Because the swelling is subperiosteal, its boundaries are limited by the individual bones, in contrast to a caput succedaneum.

In some cases it may be an indication of a linear skull fracture or be at risk of an infection leading to osteomyelitis or meningitis.

The swelling of a cephalohematoma takes weeks to resolve as the blood clot is slowly absorbed from the periphery towards the centre.

[citation needed] Cephalohematomas typically resolve spontaneously within weeks or months of birth, however calcification can occur in 3-5% of cases.

[1] While aspiration to remove accumulated blood and prevent calcification has generally been recommended against due to risk of infection, modern surgical standards and antibiotics may make this concern unfounded, and needle aspiration can be considered a safe intervention for significantly-sized cephalohematomas that do not resolve spontaneously after one month.