A swelling consisting of a mass of blood vessels. These can be acquired or congenital. The most common of the congenital types is the ‘strawberry NAEVUS’, a capillary-cavernous haemangioma appearing at or soon after birth, which may grow to a large size. Treatment is not usually required, as most of them fade – although this may take a few years. Where a haemangioma is disfiguring or interfering with vision or breathing, treatment is necessary: this may be by laser, by using CORTICOSTEROIDS or INTERFERON treatment, or by surgery. The acquired type presents as a red PAPULE which bleeds easily, and treatment is normally by cautery.