Hemangiomas: new insight and medical treatment

Infantile hemangiomas (IHs) are the most common tumors of infancy and are usually characterized by a pattern of rapid proliferation, followed by a slower period of involution. In most cases, IHs do not require any treatment because they spontaneously regress over the years. However, in a minority of patients, a therapy is mandatory and should be started early to avoid functional and esthetic impairment or even severe systemic complications. Currently, no medications exist that are specifically labeled to treat his; however, because the serendipitous discovery of the efficacy of propranolol in the treatment of IHs at the Dermatologic Department of the University of Bologna, β-blocker therapy has become the first-line therapy in severe and/or complicated hemangiomas. This is a practical review reporting our approach to IHs in our daily practice.