What is the Difference Between Congenital and Infantile Hemangiomas

The key difference between congenital and infantile hemangiomas is that congenital hemangiomas are due to the formation of abnormal blood vessels at birth, while infantile hemangiomas are due to the formation of abnormal blood vessels that occur in the early life of babies after birth.

Hemangioma is a vascular birthmark that is made up of an extra or abnormal formation of blood vessels on the skin. It is a benign growth. They are most common in babies and children. Hemangiomas grow for a certain period of time and diminish with time without any treatment. They usually appear on the skin. Congenital and infantile hemangiomas are the most common hemangiomas.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What are Congenital Hemangiomas
3. What are Infantile Hemangiomas
4. Similarities – Congenital and Infantile Hemangiomas
5. Congenital vs Infantile Hemangiomas in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Congenital vs Infantile Hemangiomas

What are Congenital Hemangiomas?

Congenital hemangiomas are categorized as vascular lesions that fully form at birth due to the formation of abnormal blood vessels. The cells that form such blood vessels are known as endothelial cells. These cells usually multiply more than the normal number. Therefore, extra tissues form benign tumors, attaching to normal blood vessels. Congenital hemangiomas are common on the skin, arms, legs, head, and neck regions and are sometimes found in the liver.

Congenital hemangiomas are sometimes visible on prenatal ultrasound scans during pregnancy. They are usually round or oval-shaped, warm, and lumpy when touched. They appear as a color between pink to blue or purple color, consisting of small red veins on the surface. Congenital hemangiomas are divided into two groups as rapidly involuting congenital hemangioma (RICH) and non-involuting congenital hemangioma (NICH). They are grown fully when a baby is born, and the growth stops after birth. RICH diminishes after the baby is born, and NICH remains the same. Congenital hemangiomas that partially diminish after birth are called partially involuting congenital hemangiomas (PICH). They are diagnosed through examinations of the ultrasounds, pregnancy tests, and baby’s health.

What are Infantile Hemangiomas?

Infantile hemangiomas occur when blood vessels are formed incorrectly and multiply more than they should. These blood vessels receive signals for rapid growth in the early life of babies after they are born. Infantile hemangiomas appear during birth or a few weeks after birth. They appear as marks or colored patches on the skin at birth. These hemangiomas tend to grow quickly during the first five months after birth. This period is called the proliferative phase or growth phase. In several scenarios, they stop growing or begin to shrink by the end of 12 months after birth. This will flatten and appear less red. This is called involution, and it continues from late infancy until early childhood.

Infantile hemangiomas are the most common tumors appearing in babies. Babies who are born lightweight tend to get infantile hemangioma. Most of them appear on the skin surface as a bright red lump. They are called superficial hemangiomas or strawberry birthmarks. Some appear under the skin as blue or skin-colored. They are called deep infantile hemangiomas. When a deep and superficial part is present, it is called a mixed infantile hemangioma. Infantile hemangiomas are diagnosed by examining the baby’s health or through ultrasounds. MRI scans are performed if they appear near head and neck regions.

What are the Similarities Between Congenital and Infantile Hemangiomas?

• Congenital and infantile hemangiomas take place when blood vessels are formed abnormally.
• Both appear in the head and neck areas.
• The conditions are asymptomatic.
• They are visible on the skin surface.
• Both are diagnosed through ultrasound scans.
• Moreover, they are benign growths.

What is the Difference Between Congenital and Infantile Hemangiomas?

Congenital hemangiomas are due to the formation of abnormal blood vessels at birth, while infantile hemangiomas are due to the formation of abnormal blood vessels that occur in the early life of babies. Thus, this is the key difference between congenital and infantile hemangiomas. Congenital hemangiomas are less common than infantile hemangiomas. Moreover, congenital hemangiomas appear in color between pink to blue or purple and are seen as round nodules on the skin. Infantile hemangiomas are seen as bright red nodules on the skin.

The below infographic presents the differences between congenital and infantile hemangiomas in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.

Summary – Congenital vs Infantile Hemangiomas

Hemangioma is a vascular birthmark made up of extra or abnormal formation blood vessels on the skin. It is divided into two groups as rapidly involuting congenital hemangioma and non-involuting congenital hemangioma. Congenital hemangiomas are due to the formation of abnormal blood vessels at birth, while infantile hemangiomas are due to the formation of abnormal blood vessels that occur in the early life of babies after birth. Congenital hemangiomas appear as a color between pink to blue or purple and are seen as round nodules. Infantile hemangiomas appear on the skin surface as a bright red lump. So, this summarizes the difference between congenital and infantile hemangiomas.

Reference:

1. “Congenital hemangioma.” Johns Hopkins Medicine.
2. “Infantile hemangioma.” Johns Hopkins Medicine.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Врожденная не инволюционирующая гемангиома (Noninvoluting congenital hemangioma) (NICH)” By SafinDinar – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Infantile hemangioma” By Gstk – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia