Strawberry haemangiomas develop in the first few days or weeks after a baby is born. They may appear more frequently in Caucasian female babies. Haemangiomas can also develop in organs inside the body, for example in the kidneys, liver, lungs or brain, but they are universally benign, meaning they are not cancerous.

Congenital haemangiomas grow differently and are treated differently than strawberry haemangiomas, which may also be referred to as infantile strawberry haemangiomas. It is much more common for strawberry haemangiomas to appear in the weeks after birth than it is for them to be present at birth.

There are two main types of strawberry haemangiomas;

• Superficial – These bumpy and red marks are cutaneous, meaning they are in the skin, and they often resemble the surface of a strawberry.
• Deep – These grow subcutaneously, meaning underneath the skin , and cause it to bulge, and can often present as a blue or purplish discolouration.

Strawberry haemangiomas may also bleed, or form ulcers.

The majority of strawberry haemangiomas will grow larger over the course of several weeks or months, and then slowly begin to shrink. The fastest growth is usually within the baby’s first 3 months, which can be worrying for parents. Strawberry haemangiomas typically begin to shrink within the first year, and may continue to shrink until the child is 7-10, often to the point that they are no longer noticeable.

Because they grow and change over time, strawberry haemangiomas may also be referred to as tumours, but they are not cancerous and they don’t spread to other areas of the body. Strawberry haemangiomas are not contagious.

As a child gets older, strawberry haemangiomas that have not yet resolved, or are highly visible may be the cause of teasing, and so for some parents, it is valuable to discuss possible treatment options.