Infantile Hemangiomas in the Head and Neck Region

Soft Tissue Special Issue: Perivascular and Vascular Tumors of the Head and Neck

“…These are the most common tumor of infancy, affecting approximately 4% of children with most lesions arising in the skin of the head and neck [27,28,30]. Females are more commonly affected.…”

“…Females are more commonly affected. Lesions are not present at birth, but a small purple area is often a precursor lesion [28,30] Lesions become apparent at 3 to 7 weeks of age proliferating for an average of 3 to 5 months. Involution then occurs over several years, with a variable fibrofatty residuum.…”

“…There are three distinct morphological patterns: solitary, segmental/ diffuse, or multifocal with a considerable variation in size. A biopsy is rarely required due to a clear clinical diagnosis in most cases [28,30]. Although all IH involute spontaneously over a period of years, significant cosmetic and, in some cases, functional sequelae may occur as ulceration, bleeding, infection, airway obstruction, amblyopia, disfigurement and rarely congestive heart failure [28,31].…”

“…Although all IH involute spontaneously over a period of years, significant cosmetic and, in some cases, functional sequelae may occur as ulceration, bleeding, infection, airway obstruction, amblyopia, disfigurement and rarely congestive heart failure [28,31]. Treatment options are propranolol (first-line), and less common corticosteroids (intralesional or systemic) or surgery [26,30,31].…”

Effects of sclerosing agents on head and neck hemangiomas: A systematic review

“…At birth, IH often appears as a precursor lesion, such as an area of telangiectasia or small purple area, then increases and become more recognizable. A fast growth occurs at three to five months; thereafter it usually involutes in several year, although abnormal texture, color, or residual fibroadipose tissue might persist on the overlying skin (3,8).…”