Hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia (otherwise known as Osler’s disease or Osler-Weber-Rendu disease)

This is an inherited disorder in which there are multiple, abnormal dilations of small blood vessels in the skin and mucous membranes. These ‘telangiectasia’ are seen as small, red lesions on the lips and scattered around the mouth in the facial skin. They may also be seen within the mouth and nose. They all have a tendency to bleed, but the nose is the commonest site for bleeding in Osler’s disease, and the bleeding may be extremely difficult to control. Laser therapy has proved more helpful than earlier methods.