Pyogenic granuloma (1131)
Key points below
What is pyogenic granuloma?
A pyogenic granuloma is a raised growth of blood vessels. It looks like a small, red, soft bump on the skin. It appears on the face or upper part of the body. It can happen at any age, but is never present at birth. It may bleed easily when injured and the bleeding may be hard to stop.
Most often, the diagnosis is made by the primary care provider or a dermatologist during a physical exam. A skin biopsy may be done to confirm the diagnosis.
What causes it?
The exact cause is not known. They may be caused by an injury to the skin, such as a small scratch or insect bite, or they may appear on their own. Your child cannot catch a pyogenic granuloma from another person.
How is it treated?
A pyogenic granuloma will not go away on its own.
- Small ones may be treated with pulsed dye laser. When the laser is used, more than one treatment is often needed.
- Large granulomas are removed by surgery.
- Some need both surgery and the pulsed dye laser.
Most pyogenic granulomas will not come back after they are removed. Some may grow back after treatment.
What do I do if it bleeds?
Hold firm and constant pressure directly on the pyogenic granuloma for 5 to 15 minutes. This should stop the bleeding.