Will my infant daughter need surgery for an infantile hemangioma on the side of her nose?
An infantile hemangioma, sometimes known as a strawberry patch, is a vascular birthmark that arises beginning shortly after birth, grows for a period of weeks to months, then begins to shrink and fade.
Depending on the location and size of the hemangioma, you have the option of just observing it and doing nothing. Because your daughter’s hemangioma is on her nose, a place that can have significant cosmetic and respiratory complications, a trip to the pediatric dermatologist is warranted.
The good news is that surgery is rarely, if ever, needed. Treatment of infantile hemangioma involves either a cream applied to the spot or an oral medication or both and is very effective. You want to see the dermatologist soon so that intervention can begin early as that will give her the best long-term outcome.
Reviewed by Dr. Sara Connolly, March 2019
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