What is the Difference Between Angioma and Hemangioma?

06/09/2025 • Giovanni Medeiros

Angiomas and hemangiomas are both benign growths that appear on the skin, but they have different compositions and characteristics.

Angioma:

Angiomas are benign growths made of blood vessels or lymphatic vessels, arranged in an abnormal pattern.
They can occur in early life or later in life.
Cherry angiomas, the most common type of angioma, are small papular angiomas and are true capillary hemangiomas.
Angiomas are usually painless, purple or red in color, and typically found on the skin.

Hemangioma:

Hemangiomas are small growths made of blood vessels only.
They can appear in early infancy through childhood.
Hemangiomas are the most common benign (noncancerous) tumor of the skin.
They may be present at birth (faint red mark) or may appear in the first months after birth.
Hemangiomas are also known as port wine stains, strawberry hemangiomas, and salmon patches.

In summary, the main difference between an angioma and a hemangioma is that an angioma is a benign growth made of blood vessels or lymphatic vessels, while a hemangioma is a small growth made of blood vessels only. Both are generally harmless and benign, but they can have different appearances and occur at different stages of life.

Comparative Table: Angioma vs Hemangioma

Here is a table comparing the differences between angiomas and hemangiomas:

Feature	Angioma	Hemangioma
Definition	Angioma is a benign tumor formed by the dilation of blood vessels or the formation of new ones by the proliferation of endothelial cells.	Hemangioma is a true neoplasm of endothelial cells and should be differentiated from vascular malformations, which are localized defects of vascular morphogenesis.
Growth	Angiomas can grow by endothelial cell hyperplasia.	Hemangiomas grow by endothelial cell hyperplasia and should be differentiated from vascular malformations, which are not true neoplasms but are localized defects of vascular morphogenesis.
Appearance	Infantile hemangiomas are present at birth, slow growing, infiltrative, and destructive. Congenital hemangiomas either rapidly involute (rapidly involuting congenital hemangioma) or persist (non-involuting congenital hemangioma).	Hemangiomas are the most common vascular tumor and are further categorized into two types: "infantile" or "congenital".
Types	There are various types of angiomas, including cavernous hemangiomas (telmangiectasias), venous malformations, lymphatic malformations, and arteriovenous malformations.	Hemangiomas can be classified as "infantile" or "congenital".

Please note that the terms "angioma" and "hemangioma" are sometimes used interchangeably, and the differences between them can be unclear even in the scientific literature.