A hemangioma is a non-cancerous growth that develops due to an unusual build-up of blood vessels. These are often found on the skin or internal organs especially the liver. In most cases, they are congenital or develop before birth.
Hemangiomas that develop on the liver rarely cause any symptoms. In most cases, they are not discovered until the individual is tested for another condition. A hemangioma that develops on the skin appear as small-sized scratches on infants and grow wide as the child ages. Nevertheless, most cases that develop on the skin vanish when a child reaches 10 years old.
A hemangioma is usually small in size but there were cases in which they grow big or develop lesions that necessitate removal. Take note that there are no known measures to prevent the growth of a hemangioma on the skin or internal organs.
Characteristic of a hemangioma
A hemangioma does not usually trigger any indications throughout or after they have formed. Nevertheless, they might instigate some symptoms if they enlarge in size, there are several hemangiomas or if they develop in a sensitive region.
A hemangioma that develops on the skin typically appear as small-sized, reddened bumps or scratches. As they grow in size, they appear similar to a burgundy-colored birthmark. They are oftentimes called as strawberry hemangiomas due to their deep reddish appearance. They are mostly found on the neck or face.
How is it diagnosed
There are no special tests utilized to diagnose the condition. The doctor can diagnose one during a physical examination. As for those that develop on internal organs, they are detected during an imaging test such as MRI, ultrasound or CT scan and typically detected by accident.
Management
A single, small-sized hemangioma does not require any treatment and likely to vanish on its own. On the other hand, there are cases that necessitate treatment.
A skin hemangioma that develop sores or lesions might require treatment such as the following:
- Laser removal – this is used by a doctor to remove a hemangioma. In some cases, the surgeon might utilize this treatment to minimize the redness and promote rapid healing
- Corticosteroid medication – a medication might be injected into the hemangioma to cease the inflammation and its growth
- Medicated gel – the application of a medicated gel called becaplermin can be used to manage ulcers on the surface of the skin hemangiomas but it has no effect on the hemangioma itself
- Surgical removal – for large-sized hemangiomas or those that develops in a sensitive area such as the eye, this is the ideal option