Hemangioma Growth During the First 6 Months of Life

One of the most important and unique characteristics of infantile hemangiomas is their
dramatic growth during early infancy. Most hemangiomas are either absent at birth or barely
evident as a small scratch or bruise-like area. A recent study emphasized how early
hemangioma growth occurs. In this study by 3 months of age, hemangiomas had reached 80% of
their final size, and by 5 months of age, 80% had already stopped growing. Unfortunately
the average age when most infants are seen by specialists is often at 5 months of age or
later, a time when most growth is already completed.

Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, the Medical College of
Wisconsin, and at the Mayo Clinic are interested in studying hemangioma growth at even
earlier ages, before 3 months of age, which is before most patients are ever seen by
dermatologists or other specialists. For this study are requesting that parents of children
older than 3 months of age with hemangiomas send us a series of photographs of their child
which demonstrates this early growth. Ideally the photographs would show your child
(including the area of the hemangioma of course) at weekly or every other week intervals up
until age least 3 to 6 months of age. This will probably not be difficult if the hemangioma
is on the face but we would be interested in other body locations as well, if available.

We are using these photographs to analyze early hemangioma growth patterns, to see if there
is a period of especially rapid growth, and to help determine if there is a specific time
before which specialty referral should occur. We are interested in all sizes of
hemangiomas, from small to large. Of greatest importance is that the photos be at frequent
intervals (every 1 to 2 weeks is ideal) and of sufficient quality to be able to evaluate the
appearance of the hemangioma.