Definition of Hemangioma

A hemangioma is a type of birthmark, characterized by a strawberry-like patch or nodule. While a hemangioma is a tumor, the tumor is noncancerous. Hemangiomas are comprised of what are known as endothelial cells. Your blood vessels are lined with endothelial cells. When you develop a hemangioma, these endothelial cells grow at a rapid rate. According to Children's Hospital Boston, a hemangioma is one of the most common "benign tumors in infants".

Incidence

• A hemangioma may grow at an accelerated rate between 6 to 12 months of your infant's life. This time of accelerated growth is known as a proliferative phase. After this phase, the hemangioma will go through a development of shrinking, which may take one to seven years. This phase is known as the involuting phase. The last phase a hemangioma will go through is the involuted phase. The involuted phase is when a hemangioma fully shrinks and will not grow again.

Factors

• According to the Mayo Clinic, hemangiomas are more common in girls than boys. Caucasian children are more likely to develop hemangiomas as well. Very rarely do African-American children develop hemangiomas. According to the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Standford, a hemangioma can also be an inherited trait. About 10 percent of children who develop a hemangioma have a family history of hemangiomas. Mutations of stem cells produced by the mother's placenta can also cause the development of hemangiomas.

Location

• A hemangioma will appear as a flat birthmark that is red. The birthmark can be located anywhere, but is most likely found upon your infant's face, head or on the back of her neck. As the hemangioma grows, the texture of the birthmark becomes spongy. The birthmark can grow in excess of two or three inches. As the birthmark eventually fades in size, your child may still have either a faint mark or extra skin that is left behind. Most children lose the appearance of their hemangiomas by the time they're 10.

Seeing a Doctor

• Many hemangiomas are small and resolve on their own. However, if a hemangioma grows at an accelerated rate, it is important to see a specialist. This is especially true if the hemangioma impedes your child's sight, hearing or breathing. Hemangiomas that grow too rapidly on your child's eyes, ears, or upon the neck can cause complications. If your child has more than two hemangiomas, consult a specialist. According to Children's Hospital Boston, the presence of multiple hemagiomas may mean your child has hemangiomas present within her organs.

Treatments

• Hemangiomas are usually left untreated unless the birthmark becomes disfiguring or causes medical problems. Laser surgery can remove and stop the growth of a hemangioma. However, laser surgery can cause bleeding, infections, scarring, as well as permanent skin color changes. Corticosteroids are medications that can be injected, but can cause stunted growth, high blood sugar, and high blood pressure. It is important to discuss the potential risks and side effects that can be caused by treatments with your child's specialist before you consider treatments.