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Hemangioma Symptoms

Hemangioma is the medical term for a birth mark that occurs at birth or shortly after birth. According to the National Institutes of Health, only 30 percent of hemangiomas appear at birth with the rest appearing weeks or months later. It may also be referred to as a strawberry hemangioma, or infantile hemangioma. Hemangiomas are formed by a group of extra blood vessels that all clump together. The hemangioma usually grows only during the first year after birth. Afterwards it may gradually recede. Often hemangiomas are barely visible by the age of 10. According to the Mayo Clinic, hemangiomas are more common in girls, premature infants and Caucasian infants.

  1. Location

    • According to the Boston's Children Hospital, 60 percent of all hemangiomas appear on the neck or head area. Another 25 percent appear on the trunk portion of the body. Finally, 15 percent appear on the arms or legs. Also, about 80 percent of hemangiomas appear alone as just one growth, but the other 20 percent may appear as multiple growths on various areas of the body. Rarely, hemangiomas may develop internally on organs such as the liver or brain.

    Appearance

    • Hemangiomas usually first appear as a flat, purplish red area of skin. Over the course of the infant's first year, the mark may grow larger or may become a protruding a tumor consisting of excess blood vessels. This mass of blood vessels will feel and look spongy. Hemangiomas may grow to a diameter of 2 to 3 inches or even larger.

    Disappearance Symptoms

    • Hemangiomas begin receding shortly after the first year of life. According to the Mayo Clinic, about 50 percent of all hemangiomas are gone by around the age of 5 and most all are gone by the age of 10. Sometimes the hemangioma may leave behind an area of discolored skin and a bit of extra skin where the hemangioma once was.

    Symptoms of Concern

    • A doctor should be consulted if the hemangioma grows extremely large or continues to grow well beyond the first year. Also, hemangiomas may need medical attention if they begin to bleed, become infected or become firm to the touch. If the hemangioma appears bruised or if a sore is present on the hemangioma, medical attention may also be needed. According to the Boston Children's Hospital, hemangiomas only present serious life-endangering problems about 1 percent of the time.

    Treatment

    • Hemangiomas that remain flat are typically not treated. Those hemangiomas that develop into tumors may also be left untreated unless they are in a location that is causing problems with vision, breathing, eating, urinating or defecating. Hemangiomas may be treated with lasers, which prevent the hemangioma from growing or completely remove the hemangioma. Laser surgery can cause bleeding, pain, scarring, skin discoloration and pain. Another treatment involves either receiving corticosteroid injections, taking oral corticosteriod medications or applying topical corticosteroid creams. Corticosteroids can slow the growth of the hemangioma; however, risks are associated with using corticosteroids such as stunted growth, hypertension, increased blood sugar and cataracts.

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