eMedicine Specialties > Dermatology > Diseases of the Vessels

Venous Lakes: Follow-up

Author: Claudia Hernandez, MD, Assistant Professor, Department of Dermatology, University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Nov 20, 2009

Follow-up

Further Inpatient Care

  • Inpatient care is not required for venous lakes, which are superficial vascular anomalies.

Prognosis

  • The prognosis for venous lakes is excellent. Although venous lakes do not resolve on their own, patients can be reassured that venous lakes do not evolve into something more serious, such as a skin cancer.

Miscellaneous

Medicolegal Pitfalls

  • The primary medicolegal pitfall related to venous lakes would be misdiagnosis of a clinical lesion as a melanocytic neoplasm. The careful use of diascopy, dermoscopy, and microscopic examination help avoid this misdiagnosis.
 
Acknowledgments

The authors and editors of eMedicine gratefully acknowledge the contributions of previous authors, Jining Wang, MD, and Kim Wang, MD, to the development and writing of this article.



More on Venous Lakes

Overview: Venous Lakes
Differential Diagnoses & Workup: Venous Lakes
Treatment & Medication: Venous Lakes
Follow-up: Venous Lakes
Multimedia: Venous Lakes
References
[ CLOSE WINDOW ]

References

  1. Bean WB, Walsh JR. Venous lakes. AMA Arch Derm. Nov 1956;74(5):459-63. [Medline].

  2. Ah-Weng A, Natarajan S, Velangi S, Langtry JA. Venous lakes of the vermillion lip treated by infrared coagulation. Br J Oral Maxillofac Surg. Jun 2004;42(3):251-3. [Medline].

  3. Colver GB, Hunter JA. Venous lakes: treatment by infrared coagulation. Br J Plast Surg. Sep 1987;40(5):451-3. [Medline].

  4. Kuo HW, Yang CH. Venous lake of the lip treated with a sclerosing agent: report of two cases. Dermatol Surg. Apr 2003;29(4):425-8. [Medline].

  5. Suhonen R, Kuflik EG. Venous lakes treated by liquid nitrogen cryosurgery. Br J Dermatol. Dec 1997;137(6):1018-9. [Medline].

  6. Neumann RA, Knobler RM. Venous lakes (Bean-Walsh) of the lips--treatment experience with the argon laser and 18 months follow-up. Clin Exp Dermatol. Mar 1990;15(2):115-8. [Medline].

  7. Polla LL, Tan OT, Garden JM, Parrish JA. Tunable pulsed dye laser for the treatment of benign cutaneous vascular ectasia. Dermatologica. 1987;174(1):11-7. [Medline].

  8. Boffa MJ. Pulsed dye laser treatment of thick/raised vascular lesions using compression with clear plastic. J Am Acad Dermatol. Nov 2003;49(5):879-81. [Medline].

  9. Landthaler M, Haina D, Waidelich W, Braun-Falco O. Laser therapy of venous lakes (Bean-Walsh) and telangiectasias. Plast Reconstr Surg. Jan 1984;73(1):78-83. [Medline].

  10. Ross BS, Levine VJ, Ashinoff R. Laser treatment of acquired vascular lesions. Dermatol Clin. Jul 1997;15(3):385-96. [Medline].

  11. Roncero M, Canueto J, Blanco S, Unamuno P, Boixeda P. Multiwavelength Laser Treatment of Venous Lakes. Dermatol Surg. Nov 3 2009;[Medline].

  12. Bekhor PS. Long-pulsed Nd:YAG laser treatment of venous lakes: report of a series of 34 cases. Dermatol Surg. Sep 2006;32(9):1151-4. [Medline].

  13. Jay H, Borek C. Treatment of a venous-lake angioma with intense pulsed light. Lancet. Jan 10 1998;351(9096):112. [Medline].

  14. del Pozo J, Pena C, Garcia Silva J, Goday JJ, Fonseca E. Venous lakes: a report of 32 cases treated by carbon dioxide laser vaporization. Dermatol Surg. Mar 2003;29(3):308-10. [Medline].

  15. Wall TL, Grassi AM, Avram MM. Clearance of multiple venous lakes with an 800-nm diode laser: a novel approach. Dermatol Surg. Jan 2007;33(1):100-3. [Medline].

  16. Alcalay J, Sandbank M. The ultrastructure of cutaneous venous lakes. Int J Dermatol. Dec 1987;26(10):645-6. [Medline].

  17. Goldberg LH, Altman AR. Venous lakes of the ears. Cutis. Dec 1985;36(6):472-5. [Medline].

  18. Requena L, Sangueza OP. Cutaneous vascular anomalies. Part I. Hamartomas, malformations, and dilation of preexisting vessels. J Am Acad Dermatol. Oct 1997;37(4):523-49; quiz 549-52. [Medline].

[ CLOSE WINDOW ]

Further Reading

[ CLOSE WINDOW ]

Keywords

venous lakes, venous lake, venous-lake angioma, Bean-Walsh angioma, venous varix, senile hemangioma of the lips

[ CLOSE WINDOW ]

Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Claudia Hernandez, MD, Assistant Professor, Department of Dermatology, University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine
Claudia Hernandez, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery, Chicago Dermatological Society, Chicago Medical Society, Dermatology Foundation, National Hispanic Medical Association, and Society for Investigative Dermatology
Disclosure: Amgen Honoraria Speaking and teaching; Centocor Honoraria Speaking and teaching

Medical Editor

Timothy McCalmont, MD, Director, UCSF Dermatopathology Service, Professor of Clinical Pathology and Dermatology, Departments of Pathology and Dermatology, University of California at San Francisco; Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Cutaneous Pathology
Timothy McCalmont, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Medical Association, American Society of Dermatopathology, California Medical Association, College of American Pathologists, and United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology
Disclosure: Apsara Consulting fee Independent contractor

Pharmacy Editor

Richard P Vinson, MD, Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Dermatology, Texas Tech University School of Medicine; Consulting Staff, Mountain View Dermatology, PA
Richard P Vinson, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, Association of Military Dermatologists, Texas Dermatological Society, and Texas Medical Association
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Managing Editor

Rosalie Elenitsas, MD, Herman Beerman Associate Professor of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine; Director, Penn Cutaneous Pathology Services, Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania Health System
Rosalie Elenitsas, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology and American Society of Dermatopathology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

CME Editor

Catherine M Quirk, MD, Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania
Catherine M Quirk, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha and American Academy of Dermatology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Dirk M Elston, MD, Director, Department of Dermatology, Geisinger Medical Center
Dirk M Elston, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

 
 
HONcode

We subscribe to the
HONcode principles of the
Health On the Net Foundation

All material on this website is protected by copyright, Copyright© 1994- by Medscape.
This website also contains material copyrighted by 3rd parties.

DISCLAIMER: The content of this Website is not influenced by sponsors. The site is designed primarily for use by qualified physicians and other medical professionals. The information contained herein should NOT be used as a substitute for the advice of an appropriately qualified and licensed physician or other health care provider. The information provided here is for educational and informational purposes only. In no way should it be considered as offering medical advice. Please check with a physician if you suspect you are ill.