What is the Difference Between Hemangioma and Vascular Malformation?

Hemangiomas and vascular malformations are both congenital blood vessel disorders, but they have distinct differences in their development, growth, and characteristics.

Hemangiomas:

• Rarely apparent at birth, but can be very faint red marks.
• Grow rapidly during the first six months of life.
• Involute (shrink) with time.
• Do not necessarily infiltrate but can sometimes be destructive.
• Usually start as faint, red birthmarks and then grow very fast.
• Over time, they become smaller and lighter in color.
• Most hemangiomas leave little trace by 5-10 years of age.

Vascular Malformations:

• Present at birth and enlarge proportionately with the growth of the child.
• Do not involute spontaneously and may become more apparent as the child grows.
• Infiltrative and destructive.
• Slow-growing.
• Comprise irregular vascular networks defined by their particular blood vessel type.

There are five types of vascular malformations: port wine stains (red or purple in color), venous malformations, lymphatic malformations, arteriovenous malformations, and mixed malformations (a combination of any of the other types).

The cause of hemangiomas and vascular malformations is often unknown, but they can be inherited as an autosomal dominant trait. Most hemangiomas are not usually present at birth or are very faint red marks. Treatment for hemangiomas depends on their size, location, and severity. Vascular malformations can cause physical problems, such as difficulty moving a part of the body or difficulty seeing. Large and/or life-threatening lesions should be evaluated by a multidisciplinary team of specialists, such as dermatologists, ophthalmologists, and radiologists.

Comparative Table: Hemangioma vs Vascular Malformation

Here is a table summarizing the differences between hemangiomas and vascular malformations:

Hemangiomas are vascular tumors that are rarely apparent at birth and grow rapidly during the first 6 months of life. They eventually involute (shrink and fade) with time and do not necessarily infiltrate but can sometimes be destructive. On the other hand, vascular malformations are present at birth, slow-growing, infiltrative, and destructive.