Strawberry Hemangioma
What is Strawberry Hemangioma?
Strawberry hemangiomas are a type of vascular birthmark. It is a raised bright
red spot, often small, usually soft and compressible characterized with
well-defined borders. They consist of an abnormally dense group of widened
(dilated) blood vessels. They appear on the surface of the skin as red-blue
spongy masses.
Where and When does strawberry hemangioma occur?
Strawberry Hemangioma occurs most commonly on the face, scalp, chest or back.
It may be present at birth but it appears more commonly during the first one or
two months of life. One to three children's out of hundred children's are born
with strawberry hemangioma. In rare cases, they may also occur on internal
organs, such as the liver, spleen or pancreas and interfere with them and are
associated with life-threatening complications.
How does strawberry hemangioma occur and how long does it lasts?
Strawberry hemangioma start out flat and then go through a rapid growth phase
in the first six to 12 months of the life of infant. This rapid growth may
worry the parents. The hemangioma then stops growing and goes through a rest
phase. Finally, it starts to disappear. Unfortunately, it takes much longer for
a strawberry hemangioma to disappear than it does to appear. About 50 percent
of strawberry hemangioma disappear completely by the time the child is 5 years
old.
The vast majority of children with strawberry hemangiomas experience no
complications. However, there are a few who do encounter some problems. In less
than five percent of children, the hemangioma can leave a divot in the skin
during its fading away phase. These usually occur when the lips are involved.
In addition, uncommonly, the hemangioma can enlarge to involve structures vital
to eyesight or breathing.
Symptoms of strawberry hemangioma
Symptoms of strawberry hemangioma include following:
* A red to reddish-purple, raised lesion on the skin.
* A massive, raised tumor with blood vessels (a possibility).
A strawberry hemangioma may cause other symptoms if its location interferes
with a vital organ. For example, a lesion on the neck could press down on the
trachea and interfere with breathing, and a hemangioma near the eye or on the
ear could limit vision or affect hearing.
Treatment Strawberry Hemangioma
Strawberry hemangioma are often not treated. When they are allowed to disappear
on their own, the result is usually normal-appearing skin. In some cases, a
laser may be used to eradicate the small vessels.
Recently, lasers have been used to reduce the bulk of the hemangiomas. Lasers
emitting yellow light selectively damage the vessels in the hemangioma without
damaging the overlying skin. Some physicians are using a combination of steroid
injection and laser therapy together.
Prevention
There is no prevention for strawberry hemangioma till date.
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