Senile hemangioma of the lips

Abstract

A venous lake, sometimes referred to as senile hemangioma of the lips is usually a solitary, non-indurated, soft, compressible, blue papule occurring due to dilatation of venules. It is commonly found on sun-exposed surfaces of the face and ears. We describe a 46 year-old male who presented with this clinical picture on the lower lip.

Benign vascular lesions of the lips: Diagnostic approach

“…The terminologies senile hemangioma and lip varices have been used to designate the same lesions. Venous lake is a vascular ectasia formed from dilated venules, usually located in the vermillion of the lip . The loosening of tissue and the increase in venous pressure, as well as aging are predisposing factors.…”

“…Clinically, they appear as a purple lump, usually asymptomatic and require no treatment. Usually their excisions occur for aesthetical reasons as clinical aspect is strongly indicative of this diagnosis …”

“…Differently from hemangiomas, vascular malformations are considered structural abnormalities of embryonic development, composed by arteries, veins and/or capillaries, and there is no spontaneous regression, persisting stable throughout life . Clinically, they appear as nodules, papules or macules and their color depends on how deep they are in the tissue, and they do not involute . They are negative to GLUT‐1.…”

Dermoscopy of venous lake on the lips: A comparative study with labial melanotic macule

“…Venous lake (VL) is a common benign vascular tumor that is also known as senile hemangioma and phlebectasia. [ 1 ] VL typically presents as soft, compressible, dark-blue to violaceous papules or nodules on the head and neck, especially on the lower lips of elderly people. [ 2 – 4 ] Although the lesion is usually asymptomatic, it is cosmetically distressful and occasionally bleeds or becomes painful.…”

“…However, in some cases, VL on the lips can be confused with pigmented lesions such as labial melanotic macule (LMM) or oral malignant melanoma (OMM). [ 1 , 3 – 5 ] Therefore, it is important to differentiate VL from LMM because the treatment modalities are different for each disease; VL is a vascular tumor, whereas LMM is a melanotic lesion. [ 4 , 6 ] Dermoscopy can be a useful non-invasive diagnostic tool for various pigmented and non-pigmented tumors.…”