Hemangioma Definition, Reason, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention
Definition
Hemangiomas are benign tumors of blood vessels that cause blood vessels to “grow” in certain locations on the body. Hemangiomas generally start from infancy.
Hemangiomas most often occur on the skin. However, other organs in the body can also be affected, for example the liver, stomach, intestines, even the brain.
Symptom
Hemangioma can be found when the baby is born, but it is more often discovered after the baby is several months old. This disorder is characterized by red spots or bumps that can occur anywhere on the skin, but are most common on the face, scalp, chest and back.
Generally, hemangiomas do not cause any complaints, but in some cases they can also bleed easily or feel painful.
Hemangioma usually looks enlarged in the first year of a baby’s life, but slowly settles in size, can even shrink and disappear. In most cases of hemangioma, the disorder disappears by the time the child is 10 years old.
Hemangiomas that occur in internal organs such as the stomach, liver, intestines, brain generally do not cause any complaints.
Reason
Hemangioma occurs when blood vessels ‘grow’ excessively in groups to form a tumor consisting of many blood vessels that coalesce.
The cause is not known for certain, but it is suspected that a genetic disorder is one of the causes. Hemangiomas are more common in women, babies born prematurely, and white people.
Diagnosis
No special tests need to be done to determine the presence of hemangioma in the skin. Doctors can generally determine this by examining spots or lumps that are suspected of having a hemangioma.
However, to determine the presence of hemangioma in the internal organs, radiological examinations such as ultrasound, MRI, or CT scan are needed.
Treatment
Hemangiomas that are small and do not cause any symptoms do not need to be treated because they will slowly disappear by themselves. However, if there are complaints, such as pain, treatments that can be done include:
- Administration of corticosteroids: these drugs can stop the growth of hemangiomas and reduce the inflammation they cause.
- Beta-blockers: beta-blocker creams can shrink hemangiomas. This cream is generally used in hemangiomas that bleed easily.
- Laser or surgery: these treatments aim to remove the hemangioma.
Prevention
Until now there is nothing that can be done to prevent the appearance of hemangiomas.