Image: Shutterstock/ Ruslana Iurchenko
You may not have heard of a hemangioma, but you’ve probably seen one. Hemangiomas are a common growth that appears on the bodies of many children when they are born. Over time, they tend to grow into spongy, red masses of tissue. But in most cases, they tend to fade away within a few years. So hemangiomas aren’t typically a cause for concern, but they worth learning about.
So, what exactly is a hemangioma? And how are they treated?
What Is A Hemangioma?
Hemangiomas usually take the form of a small, dark mark on a child’s face. Sometimes, these marks are present from birth. But in most cases, they appear a few months later. They usually appear on the face or scalp but can grow anywhere on the body.
Over time, the mark grows from a flat, dark spot to a larger growth. The growths tend to go away on their own. Many cases resolve themselves within five years and the majority of the rest are gone by the time a child is ten years old.
These growths are actually caused by extra blood vessels growing into the skin. We don’t know why this happens, but there is probably a genetic component, making some children more likely to develop them than others. In addition, girls seem to develop them at a higher rate than boys. And it’s possible that a heightened level of estrogen in the placenta may play a role in the development of these growths.
And while these types of growths are the most widely known form of hemangioma, there are other kinds that can affect the body internally. Hemangiomas can grow on the liver, particularly in the case of middle aged women who are going through menopause. It’s thought that the replacement estrogen pills that many women in menopause are given might lead to the development of growths on the liver.
Finally, these growths can also occur on the kidneys, lungs, colon, or even brain.
How Are They Treated?
The types of hemangiomas that children develop are usually not enough of a concern to need treatment. Most go away on their own and don’t present any significant risk to a child’s health. But in some cases, they can cause complications.
The growths may break open and bleed, often profusely due to the dense grouping of blood vessels inside. And these cuts may form into sores or ulcers that need treatment to prevent infection.
To diagnose these kinds of growths, doctors can usually do a visual inspection. For growths outside the body, it’s easy to simply take a look at them. And for growths inside the body, doctors usually order an imaging test like an x-ray or ultrasound.
Without any complications, treatment for growths on the skin is usually unnecessary. But there are a few things doctors can do about them if they are particularly large or disfiguring. The first option is basic anti-inflammatory medications. The most common are corticosteroids. Corticosteroids are a hormone that the body naturally produces in response to inflammation. But doctors can also inject synthetic corticosteroids directly into the growth to reduce its size and to help stop it from growing larger.
In addition, if the growth is large enough or located in an area where it causes problems, like inside an ear or near an eye, doctors can remove it surgically with a simple procedure. Although, this procedure is not usually the first choice as it can lead to permanent scarring.
Hemangiomas inside the body are a more serious concern. These forms might cause symptoms based on how large they are and where they occur inside the body. The most obvious symptoms of these types of growths are nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, and weight loss.
In these cases, the only real treatment option is surgery. Doctors can perform surgery to remove the growth completely from the organ affected. In addition, they can simply tie off the artery feeding blood to the growth. This will starve it of the blood needed to grow and eventually cause it to die and shrink. This can be a good way to reduce the size of the growth so that it is easier to remove surgically or a primary procedure to remove the growth.
Most of these growths are not serious enough to require surgery, but if they are causing symptoms, it’s always a good idea to see a doctor and discuss your options.
So, do you have experience with a hemangioma? How did you treat it? Let us know in the comments.
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