What is a Hemangioma?

Hemangiomas are a specific type of growth that appear on the skin. Depending on your skin tone, they might look like reddish or purple lumps on lighter skin, or brownish marks on darker skin. These growths happen when clusters of blood vessels do not develop correctly and clump together. They can show up at birth, develop during infancy, or even appear much later in life.

While they are most common in babies—affecting about 1 in 10 children—adults can get them too. In fact, three out of every four adults over the age of 75 develop small red spots known as cherry hemangiomas.

Are hemangiomas considered tumors?

Yes, hemangiomas are classified as benign (non-cancerous) tumors. This means they are not cancer and they do not spread to other parts of your body. It is also very rare for a hemangioma to ever turn into a cancerous condition.

What are the different kinds of hemangiomas?

There are two main types of hemangiomas that people usually experience:

• Capillary Hemangiomas: These appear on the outer layers of your skin. This group includes strawberry hemangiomas (also called infantile hemangiomas), which are common in babies. It also includes cherry hemangiomas, which are very common in older adults.
• Cavernous Hemangiomas: These develop in the deeper layers of the skin and often appear around the eyes. Because they grow deeper, they can sometimes interfere with how the eye develops or works. This can lead to other eye issues like cataracts, glaucoma, or a lazy eye (amblyopia).

Do hemangiomas pose a threat to your health?

In most cases, hemangiomas are not dangerous. However, they can become a problem if they grow in a sensitive area. If a hemangioma gets too large near a vital organ or structure, it can push on and damage nearby tissues. The level of risk mostly depends on exactly where the growth is located on your body.

What are the signs and causes of hemangiomas?

The main sign of a hemangioma is a colored lump on the surface of the skin. On lighter skin, these are usually red or purple, while on darker skin, they often look brown.

Symptoms and appearances:

• They often look like a raised protrusion or a lump that resembles a blister.
• When shallow, they can be bright red to purple on lighter skin or brown on darker skin, but when deeper, they can occasionally be blue.
• The width ranges from 1/4 to 2 inches (0.64 to 5.1 cm).
• They occur alone most of the time, although they can also occur in groups or even bigger, continuous lesions.

Hemangiomas usually do not cause any pain. However, they can hurt if they grow in a tight space with limited room or if they are scratched or injured. Most of the time, they will not bleed unless they are accidentally damaged.

Where do they grow?

Hemangiomas can grow almost anywhere, but they are most common on the head and neck. While they are easiest to see on the skin, they can also grow on mucous membranes like the tongue or the inside of the mouth. They can even grow inside your body where you cannot see them—the liver is the most common place for internal hemangiomas to develop.

What are the phases of a hemangioma?

If a baby is born with an infantile hemangioma, it usually goes through two main stages:

• Phase 1: Proliferation (Growth). The hemangioma grows very quickly. This usually happens during the first 12 months of the baby's life.
• Phase 2: Involution (Shrinking). The growth begins to shrink and fade. This typically starts between 12 and 18 months of age. This stage can take several years. About half of these disappear by age five, and 90% are gone by the time the child is nine years old.

When the shrinking phase is finished, the mark may disappear completely, though sometimes it leaves behind a little bit of skin discoloration or a small scar.

For babies born with congenital hemangiomas (already fully formed at birth), the pattern is a bit different. Some disappear very fast, some stay exactly as they are, and others only shrink halfway.

What causes a hemangioma?

A hemangioma forms when blood vessels clump together and grow in an unusual way. Doctors and experts are still not entirely sure why this happens or what exactly triggers the formation.

What are the risk factors?

You might be more likely to develop a hemangioma based on the following factors:

• Age: They are most common in infants, especially between the ages of two weeks and two months.
• Birth timing: About 1 in 5 premature babies will develop one.
• Sex: Women and girls are up to four times more likely to have them than men.
• Skin tone: People with lighter skin tones have a higher chance of developing them.

Health conditions: Certain rare genetic conditions, like PHACE syndrome or Von Hippel-Lindau disease, can make hemangiomas more likely to occur.

What are the possible complications?

Most hemangiomas do not cause problems unless they are in a vital spot. Potential complications include:

• Eyes: They can press on the eye and damage vision.
• Neck and chin: They can press against the windpipe and make it hard to breathe.
• Spine: If they grow near the spine, they can put pressure on the spinal cord.
• Internal organs: Large growths inside the body can stop organs from working properly.

How do doctors diagnose a hemangioma?

Because hemangiomas are so visible on the skin, a doctor can often identify them just by looking during a physical exam.

To get a better look, a doctor might use an ultrasound to see how blood is flowing through the growth. In some cases, they might perform a biopsy (taking a tiny tissue sample) or request an MRI scan to see if there are any hidden risks. Occasionally, blood tests or genetic tests are used to rule out other conditions.

How are hemangiomas managed and treated?

Many hemangiomas do not need any treatment because they often go away on their own. A doctor might simply suggest watching only because infantile hemangiomas frequently disappear.

Treatment might be needed for reasons including:

• Location: This is especially true for hemangiomas that could damage nearby tissues or structures.
• Dimensions: Treatment may be necessary to remove and heal larger hemangiomas.
• Appearance: For aesthetic reasons, people often want noticeable hemangiomas removed, such as those on the head or face.
• Repairing aftereffects: Hemangiomas can cause lasting skin changes even if they do not need direct therapy.
• Hemangioma damage: When they do bleed, healing depends on taking good care of the wound.

Common treatment options:

• Beta-blockers: Medications like propranolol are first-line treatments. They help shrink the growth when taken early. These can be taken as a liquid or applied to the skin.
• Corticosteroids: These can be injected or applied as a cream to help shrink the hemangioma.
• Laser therapy: This can stop the growth of surface hemangiomas and help fade the color.
• Stopping blood supply: Procedures called sclerotherapy or embolization can stop blood from reaching the growth.
• Surgery: A surgeon can remove deeper or larger growths or fix any damage left by a hemangioma.

For older adults with cherry hemangiomas, treatment is usually not necessary. If they become bothersome, a doctor may suggest seeing a dermatologist to have them removed.

When should I talk to my doctor about a hemangioma?

You should schedule an appointment with a doctor if you have a hemangioma that:

• Changes color.
• Bleeds after breaking open.
• Grows near the eyes.
• Appears around the mouth, chin, or throat.

What is the long-term outlook?

The outlook depends on where the growth is and when it appeared. Most hemangiomas are harmless and will eventually shrink and fade without any help. If your child has a hemangioma that causes concern, their doctor can provide the right advice and treatment plan to help manage it.

Why choose Tender Palm Super-Speciality Hospital for Hemangioma treatment in Lucknow, India?

Tender Palm Super-Speciality Hospital offers advanced Hemangioma treatment in Lucknow, India, at an affordable cost. We have a team of experienced surgeons, dermatologists, and vascular specialists, known as some of the best doctors for treating vascular lesions. We provide accurate diagnosis with clinical evaluation and advanced imaging, personalized medical management, and surgical or minimally invasive treatment when required. Our team has decades of experience in successfully treating Hemangioma in Lucknow, India.

To seek an Expert Consultation for Hemangioma treatment in Lucknow, India:

Call us at +91-9076972161
Email at care@tenderpalm.com

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