Ask the VBF Experts

Dr. Gregory Levitin, Hemangioma and Malformations Surgeon
Dr. Levitin will answer your questions regarding the surgical treatment of all vascular birthmarks and tumors.



Dr. Stuart Nelson, VBF Co-Medical Director and International Port Wine Stain Laser Specialist
Dr. Nelson will answer your questions concerning the diagnosis and treatment of Port Wine Stains.



Dr. Martin Mihm, VBF Co-Medical Director and Research Director
Dr. Mihm is coordinating and directing research regarding vascular birthmarks and tumors.



Dr. Aaron Fay, Hemangioma and Malformations Eye Surgeon
Dr. Aaron Fay will answer questions concerning eye problems and birthmarks.



Dr. Roy Geronemus, NYC and International Laser Specialist
If you have a question or concern about laser treatments in general, contact Dr. Geronemus.



Dr. Barry Zide, NYC Hemangioma and Malformations Surgeon
If you have a question or concern about hemangioma and vascular malformation treatment in general, contact Dr. Zide.



Dr. Darren Orbach, Pediatric Neurointerventionalist for AVMs and PHACE
VBF is proud to welcome Dr. Orbach!



Corinne Barinaga, VBF Family Services Director
Corinne Barinaga, our Administrative Director, will answer emails concerning family advocacy, treatment questions, or physician referral.



Dr. Robert Rosen, Vascular Lesions of Arms and Legs Interventional Radiologist
Our expert for all non-brain AVMs and vascular lesions of the arms and legs, Dr. Rosen welcomes your questions.



Brian Bolinger, Esq. Director VBF Advocacy Alliance
This alliance is being formed to coordinate legislative, legal, and insurance related issues regarding the diagnosis and treatment of vascular birthmarks and tumors.



Dr. Anne Comi, Sturge Weber Syndrome Specialist
One of the leading experts on Sturge Weber Syndrome, Dr. Comi will be responding to your questions concerning this syndrome.



Dr. Alex Berenstein, Malformations and AVM Interventional Radiologist




Dr. Kami Delfanian, KTS Treatment Specialist
Send your questions concerning KT Syndrome to Dr. Delfanian



Dr. Gary Giangola, KTS Treatment Specialist
If you have questions concerning the surgical treatment of KTS or other vascular lesions of the arms, legs, or trunk, contact Dr Giangola.



Basia Joyce, VBF Insurance Appeals Specialist
Please send your questions regarding your appeal or request for out-of-network treatment to Basia.



Dr. Joseph Edmonds, Lymphatic Malformations Surgeon
Ask Dr. Edmonds your questions related to Lymphatic Malformations.



Dr. Thomas Serena, Wound Care Specialist
Please send Dr. Serena your questions regarding wound care for an ulcerated hemangioma or other vascular birthmark, tumor, or syndrome that requires wound care.



Dr. Orhan Konez, Interventional Radiologist
Questions regarding reading and interpreting films and treating malformations with sclerotherapy or embollization can be sent to Dr. Orhan Konez.



Dr. Jason Mouzakes, Airway Surgeon
Email Dr. Mouzakes with questions regarding airway hemangiomas and other vascular lesions in the airway (throat area).



Dr. Steven Fishman, Internal Lesions Surgeon

Ask Dr. Fishman your questions about liver and other internal vascular lesions.



Dr. Susie Astner, European Laser Specialist
VBF's Ask the Laser Doctor offers expert advice on laser treatments for all vascular birthmarks by Dr. Susie Astner.



Dr. Denise Metry, PHACE Syndrome Specialist
If you have any questions regarding this syndrome, please ask Dr. Metry.



Dr. Stavros Tombris, European Surgeon
Fr. Tombris treats all forms of hemangomas, port wine stains and malformations.



Dr. Stevan Thompson, Military (Tricare) Surgeon
Dr. Stevan Thompson has joined us to answer questions concerning the treatment of vascular birthmarks in the military.



Dr. Helen Figge, Pharmacist
If you or your child has a vascular birthmark and you have a question regarding a prescription drug, please ask Doc Helen Figge.



Dr. Linda Rozell-Shannon, VBF President and Founder
Dr. Linda Rozell-Shannon is the leading lay expert in the world on the subject of vascular birthmarks.



Lex Van der Heijden, CMTC Foundation

If you or your child has CMTC, please contact Lex with your questions.



Leslie Graff, East Coast Developmental Specialist
Leslie is a trained developmental specialist. Send questions concerning port wine stains and this topic to Leslie.



