​Dermatology - Infantile Hemangioma

​Dermatology - Infantile Hemangioma
Infantile hemangioma, sometimes referred to as strawberry hemangioma, is the prevailing neoplasm in infancy, with a prevalence of 1-2.5%, and up to 10% among Caucasian children before reaching one year of age. Females are more frequently affected than males, at a ratio of 3 to 1.
Infantile hemangiomas typically have rapid growth during the first year and then gradually shrink through a process of involution over the following 1-5 years. Involution has significant variation and is not associated with factors such as size, location, or appearance. Typically, involution is fully accomplished by the age of 10 years.

Infantile hemangiomas are pliable growths or patches that range in color from vivid red to dark purple and can be compressed. They typically measure between 1 and 8 centimeters in diameter. During the process of involution, a central area that transitions from white to gray becomes visible, and there is a possibility of ulceration. The lesions often occur as a single growth and can be found either in a specific area or spread throughout a larger territory. The most common locations for these growths are the head and neck, accounting for 50% of cases, followed by the trunk at 25%. However, lesions can also appear on the extremities and oral mucosa.

The diagnosis relies on clinical and MRI data indicating sluggish blood flow across the lesion.
The presence of GLUT-1 immunoreactivity effectively excludes the possibility of a vascular abnormality.

The majority of hemangiomas naturally regress without any lasting alteration to the skin, making a nonintervention approach the most effective and aesthetically pleasing method for managing most lesions. Treatment is necessary for around 25% of lesions that cause obstruction in important structures such as the eyes, hearing, or larynx, or that result in ulceration. Administering systemic medication is a challenging task that necessitates a high level of skill and proficiency.
Treatment options for this condition including surgical and medicinal procedures such as continuous wave or pulsed dye laser, cryosurgery, intralesional and systemic high-dose glucocorticoids, interferon α (IFN-α), and propanolol.