Hemangiomas, birthmarks

Why do hemangiomas occur?

All hemangiomas appear in infancy, from the time of birth or during the first weeks of life. The ultimate cause of their appearance is not known. There are different hypotheses related to their possible placental origin, as it has been shown that some markers of placental cells are also found in the cells that form hemangiomas. They are more frequent in girls, in low birth weight premature infants and in children born to mothers who have undergone invasive diagnostic tests during pregnancy, such as chorionic villus sampling.

What types of hemangiomas can form?

Hemangiomas are the most common benign vascular tumors of infancy. They have two phases throughout their evolution. The first is the proliferative phase, which lasts up to 9 months of age. During this period they sometimes grow very noticeably. The second phase is the involution phase, which can last up to 7-10 years. The hemangioma gradually disappears spontaneously. However, it often leaves some sequelae, as this disappearance is not complete in at least 50% of cases.

How are they treated?

Treatment must be individualized and will differ according to the stage of the hemangioma. The treatment of choice today is the administration of propranolol, a beta-blocker. Early treatment is vital in order to avoid sequelae or complications such as ulcers and the subsequent development of scars or deformities. In some cases they must also be treated with vascular laser. Early treatment achieves very good results, so we recommend seeing a specialist as soon as possible. Our objective, in the Angioma Unit of the Ruber Clinic, is to achieve maximum improvement before the age of 3 years.

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Can they reappear?

Hemangiomas do not reappear. They can only grow again if a certain treatment is suspended before it should. If it reappears over the years, it is most likely that the initial diagnosis was wrong. The main diagnostic problem is confusing hemangiomas with vascular malformations.