Spider angioma (1041)
Key points below
What is a spider angioma?
A spider angioma is a group of tiny, dilated blood vessels. It is often seen in children over two years old. It is named because of how it looks. The round, dark red center of it looks like the body of a spider. The fine blood vessels spread out from the center and look like the legs of a spider. Spider angiomas often appear on the face, neck, hands or arms. They are not present at birth. There may be one or more on a child. It is benign, which means it is not cancer. They do not lead to cancer. They rarely bleed.
What causes a spider angioma?
The exact cause is not known. It may be caused by an injury to the skin, such as a small scratch or insect bite or it may appear on its own.How does a spider angioma affect my child?
A spider angioma is not an infection. It is not contagious, so it will not spread to others. Some may go away after a couple of years. Others may not go away. They may grow larger with time.How is a spider angioma treated?
They can be treated with a pulsed dye laser. Normally only one treatment is needed, but some times more treatments are needed. You may also choose not to treat the spider angioma. The growth can be treated at any age. Waiting to treat the growth does not affect the outcome. Treatment is a cosmetic procedure and is not covered by insurance.For other health and wellness information, check out this resource: https://kidshealth.org/ChildrensWi/en/parents