22. Red mark on face and lip

A 56-year--old woman came for her annual dental check-up. A deep red mark on her face extending ipsilaterally from the right malar region to the lateral part of the nose, upper and lower eyelid and upper lip was noted (Figure 1). Oral examination showed the lesion also on the upper right gingivae and buccal mucosa to the mid-line. This mark was present since birth but had changed in colour from pink to deep purple over the last 30 years. There were no similar lesions in other parts of her body or in her close relatives. The patient suffered from chronic headaches, hypertension and glaucoma. She was a light smoker (5–6 cigarettes/day) and non-drinker.

(a) Infantile haemangioma (superficial) is one of the most common benign tumours of infancy. It is a vascular neoplasm which can affect the face and other parts of the body and is characterized by an early and rapid vascular proliferation followed by spontaneous involution.