Vigorbuddy.com | Important Treatment Options for Infantile Superficial Hemangiomas | It’s estimated that up to 10% of babies are born with infantile hemangioma. While they’re not life-threatening or even dangerous, hemangiomas can definitely cause health issues to crop up.
If your baby’s been born with superficial hemangiomas (also known as strawberry hemangioma), then read on. In this article, we’ll show you what treatment options are available.
What Is a Hemangioma?
First off, what are hemangiomas? They’re essentially growths of blood vessels that are noncancerous.
There are 3 hemangioma types: superficial, deep, and mixed. Regardless of the type, they should go away on their own in time.
However, there are instances where hemangiomas might affect your baby’s quality of life. For example, they might become infected or cause vision problems due to their size.
If this happens to your infant, below are some solutions.
Topical Medications
Because superficial hemangiomas are on the surface of the skin, the main recommended treatment is topical medications, especially if the hemangiomas are small.
Your baby might be prescribed topical beta blockers to slow the growth of the hemangiomas. They might also lighten up as a result of the medicine.
If there are open sores, topical antibiotics are prescribed as well.
Oral Medications
For bigger superficial hemangiomas, your doctor might prescribe oral medications.
The main medicine prescribed is propranolol, which can be taken until your child’s around 1 year of age. This is also a beta blocker, which means it’ll have the same effects as the topical version. But because it’s a stronger dose, it’ll treat the hemangiomas more effectively.
Another medication that’s prescribed is prednisone. This is a steroid usually used to treat allergies, but it’s effective for hemangiomas as well. Prednisone is typically used if other treatments haven’t worked or if propranolol isn’t an option.
Surgery
If all the above treatments have failed, surgery might be the next option. Your baby can be a good candidate if the hemangiomas have stopped growing.
If the hemangiomas have gone away on their own but have left being markings, surgery can remove those as well.
Should your child have deep hemangiomas as well, then they might need the internal hemangiomas removed with surgery to relieve pain.
Laser Treatment
Again, hemangiomas can leave behind markings, even once they’ve gone away with time. You can consider booking laser treatments to lighten up the blood vessels so the markings aren’t as noticeable. It can also remove larger superficial hemangiomas to help with discomfort.
Have Your Baby’s Superficial Hemangiomas Treated if Necessary
While superficial hemangiomas usually go away on their own without treatment, there may be times where medical intervention is needed. Should that be the case with your little one, now you know all the treatment options available.
So if your baby’s having issues with their hemangioma, make an appointment with your doctor. They’ll be able to examine your infant and suggest the best steps moving forward.
Keep reading our blog page for more information on caring for your baby.
