Capillary Hemangiomas in Infants Pictures - 9 Photos & Images

A hemangioma of the skin is an abnormal buildup of blood vessels on or under the surface of the skin. A hemangioma of the skin may look like a red wine- or strawberry-colored birthmark and may protrude from the skin. Hemangiomas of the skin appear most frequently on the face, neck, and behind the ears. Growths in the outermost layers of skin are capillary hemangiomas. Those deeper in the skin are cavernous hemangiomas. Capillary hemangiomas are often left untreated, but cavernous growths should receive treatment if they interfere with eyesight or breathing. Hemangiomas of the skin generally develop during infancy. They can affect both boys and girls. Hemangiomas look painful, but rarely cause any discomfort. After a brief period of rapid growth, they often shrink and go away on their own without treatment. Hemangiomas of the skin are non-cancerous and complications are very rare.

Experts don’t know why these benign tumors form. However, according to the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, they are more common in:
girls
infants with low birth weight
premature infants
Caucasian infants
In some cases, hemangiomas run in families. They can also appear spontaneously, so there may be a genetic component to the condition. There’s no way to prevent hemangiomas of the skin because their exact cause is unknown.

Hemangiomas of the skin are generally deep red or purple. They appear as raised lesions or tumors on the skin. The deeper the hemangioma, the darker it appears in color. Growths on the skin’s surface (strawberry or capillary hemangiomas) are usually deep red. Growths under the skin’s surface (cavernous hemangiomas) appear as blue or purple spongy masses filled with blood. Hemangiomas are usually small, but can grow to be quite large. Hemangiomas of the skin normally begin as small scratches or red patches on the skin that form during the first two or three weeks of life. Hemangiomas in infants tend to grow rapidly for the following four to six months. After this period of growth, hemangiomas enter a resting phase. They should remain the same size for several months or years and then begin to shrink.

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