Elissa-Uretsky Rifkin, Midwest Developmental Specialist
Elissa Uretsky- Rifkin, M.Ed. CMHC
is a trained developmental specialist and is on the board of VBF. Send questions concerning hemangiomas and this topic to Elissa.



Kymberly Stephens, Licensed Associate Counselor
Ask our expert Kymberly Stephens about issues stemming from prominent birthmarks, disfigurements, or image related issues associated with genetics, trauma, burn or accident situations.



Nancy Roberts - Make-up Specialist
Ask our expert Nancy Roberts, Co-Creator of Smart Cover Cosmetics (www.smartcover.com), your questions about make-up.



Linda Seidel - Make-up Expert
Ask Linda Seidel your questions about make-up.



Zeina Tannous, M.D., Laser Dermatology Expert
Ask our expert Dr. Tannous, your questions about laser dermatology.



Anna Duarte, M.D., Florida Expert
Ask our expert Dr. Duarte, your questions about receiving treatment in Florida.



Alicita, Spanish Expert
Ask our expert Alicita, your questions in Spanish.



What Our Families Are Saying About Us

"We relied on the Vascular Birthmarks Foundation to provide us with the information, the contacts, the resources, and the support that we needed to get through this difficult time. Their theme, "We are making a difference" couldn't be more accurate. For us, it was all the difference in the world."
Jill Brown


Hi Linda
Just a note to say how wonderful I found the interview of you and Capital 9 news. Thanks so much for your devotion.
Gina




History

Christine before surgery
Christine at 18 months.
Christine after surgery
Christine at 22 months, 3 months after surgery.
Christine at 7
Christine in 2009, aged 15.

 

One in ten children are born with a vascular birthmark, or 400,000, each year in the United States (based on the 2003 census). Of these infants, 1 in 10, or 40,000 are born with a vascular birthmark that will require the opinion of a medical specialist. There are two categories of vascular birthmarks: hemangiomas, which are the most common tumor of infancy, and vascular malformations. These two categories, while related, are very different. It is very important to know the difference because the treatment is different depending on the lesion type.

 

Traditional medical protocol in years past was to allow these potentially disfiguring and dangerous lesions to grow and "wait" for regression or involution to occur. New data indicates that most of these lesions do not regress to a cosmetically acceptable appearance, and will, therefore, require some form of corrective surgery. As a result, there is a concerted effort on the part of several prominent physicians and research specialists to change the old "benign neglect" protocol to require more aggressive early intervention. Additionally, almost all benign vascular lesions have been called "hemangiomas." However, many are actually vascular malformations. It is important to have an accurate diagnosis since hemangiomas will regress but vascular malformations will continue to grow. This web site is dedicated to provide the most accurate and up to date information on the proper diagnosis and treatment of hemangiomas and other vascular birthmarks. This information is not only important for parents, it is critical for physicians and other health care providers.

 

Dr. Linda Rozell Shannon is the President and Founder of the Vascular Birthmarks Foundation. She has her Phd in Education, her Masters of Science degree in Health Education and has been a freelance writer and analyst for over 25 years. In 1994, after her daughter, Christine Mary Shannon, was diagnosed with a hemangioma in 1994, Linda began researching and writing information on vascular birthmarks. In 1995, Linda learned about Dr. Milton Waner, and his work at Arkansas Children's Hospital. After he successfully removed her daughter's hemangioma in one 3 hour out- patient surgical procedure, she teamed up with Dr. Warner, Associate Professor of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Arkansas Medical School (currently (2005) at the Birthmark Institute at the Beth Israel Hospital in NYC) to write the one and only book for parents on birthmarks. Today, Dr. Waner is an internationally recognized authority on the diagnosis and treatment of hemangiomas and vascular malformations. He has successfully treated thousands of child and adults with vascular birthmarks. Since its inception in 1994, VBF has successfully networked thousands of children and adults into treatment, sponsored significant research, educated physicians and affected family members about the diagnosis and treatment of vascular birthmarks and has established chapters all over the world.

 

Presentation with VBF's History (Power Point)

 
Find a Doctor Find a Parent Find a Chapter Join Day of Awareness Insurance Appeal Booklet VBF Birthmark Booklet Press Releases About VBF Contact Us Canada Chapter US Chapter Latin America Chapter Europe Chapter Africa Chapter India Chapter Asia Chapter Vietnam Chapter Philippines Chapter Australia Chapter Poland Chapter Israel Chapter New Zealand Chapter