Dealing with a hemangioma

Hi everyone... I've had a hemangioma on my face since birth and I'm finally looking into getting it removed. I was wondering if anyone here has gone through the process, and if so, where did you go and how many sessions did it actually take to see results? I did some digging into the Poliderma clinic's website and was considering booking an appointment there, but after reading through all the feedback about them on this forum, I'm feeling pretty certain that they aren't the right choice for me... thanks in advance

Lawrence Wells, do you actually have some real-world experience dealing with removing a hemangioma, or are you just another guy talking big about stuff you don't know?

P.S. If this is too private for the public eye, please just hit me up in a DM.

Michael Hayes8 said:Lawrence Wells, do you actually have some real-world experience dealing with removing a hemangioma, or are you just another guy talking big about stuff you don't know?

P.S. If this is too private for the public eye, please just hit me up in a DM.

I’ve actually seen it done—there was this one little baby about a year old who had a hemangioma. It wasn't nearly as scary as it sounds. They even did the surgery under local anesthesia.

I went through the exact same struggle last year, and honestly, it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever dealt with. If you think it would help, I’m more than happy to share everything I learned and give you some detailed answers on this topic.

hollowcobra99 said:I went through the exact same struggle last year, and honestly, it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever dealt with. If you think it would help, I’m more than happy to share everything I learned and give you some detailed answers on this topic.

I had a hemangioma removed from my back three years ago. They cut it out without any anesthesia. A breast technician saw the 5 mm spot on an ultrasound and flagged it as potential cancer. I knew better—it was just an angioma. Later, doctors at the Mayo Clinic confirmed it was a hemangioma. It isn't dangerous unless it’s located somewhere problematic.

I had one on my butt; I had it removed with a laser four years ago and haven't had any issues since. The scar is almost completely invisible now. I was 15 at the time.

Looks like nobody's replied yet, so I can only speak from my own experience. I'm 22 now, and as a baby, I was diagnosed with a hemangioma that covered my lower lip, chin, right side of my face, and right ear. It was massive—my face was basically three times its normal size in those spots and dark red. The redness faded over the years, but the swelling stayed. Back in the early '90s, my parents took me all over the US looking for help, but everyone turned us down because it was too risky; the hemangioma went deep into the tissue, and there was a real chance of destroying the muscle. We even tried specialists in Vienna and Italy, but got the same answers. Finally, we ran into Dr. Zlatko Matulić, who was willing to operate, though he warned my parents it could go south—meaning I could lose the ability to speak if the surgery hit the jaw or lip muscles. They took the gamble, and after a four-hour surgery, the results were actually great. After that first one (I think I was 7 or 8), I had two more corrective plastic surgeries to reduce the swelling and scarring (once at 11, once at 13). Once I hit adulthood, the doctor suggested a few more, so I had two more procedures to try and smooth out the scars.
I’m incredibly happy with how things turned out. I'm beyond grateful to Dr. Zlatko Matulić for stepping up and saving me. The scars are still visible, and I know I’ll never have a "normal" lip, but honestly, it doesn't matter knowing how bad it could have been.

So, I’d definitely advise going for the surgery if there isn't a huge risk (your doctors will know best) and if the hemangioma bothers you. 👍 Unfortunately, I can't point you toward a specific place to get it done, since I had all five of my surgeries in San Diego with that same doctor.

I read everywhere that a hemangioma isn't usually dangerous and shouldn't cause any pain—but I've had this one on my leg for as long as I can remember, and my leg has been hurting just as long. Back in the day, the area around it and the veins would swell up sometimes; it doesn't happen as much now. The pain used to be localized right there, but lately, it’s spreading. So, can a hemangioma actually cause pain?

Intramuscular hemangiomas can lead to swelling and bouts of pain.

Has anyone here actually dealt with getting a large, superficial hemangioma removed? I was told it really should have been taken care of back when I was a "younger age"—like, infant stage—probably just because of how much surface area it covers, making it way easier to treat then. But now? If it isn’t causing any actual issues and we're just talking about purely aesthetic stuff... maybe it's better to just leave it alone. -.-

Nicholas Myers said:Intramuscular hemangiomas can lead to swelling and bouts of pain.

