David Jeffery Seveland

    I have had 2 types of hemangiomas.  There is the Cavernous hemangiomas on the back of my neck and my chest and the Spider angiomas on different parts of my body.  The hemangioma on my chest was completely internal,  there were no visible signs on the skin surface.  This one showed up at about 10 days old.  The one on the back of the neck was mostly internal with 2 raised, red spots above the skin and showed up about 2 months of age.

    Of the 2 hemangiomas the one on my chest has completely involuted (shrunk) and the one on the back of my neck is in it's rest stage.  We had to have an ultrasound of both of them because we wanted to make sure the blood vessels weren't wrapping around any bones .  Both were clear and just in the skin and underlying tissue.

    A neurosurgeon found that I have a small venous angioma on the right frontal lobe of my brain.  He said it is nothing to worry about but let my parents know what to watch for in case of a problem.

HEMANGIOMAS
Also spelled "haemangioma".

    Hemangiomas are simply a collection of extra blood vessels in the skin or internal organs.  They may have different appearances depending on the depth of the increased numbers of blood vessels.  They are considered to be benign tumors that usually don't cause problems with the affected individual.

    Angiomas are also a benign collection of blood vessels.  The difference is that they are commonly found in adults and are located solely in the skin surface.  They can also be found anywhere on the body.

    There are 3 common types of hemangiomas.

• Strawberry Hemangioma is an abnormal collection of blood vessels in the skin characterized by a bright red color and well-defined border.
   
• A Deep or Cavernous Hemangioma is a large, collection of blood vessels beneath the skin surface characterized by a soft, bluish, or skin colored mass.
   
• A Combined Hemangioma is a combination of a deep and superficial (strawberry) hemangioma

    Hemangiomas are one of the most common birthmarks in newborns. Most hemangiomas are not present at birth but develop within the first few weeks to months of life.  They are found in up to 10 percent of babies by the age of one.

    Hemangiomas go through three stages of development and decay:

1. In the proliferation stage, a hemangioma grows very quickly.  This stage can last up to twelve months.
2. In the rest stage, there is very little change in a hemangioma's appearance.  This usually lasts until the infant is one to two years old.
3. In the involution phase, a hemangioma finally begins to diminish in size.  Fifty percent of lesions will have disappeared by age five with the vast majority gone by puberty.

    The cause of hemangiomas is unknown.  In very rare instances they may run in families, but in general they are not inherited.  For a parent with a child with this birthmark, there is no increased risk of having a subsequent child with a hemangioma.  Hemangiomas are more common in girl babies than boys.  They are also more commonly seen in premature infants. 

ANGIOMAS

    There are many different types of angiomas.  An angioma is a benign tumor that consists of small blood vessels.  These tumors can be located anywhere on the body.

The 2 different types include: 

• Spider angioma is a group of abnormal blood vessel that produces the appearance of a spider-web on the surface of the skin.

• Cherry angioma is a benign skin growth that appears as a small, smooth, cherry-red bump.  Also known as a Senile Angioma.

    The cause of most types of angiomas is not known.  They are not dangerous or contagious.  Angiomas do not need to be treated unles they are bleeding or bothering the person who has them.

**Venous angiomas of the brain:

    A venous angioma — also called venous malformation — of the brain is a small tangle of abnormal veins.  Venous angiomas are the most common brain vascular malformation, occurring in approximately 2 percent to 3 percent of people.

    In most cases, venous angiomas cause no signs or symptoms.  They are often found incidentally on brain imaging studies, such as computerized tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), done for some other reason.

    Unlike many other vascular malformations, venous angiomas rarely bleed.  Treatment such as surgical removal of the venous angioma usually isn't recommended because the lesions typically cause no problems and treatment may lead to complications such as stroke.  Occasionally, venous malformations can be associated with other types of vascular malformations that may require treatment.

    This type of birthmark is caused by overgrown blood vessels deep within the skin, resulting in a bluish swollen-up appearance.

    These tumors are benign by cell type but can have serious consequences.  Cavernous hemangiomas are wild, jumbled growths of blood vessels fed by numerous tributary arteries (making surgical removal extraordinarily difficult and risky in most cases).  They are probably all present at birth, but start to enlarge rapidly after delivery.  They may attain great size and cause significant disfigurement or even impinge on vital organs or the airway.

    Large cavernous hemangiomas distort the skin around them and will ultimately leave visible changes in the skin.  A superficial capillary hemangioma may involute completely, leaving no evidence of its past presence.

    A spider angioma (also known as a nevus araneus, spider nevus, or vascular spider) is a type of angioma, found slightly below the skin's surface, often containing a central red spot and reddish extensions which radiate outwards like a spider's web.  They are common and benign, present in around 10-15% of healthy adults and young children.

    Spider angiomas are commonly found on the face, neck, and upper part of the trunk and arms.  They may also be present on the backs of the hands and fingers in young children.  Most, however, are a result of liver disease.

    Spider angiomas are asymptomatic and usually resolve spontaneously.  This is common in the case of children, although they may take several years to disappear.  The spider angiomas associated with liver disease may resolve when liver function increases or when a liver transplant is performed.

    A spider angioma can be seen in a healthy person without any apparent cause, but is more common in individuals with liver disease or altered hormone levels.  Small numbers of spider nevi are common in children and pregnant women.  However, in large quantities, spider nevi may be a sign of an underlying disorder, such as advanced cirrhosis of the liver.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001459.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemangioma

http://www.cssd.us/body.cfm?id=498

http://www.drgreene.com/21_1107.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spider_angioma

http://skin-care.health-cares.net/spider-angioma.php

http://www.visualdxhealth.com/adult/spiderAngioma.htm

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/venous-angioma/AN00853