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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staff
A hemangioma (he-man-jee-O-muh) is a birthmark that most commonly appears as a rubbery, bright red nodule of extra blood vessels in the skin.
Sometimes called a strawberry mark, a hemangioma grows during the first year of life, and then recedes over time. A child who had a hemangioma during infancy usually has little visible trace of the growth by age 10.
A hemangioma can occur anywhere on the body, but most commonly appears on the face, scalp, chest or back. Treatment of a hemangioma usually isn't needed, unless the nodule interferes with vision or breathing.
References
- Kliegman RM, et al. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 19th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2011. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/208746819-6/0/1608/0.html. Accessed June 21, 2013.
- Hay WW, et al. Current Diagnosis & Treatment: Pediatrics. 21st ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2012. http://www.accessmedicine.com/resourceTOC.aspx?resourceID=14. Accessed June 21, 2013.
- Usatine RP, et al. The Color Atlas of Family Medicine. New York, NY.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2009. http://www.accessmedicine.com/resourceTOC.aspx?resourceID=678. Accessed June 21, 2013.
- Metry DW. Epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical features and complications of infantile hemangiomas. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed June 21, 2013.
- Metry DW. Management of infantile hemangiomas. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed June 21, 2013.
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