Patient's question:
My child developed a 2.5x2 vascular tumor on the right clavicle shortly after birth. At that time, the skin was flat. By 42 days, an egg-sized lump formed under the skin, with the vascular tumor protruding above the skin surface. Now that my child is three and a half months old, the tumor is growing slowly, not very rapidly.Doctor's answer:
Based on the provided information and images, it is determined to be a tumor-type hemangioma (infantile hemangioma, where the superficial "strawberry hemangioma" and the subcutaneous "cavernous hemangioma" are essentially the same type of hemangioma). Tumor-type hemangiomas are the most common and easiest to treat among all types of hemangiomas. They have a typical course of development, progression, and regression. (Generally, within the first year of life, it is in the growth phase, during which it grows rapidly in the initial months. As the child gets older, the tumor grows more slowly. After one year, growth gradually stops and transitions into the involution phase, where the tumor gradually disappears. Overall, this type of tumor-type hemangioma will eventually regress, but if left untreated and allowed to develop naturally, the outcome varies due to differences in severity and progression speed. During the one-year growth phase, many complications may arise: ulceration, infection, bleeding, etc. Most do not develop complications, but as the tumor enlarges and thickens, it becomes more difficult to regress, and after regression, aesthetic defects may remain: scars, skin folds, pigmentation remnants, etc. Therefore, we advocate early treatment during the growth phase of the hemangioma to halt its growth and transition it into the involution phase, achieving rapid elimination with a more aesthetically pleasing outcome. It is recommended not to use treatments such as surgery, cryotherapy, isotopes, hormones, or laser (as they are not always complete and can easily leave scars).