIVE Our purpose was to evaluate skin thickness in different anatomic areas and in port wine stain to thus assess its possible role in the response to pulsed dye laser. MATERIALS AND METHODS Twenty-one children with port wine stain underwent high-frequency ultrasound evaluation (20 MHz). Eighteen unaffected areas were considered in each patient and an additional measure was taken from the symmetric affected skin when present (50 areas). RESULTS Skin was thicker in the centrofacial area, dermatome V1 (followed by dermatome V2, dermatome V3, and dermatomes C1-2), and with increasing age. No substantial difference between affected and symmetric nonaffected skin was found. CONCLUSION Thicker cutaneous areas fit with those that typically respond worse to pulsed dye laser. Differences in skin thickness related to age support the fact that better responses are achieved in younger patients.