An Aesthetic Approach to Facial Hemangiomas

Hemangiomas are the most common tumor of infancy and childhood, affecting approximately 10% of infants by the age of 1 year. The diagnosis can nearly always be made by the patient’s history and findings on physical examination. Prior to the classification system outlined by Mulliken and Glowacki, the natural course of hemangiomas was poorly understood and treatment was inconsistent, ranging from benign neglect to deforming surgical intervention. However, with an improved understanding of the natural course of hemangiomas, as well as advances in anesthesia, laser technology, medical therapy, and surgical methods, an aesthetic approach to facial hemangiomas was developed by the senior author (E.F.W.) and is reviewed in this article.