Thanks for the input—it’s frustrating because you won't find anything about intramuscular hemangiomas online. Dealing with doctors has been an absolute headache; back when I was younger, they’d just suggest ice packs, chamomile compresses, or some random arthritis cream. Fast forward years later, and my leg still hurts every single day. My posture is actually starting to shift because the muscle atrophy is getting so bad—honestly, after all that useless advice, how is anyone supposed to trust medical professionals?😢

Morgan Vaughn10, have you seen a surgeon lately about your symptoms? Did they mention if you meet the criteria for surgery?

electricwalker35 said:Has anyone here actually dealt with getting a large, superficial hemangioma removed? I was told it really should have been taken care of back when I was a "younger age"—like, infant stage—probably just because of how much surface area it covers, making it way easier to treat then. But now? If it isn’t causing any actual issues and we're just talking about purely aesthetic stuff... maybe it's better to just leave it alone. -.-

Which specialist did you consult, electricwalker35? I don't mean names, just the field—dermatologist, plastic surgeon, or someone else?

Nicholas Myers said:Morgan Vaughn10, have you seen a surgeon lately about your symptoms? Did they mention if you meet the criteria for surgery?

Which specialist did you consult, electricwalker35? I don't mean names, just the field—dermatologist, plastic surgeon, or someone else?

A dermatologist, obviously... since this is basically just a laser fix. There's really no need for surgery when it’s strictly skin-deep. But here’s the thing—since I’ve had this hemangioma since birth and we're talking twenty years down the line now, I feel like nobody would even bother touching it unless it was actually causing issues. And it isn't. So, my real question is: has anyone here actually gone through with removing one later in life when it covers a larger area?

Plastic surgeons occasionally utilize laser treatments, which is why I included them in my inquiry. In my view, you ought to seek a second opinion. There might be ways to soften the appearance of the lesion to reach a more satisfactory result. After all, an aesthetic concern is still a valid concern.

At its core, a significant portion of dermatology deals with aesthetic issues anyway.

Nicholas Myers said:Morgan Vaughn10, have you seen a surgeon lately about your symptoms? Did they mention if you meet the criteria for surgery?

Which specialist did you consult, electricwalker35? I don't mean names, just the field—dermatologist, plastic surgeon, or someone else?

I haven't seen a surgeon. I saw an orthopedist earlier this year who just suggested ice—enough. 🙂After I insisted the leg pain was real, he suggested a neurologist, claiming it might be a spinal issue. In my layman's opinion? Unlikely. The pain is most intense in the calf. When things flare up—usually during the summer—it hits the foot too, causing redness on the top near the toes. There's also a hemangioma right by the Achilles tendon. I've mostly just learned to live with it over the years, which is arguably the worst way to handle it, but here we are...

I’d suggest getting a second opinion.

Hey everyone... I was diagnosed with a cavernous hemangioma on my right lower leg right after I was born. When I turned two, I had surgery at the Children's Hospital in Chicago, but somehow all my medical records just "vanished" after the procedure. Ever since then, I've been bouncing from doctor to doctor trying to find any kind of progress, but honestly, nothing has changed much. I've already been through everything modern medicine can throw at this—sclerotherapy, embolization, you name it. There are tons of different types of hemangiomas out there. I actually managed to track down a site that breaks down the various types, what causes them, and how they're treated. It has some photos that might be a bit gross if you have a weak stomach, but if anyone wants to dig deeper like I am, check it out. Just trying to help myself and hopefully someone else too...

http://www.birthmarks.us/

Morgan Vaughn10 said:I read everywhere that a hemangioma isn't usually dangerous and shouldn't cause any pain—but I've had this one on my leg for as long as I can remember, and my leg has been hurting just as long. Back in the day, the area around it and the veins would swell up sometimes; it doesn't happen as much now. The pain used to be localized right there, but lately, it’s spreading. So, can a hemangioma actually cause pain?

Hi there, I happened to come across your post about your hemangioma. I have one on my Achilles tendon too—it's internal rather than external. I've been bouncing from doctor to doctor for three years, and honestly, even they don't seem to know what to do. At first, they prescribed physical therapy, but that just made things worse; the swelling didn't go down, it actually got bigger. I finally had a scan done, and they're saying surgery is necessary. It involves a complex web of blood vessels, so it's not a simple fix. Please, if you can, let me know more about what you ended up doing and how it turned out. Thanks in advance, Alexandra

I have a 3mm hemangioma on my breast. It's slightly raised and sits about half an inch from the nipple. Honestly, I think it's been there my entire life.

I’m considering having it removed via electrocoagulation.

Are there any specific reasons why someone wouldn't recommend electrocoagulation in that particular area? Thanks!