ASLMS and Vascular Birthmarks Foundation Joint Project

When lasers are used to treat cutaneous vascular anomalies, including vascular birthmarks, settings vary based on skin type, vascular anomaly type, and location of the anomaly. A lack of guidelines has resulted in inconsistent settings and varied, sometimes adverse, outcomes.

To address this, ASLMS has worked with the Vascular Birthmarks Foundation (VBF) and an international, multidisciplinary team to create a consensus of uniform guidelines for treating vascular birthmarks with laser therapy. These guidelines, with supporting videos and links to other publications, are offered on the ASLMS Online Learning Center and serve as a valuable resource for our members.

Vascular Birthmarks Foundation (VBF)

VBF is an international charitable organization that networks families affected by vascular birthmarks, anomalies, and/or related syndromes (VBARS) to the appropriate medical professionals for evaluation and/or treatment, provides informational resources as well as sponsors physician education, mobilizes medical missions trips, and supports research and programs that promote acceptance for individuals with birthmarks. Learn More

This video shares highlights from a 2022 Vascular Birthmarks Foundation Clinic and features some of the key individuals behind the joint ASLMS/VBF partnership to develop uniform consensus guidelines for the safe and effective laser treatment of vascular birthmarks.

Thank you to Candela Medical for supporting this important initiative and video.

Vascular Birthmark Consensus Guidelines

One of the chief complaints by affected families is the lack of access to proper care and insurance denial for necessary treatment. ASLMS has forged a partnership with VBF to create much-needed consensus guidelines to optimize laser treatments of cutaneous vascular anomalies. View consensus guidelines.

Resource Library

The guidelines, along with over 30 supporting videos and links to peer-reviewed studies, are available on the ASLMS Online Learning Center, exclusively for ASLMS members.

access online learning center

Ultrasound Screenings

The Vascular Birthmark Foundation held a free ultrasound screening clinic at the Vascular Care Group in Connecticut. The patients were believed to have simple port wine stain birthmarks. More and more ultrasounds are being done so that they can determine if there is an underlying arterial venous malformation since these are dangerous to use a laser on.

In this video, a young boy was diagnosed with a port wine stain. However, upon performing an ultrasound, it was discovered that it was not really a stain but rather an epiphenomenon caused by an underlying arterial venous malformation.

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ASLMS and VBF Joint Project