Hemangiomas (Strawberry Birthmarks)

Commonly referred to as “strawberry birthmarks,” hemangiomas are pink, red or purplish in color and are caused by a large number of blood vessels that are concentrated near the surface of the skin, and usually are found around the neck, face, scalp, or chest. Larger hemangiomas are known as cavernous hemangiomas and appear as a red or blue mass of tissue that is filled with blood.

Hemangiomas typically start as small lesions but can grow rapidly during the first year of life. These lesions then slowly resolve over the next 10 years. Some lesions, however, never fully resolve or they take so long to resolve that the child is left with visible lesions for many years.

At UPMC’s Cosmetic Surgery and Skin Health Center, we use the V-Beam, Cynergy™ and CoolGlide® lasers to remove or lighten the hemangiomas. We typically like to start treatment as soon as the hemangiomas appear, which may mean starting while the baby is only a few months old. ​

CoolGlide® is a registered trademark of Cutera, Inc.
Cynergy™ is a trademark of Cynosure, Inc.