A hemangioma is a type of birthmark and vascular abnormality and is the most common benign (noncancerous) tumor of the skin. Port-wine stains, strawberry hemangiomas and salmon patches are all hemangiomas. While they may be very faint or invisible at birth, most hemangiomas grow rapidly after birth.

Understanding the Context

A hemangioma is a benign (noncancerous) tumor made up of blood vessels. There are many types of hemangiomas, and they can occur throughout the body, including in skin, muscle, bone, and internal organs. Most hemangiomas occur on the surface of the skin or just beneath it. A hemangioma (he-man-jee-O-muh), also known as an infantile hemangioma or hemangioma of infancy, is a bright red birthmark.

Key Insights

It looks like a rubbery bump or flat red patch and is made up of extra blood vessels in the skin. The mark shows up at birth or in the first month of life. A hemangioma is a common vascular birthmark, made of extra blood vessels in the skin. It is a benign (non-cancerous) growth. Hemangiomas may occur anywhere on the body.

Final Thoughts

There are three main types of hemangioma: superficial (on the surface of the skin), deep (under the skin) and mixed. A hemangioma is a benign tumor of blood vessels, most commonly seen in children. Having a characteristic clinical appearance of mostly bright red papules or plaques all over the skin surface, hemangiomas are also frequently called strawberry marks. A hemangioma is an abnormal buildup of blood vessels in the skin or internal organs. Hemangiomas of infancy develop soon after birth and tend to enlarge rapidly during the first year of life. After 12 to 18 months, they begin to shrink.

Many infantile hemangiomas spontaneously disappear within the first 3 to 5 years of life. Hemangiomas of infancy grow within and under the skin. Yahoo: Little Sleepies features baby with hemangioma in ads—and parents everywhere are here for it