R Jackson1. 1. Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The field of dermatology was developed by clinicians with keen observational skills, who identified the natural history of clinical conditions through morphologic features. OBJECTIVE: This article reviews the 1938 article published by Lister in which the natural history of hemangiomas are reviewed. CONCLUSION: Lister concluded "that drastic measures for the destruction of these naevi are inadvisable and treatment should be expectant and conservative." With the advent of new laser treatments for hemangiomas, early aggressive treatment is suggested for a subgroup of these problems. However, it still holds true in 1997 that for many of these smaller lesions, treatment should be "expectant and conservative."
BACKGROUND: The field of dermatology was developed by clinicians with keen observational skills, who identified the natural history of clinical conditions through morphologic features. OBJECTIVE: This article reviews the 1938 article published by Lister in which the natural history of hemangiomas are reviewed. CONCLUSION: Lister concluded "that drastic measures for the destruction of these naevi are inadvisable and treatment should be expectant and conservative." With the advent of new laser treatments for hemangiomas, early aggressive treatment is suggested for a subgroup of these problems. However, it still holds true in 1997 that for many of these smaller lesions, treatment should be "expectant and conservative."