Treatment or no treatment?

Especially when located on the face, hemangiomas damage a person’s appearance. Even so, oftentimes we forego treatment because non-intervention leads to comparable results at a later, adult, age.

Sometimes we do advise treatment, for instance when a hemangioma hinders an organ, as in the case of hemangiomas on the eye-lid, since this may lead to amblyopia (lazy eye). Treatment may also be required when there is ulceration or danger of disfigurement. Medical treatment is often far-reaching and best performed by very experienced doctors. Administering propanolol as a treatment was added to the available options in 2008. Propanolol treatment preferably needs to start before the child reaches the age of 4 to 6 months. In some cases, surgery is a viable option. Laser treatment of hemangiomas is seldom performed by our team.

Do hemangiomas haven an adverse effect on other parts of the body?

On the whole they do not. However, some hemangiomas may temporarily alter the shape of babies’ noses. When located near the lacrimal duct, the auditory canal, the nostrils, the larynx or the throat, they may cause blockage. Even very small hemangiomas on the upper eye-lid can easily influence the visual power of a child and lead to the condition of ‘lazy eye’ (amblyopia). These types of hemangioma have to be swiftly examined and treated by our team.