Haemangiomas: Those Blood-Filled Birthmarks on Your Baby's Skin

The Strawberry Marks That Grow, Then Disappear

Infantile haemangiomas — commonly called strawberry birthmarks — are benign tumours of blood vessel cells that appear in the first few weeks of life, grow rapidly through infancy, and then slowly involute (shrink) over childhood. They're the most common benign tumour of infancy, affecting about 4–5% of all infants, with higher rates in premature babies and girls.

What They Look Like

• Superficial: bright red, raised, strawberry-like lesions on the skin surface
• Deep: blue or skin-coloured swellings beneath the surface
• Mixed: components of both

They typically appear at 1–4 weeks of age, grow most rapidly during months 1–5, plateau around 6–9 months, then begin to fade. By age 5, most are partially involuted; by age 9–10, most have significantly regressed.

When to Seek Specialist Evaluation

• Location on the face, especially near the eye (can impair vision development), nose, or lips
• Large haemangiomas covering extensive body surface (can cause high-output heart failure)
• Haemangiomas that ulcerate, bleed, or become infected
• Multiple haemangiomas — may be associated with internal lesions (liver)

Treatment When Needed

Propranolol (a beta-blocker) is the highly effective standard treatment for haemangiomas requiring intervention. If your child's haemangioma concerns you, FXMed's Elite Consultation service connects you with paediatric specialists and provides guidance on whether observation or treatment is appropriate.