ANGIOMA IN CHILDREN: WHY THEY OCCUR AND HOW THIS TYPE OF SKIN SPOTS IS TREATED

Almost a five percent of children suffer from angiomas or hemangiomas (which some people call "cravings"), reddish spots on the skin that are usually not seen at birth, but appear in the first weeks of life.

Although they are a frequent cause for concern and consultation on the part of the parents, the angiomas are benign and in a high percentage of cases they disappear spontaneously throughout childhood. If your little one has an angioma, we tell you everything you should know about these benign vascular tumors.

What is an angioma and why does it occur?

Hemangiomas are vascular proliferations, that is, a set of blood vessels that grow abnormally on the skin of young children.

This benign tumor occurs with relative frequency in childhood, and although they may be present from the moment of birth (between 1-3% of cases), they generally begin to become visible over time, affecting 10% of children under one year.

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Its incidence is higher in girls than in boys, and it is also more frequent to find them in premature babies or with low birth weight, as well as in case of multiple pregnancies.

What do they look like and where are they located?

The angioma can be flat and present as a pink or reddish spot without relief (if small it can simulate a small network of capillaries, such as the cover photo), or bulky, whose appearance is a red spot with relief, like the photo you can see at the top.

They are located anywhere in the body, although they are more frequent to find in the head, face, neck and neck, followed by limbs and trunk. More rarely it affects mucous surfaces.

Usually these are unique lesions, although in 15-20% of cases they can be multiple.

How this benign vascular tumor evolves

Except for some cases in which its presence is clear from birth, the angioma begins to manifest itself weeks or months later as a small pink spot that increases in size over time.

Its growth is fast, with a duration that varies between three and nine months. Then it enters a stabilization phase and finally the regression takes place, disappearing almost always and leaving practically no sign of its existence.

In 30% of cases, the angioma will disappear before the child's three years, 50% will do so before the age of five, and 70% before the age of seven. In adults it is very rare to find this type of benign tumor.

A special type of angioma or flat hemangioma are the "port wine" stains for its particular dark red or purple color. They are large and smooth areas of the skin of irregular shapes caused by an excess of blood vessels under the skin. These spots do not disappear without treatment. They can be removed by a plastic surgeon or a pediatric dermatologist when the child is older.

Are angiomas dangerous?

The Spanish Association of Pediatrics estimates that only in 1% of cases can hemangiomas pose a danger, although in its growth phase some can cause local complications, especially in the case of large facial hemangiomas.

Very rarely, hemangiomas affect other visceral organs.

What to do if my child has an angioma?

In the presence of a spot on your baby's skin it is important to take the pediatrician for evaluation. In most cases, its appearance will determine the diagnosis, although there may be special cases in which its location advises complementary imaging, in order to assess the involvement of internal organs or rule out associated malformations.

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As we have said, in most cases the angiomas disappear spontaneously, so in the absence of commitment of vital structures an expectant attitude is recommended, and only in certain cases treatment is recommended: