Hemangiomas
What
is it?
A hemangioma is a type of
birthmark. “Hemangio” means blood vessel and
“oma” means tumor.
Hemangiomas look like a thick mass of blood vessels
above the skin and are usually harmless.
Who
gets it?
Just 1% of newborns are born
with hemangiomas.
However, most are not present at birth. Premature
babies tend to have a higher incidence of
hemangiomas, approaching 25%. Hemangiomas
are not as common in black children.
What
causes it?
Researchers do not know what
causes hemangiomas.
What
are the symptoms?
Most hemangiomas aren’t
obvious at birth. However,
they grow rapidly shortly after birth. After
this burst of growth, they often become smaller
and lighter in color, called “involution,”
over a period of years. Some
hemangiomas will eventually disappear completely.
Some rare hamangiomas, called “cavernous
hamangiomas” can become sore and bleed.
In severe cases, these can cause
uncontrollable bleeding, delayed growth, or
impairment of vital functions.
How
is it diagnosed?
Hemangiomas are diagnosed
according to their appearance and growth pattern.
What
is the treatment?
In most cases, hemangiomas
require no treatment. However,
your doctor may recommend surgery
for growths that gradually disappear, but
leave behind scarring. Cavernous
hamangiomas may require treatment with steroid
medications or embolization, where the hemangioma
is injected with a material that blocks the flow
of blood into the growth.
These types of hemangiomas may also need to
be surgically removed.
The drug interferon may show promise in treating more serious
types of hemangiomas.
This information has been designed as a comprehensive and quick reference
guide written by our health care reviewers. The health information written
by our authors is intended to be a supplement to the care provided by your
physician. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for
professional medical advice.
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