How to determine if a red spot is a hemangioma

Written by Yan Chun
Oncology
Updated on January 11, 2025
00:00
00:00

In clinical settings, to determine whether red spots on the skin are hemangiomas, it is advised to visit a hospital and seek the expertise of an oncologist or a dermatologist specializing in vascular surgery for proper diagnosis. For small red spots on the skin, one can apply local pressure to see if the redness fades, returning to a normal skin color, which could indicate that the spots are hemangiomas. Hemangiomas are relatively common benign vascular tumors. In most cases, they do not cause symptoms clinically and are due to endothelial cell abnormalities in the vessels. Symptoms such as pain might occur only when the hemangioma is large enough to cause compression.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Wu Ben Rong
Pediatrics
50sec home-news-image

Is hemangioma in children easy to treat?

The treatment of hemangiomas is relatively simple, involving surgical removal, with generally good prognosis. Hemangiomas in children can be categorized into two types: true hemangiomas and vascular malformations. True hemangiomas include a rapid growth phase, a rest phase, and an involution phase. Therefore, if a child has a true hemangioma, it is possible that it will regress naturally, and parents do not need to be overly anxious about treatment. The second type is vascular malformations, which do not have a clear proliferative phase, resting phase, or regression phase, and usually exist from birth. If not treated, it is very likely to persist throughout life; however, it can be treated with surgery and the use of sclerosing agents among other methods.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Wu Ben Rong
Pediatrics
46sec home-news-image

Causes and Treatment of Infantile Hemangiomas

Infantile hemangiomas are usually caused by congenital factors, and the pathogenesis and specific causes of hemangiomas are not very clear at the moment. Since there is a certain possibility that infantile hemangiomas can heal on their own, if the hemangioma's location is not very noticeable and not particularly significant, it is advisable to initially observe it. If the hemangioma has not healed on its own by the time the child turns five, consideration can be given to treat it with sclerosing injections or through surgery. If the hemangioma is located in an internal organ and does not severely affect the child's health under normal circumstances, it could still be quite dangerous if it bursts. Therefore, parents should give it enough attention.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Tong Peng
Pediatrics
38sec home-news-image

What should I do about the hemangioma on the baby's face?

If the hemangioma on the baby's face affects the baby's facial appearance, or if it is located in some special areas, such as above the trigeminal nerve, then it is necessary to intervene and treat as early as possible. Hemangiomas are vascular malformations in the body and often have no impact on the body; they mainly affect appearance. However, if the location of the growth has certain specificities, it can affect future life or induce some diseases. In such cases, it is necessary for a specialist doctor to make a differential diagnosis and then select a surgical method for targeted treatment.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Wu Ben Rong
Pediatrics
42sec home-news-image

What should I do if my child has a hemangioma?

Infantile hemangiomas are caused by congenital genetic defects leading to abnormal development of capillaries. Currently, there are no very effective treatments available, and the method of treatment can be chosen based on the size and severity of the hemangioma. If the hemangioma is relatively small and does not affect the child's body, it can be temporarily observed, as some children's hemangiomas may gradually heal on their own. If the hemangioma is larger, or has caused some related clinical symptoms, or has affected the child's appearance, it is advisable to consider going to a regular hospital for surgical removal. Postoperative prognosis for the child is generally good, and ideal treatment results can be achieved.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhou Chen
Oncology
1min 7sec home-news-image

Can hemangiomas resolve on their own?

Infantile hemangiomas may regress spontaneously in some cases, so for lesions that are relatively stable in growth, temporary observation without treatment is recommended, especially avoiding surgical treatment. Radiation therapy, which may cause secondary developmental deformities, is not recommended. Medicinal treatment mainly involves the use of steroids and interferons. Steroid therapy is the most common drug treatment for hemangiomas, with the first reports of using steroids for hemangiomas appearing in the mid to late 1960s. Since then, prednisone and prednisolone have been considered first-line drugs for treating life-threatening or vision-threatening hemangiomas. The effective rate of steroid treatment for hemangiomas varies from 30% to 90%. Therefore, we suggest that since infantile hemangiomas can regress on their own, lesions that are stable in growth can be temporarily observed.