Hemangioma on Infants and Children

Do you have red wine or strawberry colored dark protruding patches on your skin? Well, these patches are probably hemangiomas. Many infants suffer from this condition immediately after birth. Hemangiomas on infants and children can be very common but usually they do not pose any threat. Since they are benign, it is not necessary to treat them unless they are in the location that can impair vision. However treatments are available for whom they are aesthetic concern.
Want to know more about hemangiomas? Continue reading to know about this condition, its causes and treatments.

What are hemangiomas?

A hemangioma is an abnormal buildup of blood vessels on or under the surface of the skin. It may look like strawberry and this is the reason that it’s usually known as strawberry birthmark. These marks most frequently appear on the face, neck and ears. Hemagiomas are of two types depending on where they are formed. These types are:

·         Capillary hemangiomas – they appear on the outermost layers of the skin and may not require treatment.

·         Carvenous hemangiomas – they are formed in deeper layers of skin and should be treated if they are interfering with eyesight and breathing or are unsightly.

These marks look painful but hardly cause any discomfort. After a short period of rapid growth, they usually shrink and fade overtime. However, it may not be the case for every infant or child.
Hemangiomas usually develop during infancy and both boys and girls can have them. They are however more common in:

·         Girls

·         Infants having low birth weight

·         Premature infants

·         Infants with Caucasian background

In some cases, these birthmarks are hereditary. However, they may also occur spontaneously as the exact cause is not known.

Treatments for hemangiomas

Corticosteroids and laser therapy are usually used to treat hemangiomas. Read on to know how these treatments work.

Corticosteroids

If hemangioma is growing quickly, corticosteroids help slow or stop their growth. Corticosteroids can be applied topically, taken orally or injected into the skin. Corticosteroid treatment can treat hemangiomas but certain serious side effects are associated with it.

Laser therapy

Laser therapy is considered the most helpful treatment for hemangiomas. It can be used to remove large hemangioma that is uncomfortable. Laser treatments can also be used to completely diminish the remains of hemangiomas.

How the procedure is performed?

Laser treatment for hemangiomas is a simple treatment that is performed on outpatient basis. The steps of the procedure include:

·         Application of topical anesthetic – topical anesthetic or numbing cream is applied on the treatment area to minimize the discomfort. The treatment may also be performed without anesthetic depending the age of the candidate and location and size of lesion.

·         Introducing laser beam – then laser beam is introduced to the skin, which penetrates the skin and targets the lesion. Heat energy from laser breaks down the lesion, reduces inflammation and stimulates healing process in the skin.

·         Application of cooling gel – Finally cooling gel is applied on the treated area to minimize the discomfort.

Laser treatments can help to get rid of scars

Do you have scar somewhere on your body that is bothering you? Do you want to get rid of it permanently? If your answer is yes, you are not alone. There are many people who have one or more scars somewhere on their body. It may be because of acne or some kind of burn or trauma or accident. Whatever the reason is, scars can be painful, inconvenient and most of all unsightly though they are an integral part of body’s healing process. Here we will discuss how laser treatment can help you get rid of any kind of scarring. Want to know? Keep reading.

How scars are formed?

Scars are formed when deep, thick layer of skin – dermis – is damaged. Scars are the part of healing process in the skin after some injury or damage. Scarring occurs when collagen production is stimulated during healing process. The purpose of collagen production is mending damage. Scars are basically of two types – pitted or depressed scars and superficial or raised scars. Depressed scars occur in the form of indentation in the skin and are caused as a result of less collagen production while raised scars appear on the surface of the skin and the reason behind their formation is too much collagen production.

How lasers treat scars?

Laser treatment is effective for certain kinds of both depressed and raised scars. This procedure is ideal and safe option for you if you want to get rid of scars permanently. It is the procedure that can give you amazing results in few minimally invasive treatment sessions.

Unlike surgery, laser scar treatment uses short pulses of laser light to reach deep skin layers and reduce the appearance of scars. The treatment works by stimulating regrowth of healthy skin cells in the damaged area. For pitted scars, lasers work by stimulating collagen production while for the treatment of superficial scars, skin resurfacing is done. The damaged and dead skin is removed layer by laser and skin cell regeneration is stimulated.

Types of lasers used to treat scars

Various types of lasers that can be effective remedy for scars are available. Some of them include:

·         Fraxel laser – it is non-ablative laser treatment that heats the skin and stimulates collagen production rather than vaporizing skin.

·         Carbon dioxide laser – it is a powerful laser that penetrates deeply into the skin and is effective for deeper and thicker scars as well. Carbon dioxide lasers are perfect choice for treating acne scars. Recovery time of the treatment may be long but the results are amazing.

·         Fractional laser – these lasers stimulate changes in the dermis layer of skin without damaging the surface layer. They are similar to fraxel lasers but treat the skin in columns.

·         Erbium: YAG lasers – this laser is less powerful as compared to carbon dioxide lasers and is usually used to treat shallow and mild scars. These lasers work by removing the outer layers of skin revealing new healthy skin. The recovery period is comparatively shorter and no long term side effects are associated with it.

Why choose laser scar treatment?

Laser scar treatment has a number of advantages on other surgical as well as non-surgical treatment options. Listed below are some of them:

·         Simple procedure with minimal discomfort – unlike surgical scar removal, laser treatments are simple minimally invasive treatment. No serious side effects and discomfort is associated with laser scar removal.

·         Minimal or no downtime – as the treatment is minimally invasive, no or minimal downtime is associated with the procedure.

·         Excellent outcomes – when compared to other non-surgical treatments, lasers can give excellent results in few sessions only.

If you are seeking an effective and safe laser treatment for scars, Dubai Cosmetic Surgery is worth considering. We have a team of highly experienced laser experts. We are offering a wide range of laser treatments and have latest technology in use. So, visit our clinic and get rid of scars permanently.