How to Identify Hemangiomas vs Birthmarks for Treatment

Author: Zou Ziyu, Nurse in the Vascular Surgery/Thoracic & Cardiovascular Surgery Department at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University. Liu Weiping, Deputy Chief Nurse of the Vascular Surgery/Thoracic Surgery Department at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University. Reviewer: Song Yan, Chief Physician of Vascular Surgery / Large Vessel Surgery at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University. Yang Bo, Attending Physician, Department of Vascular Surgery / Major Vascular Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University. Chen Yonghui, Attending Physician, Vascular Surgery/Thoracic and Aortic Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University. Note: The cover image is from a copyright stock photo library, and reuse may lead to copyright disputes.

Title: How to Identify Hemangiomas vs Birthmarks for Treatment Introduction: Hemangiomas often resolve in infancy; vascular malformations usually do not. Knowledge helps parents seek timely care. Keywords: ['Child Health', 'Vascular issues.'] Main text: The various birthmarks on newborns often cause anxiety among parents. Among these, which are related to vascular issues? This article will provide educational insights into the three most common types of hemangiomas that are frequently encountered in clinical practice. 1. Basic Understanding: What is a hemangioma? What is a vascular malformation? Both hemangiomas and vascular malformations are congenital and can be understood as "small errors" in the development stage of blood vessels. Hemangioma: It is essentially not a blood vessel but a tumor that grows on the walls of blood vessels. The most common type of hemangioma in infants is the small red bumps on a baby's skin. Typically, they grow rapidly for a while after birth, but in most cases, no special treatment is needed, and they gradually shrink as the child grows. Vascular malformations: Essentially, they are blood vessels, but they are malformed vessels. Common examples include capillary malformations (port-wine stains) and venous malformations (cavernous hemangiomas). They tend to enlarge as the child grows rather than spontaneously regressing. A simple analogy: A hemangioma is like a weed that grows on the wall of a water pipe; it may grow wildly for a while but then withers away on its own, not affecting the continued use of the pipe. In contrast, a vascular malformation resembles a water pipe that is uneven in thickness, bent in many directions, and intricately tangled; the longer it is used, the more apparent its flaws become, requiring manual repair to fix it. Common Types and Manifestations: What Type Might Your Child Be? Infantile hemangioma (the most common type) 2. Wine stain (port wine stain) 3. Venous malformation (cavernous hemangioma) Action Guide: When to go to the hospital? Which department should you visit? If the following situations occur, please seek medical attention promptly. Correct Pathway for Medical Treatment 1. Optional departments: 2. Treatment principles: Four: Important Misconceptions Reminder Misconception 1: "Strawberry marks" do not need to be attended to; they will fade away on their own. The correct answer is to distinguish between pigmented moles and hemangiomas. Vascular malformations do not resolve on their own, and delaying treatment will increase the difficulty of later interventions. Mistake 2: Using silk thread to strangle, using a needle to poke, and applying herbal poultices. Correct answer: Absolutely not. Doing so can easily lead to infections, cause the affected area to rupture and bleed, and may also leave raised scars. Myth 3: Treating hemangiomas will leave scars, so it's better not to treat them. Correct answer: Modern medicine focuses on minimally invasive and aesthetic treatments. The prognosis of standardized treatment by professional doctors is far better than the consequences caused by the progression of the condition or improper handling. Misconception 4: Seeking folk remedies and secret recipes. Correct answer: Please trust science and seek treatment at a regular hospital. Five Daily Care Tips for Parents: The purpose of this popular science article is to help parents correctly understand vascular tumors and vascular malformations, eliminate misconceptions and fears, and establish a scientific perspective on medical treatment. The core principles are early detection, early diagnosis, and standardized treatment. If you have any questions, you can take your baby to the General Vessel Surgery Ward 1 at the Zhengzhou University First Affiliated Hospital, Zhengdong Campus, or to another reputable specialized hospital for evaluation. Wishing all babies a healthy growth! This article is based on the "Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Vascular Tumors and Vascular Malformations (2024 edition)" and aims to disseminate scientific health knowledge. It is not intended as a basis for individual diagnosis and treatment; for specific medical conditions, please consult a professional doctor.