Strawberry Marks are another form of hemangioma. They appear some weeks after birth. They are soft growths which have a bright red appearance and are slightly raised, looking somewhat like a strawberry.

It is thought that Strawberry Marks, which are non-cancerous, occur because blood vessels in the skin have overgrown. They consist of cells which generally form the lining of blood vessels and result from faulty growth within some blood vessels. They are not inherited

Strawberry Marks occur in 1 in 10 white babies but only in 1 in a 100 black or Asian babies. They are generally associated with premature birth. Any Old Wives Tales (of which there are many!) concerning the appearance of or future development of Strawberry Marks should be ignored.

Strawberry Marks can be quite large

Strawberry Marks can grow quite large and become unsightly in appearance. Typically a patient has just one such mark but more are possible, all appearing at about the same time.

Approximately 60% are found on the face or neck but they can be sited anywhere. A bright red strawberry mark is located within the skin but those which are blue are situated deeper. Some Strawberry Marks found just below the skin are often skin coloured.

Although Strawberry Marks are quite small at first, they grow quickly and reach their full size before the child’s first birthday. Their size generally ranges from half an inch to about 10 inches. Most are about 1 inch in size but it is not possible to predict how large each one will grow.

Strawberry marks will eventually vanish

It is also difficult to say how long a Strawberry Mark will last as their disappearance is unpredictable. They shrink quite slowly, 30% vanishing before the first birthday, 50% by the 5th birthday and 70% by the 7th birthday. Once the mark has ultimately vanished, as it will, the skin in what was the affected area, might appear to be thin and sagging or a slight mark might remain. Plastic Surgery can cure any of these residual conditions.

Strawberry Marks do not usually require any treatment while they are present. There might be some bleeding or infection following a slight injury but this is readily controllable.

The only occasion where Strawberry Marks might need some early treatment is if they grow large enough to interfere with breathing or feeding or the passing of urine or stools. Treatment in these cases is by shrinkage through laser treatment, when the Mark is growing rapidly, or by steroids taken intravenously or by mouth if the site of the Mark gives cause for medical concern.

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