Objectives: "Infantile Hemangiomas: Early Treatment"

1: Understanding the natural course and sequelae of infantile hemangiomas.
2: Understanding treatments including topical and systemic pharmaceutical medications, as well as pulsed dye laser treatment.
3: Emphasizing the importance of education and awareness campaigns among healthcare professionals and the public for early intervention.

Introduction: Infantile hemangiomas (IHs) affect approximately 5-12% of infants, making them the most common benign tumors of childhood. The approach of "leave it alone – it will go away" is no longer widely accepted as a management option for most IHs. Early treatment with topical timolol or oral propranolol alongside pulsed dye laser (PDL) therapy has been shown to reduce sequelae and increase early cure rates.

Materials / method: I conducted a retrospective analysis of cases of IH treated with topical timolol, systemic propranolol, and PDL based on risk level. I aimed to evaluate the optimal timing and safety of treatment.

Results: Through the progression of IHs, a window of opportunity for treatment becomes apparent. The optimal time for early intervention is before the IHs growth curve steepens, typically before 3 months of age. Further analysis indicates that growth is most rapid between 5 and 7 weeks after birth, suggesting treatment within the first month is most effective. Additionally, combining PDL with topical timolol or systemic propranolol proves more effective in preventing skin sequelae.

Conclusion: Healthcare providers should no longer adopt a 'wait and see' approach; early treatment is imperative for IHs. The significance of early intervention for IHs must be emphasized not only to dermatologists but also to other medical professionals and parents of affected children.

Disclosures

Did you receive any funding to support your research for this TOPIC?
No

Were you provided with any honoraria, payment or other compensation for your work on this study?
No

Do you have any financial relationship with any entity which may closely compete with the medications, materials or instruments covered by your study?
No

Do you own or have you applied for any patents in conjunction with the instruments, medications or materials discussed in your study?
No

This work was not supported by any direct or non direct funding. It is under the author's own responsability