A cherry angioma is a mole-like growth made up of very small capillaries. It is technically a tumour, but it is considered benign – it’s not cancer, it’s not malignant, it’s not going to hurt you. It just exists on your skin, and to some people, is unpleasant to cast eyes upon. Luckily cherry angiomas are easy to get rid of.
Facts about cherry angiomas
- Children almost never get cherry angiomas
- Most cherry angiomas occur in adults over the age of 30
- Cherry angiomas are related to ageing, and increase with age
- Almost half of all adults have cherry angiomas
- Cherry angiomas are often found on the stomach, chest, and back
- Their colour palette is broad – red, blue, purple, black, white if pressed
- Most are a few millimetres in diameter
- They grow round, smooth, and flat on top
- Some cherry angiomas may be confused with spider angiomas (small spider-like veins coming from the main angioma)
- We don’t really know why we get cherry angiomas
Treatment of cherry angiomas
Usually, a cherry angioma doesn’t require any treatment – they are harmless and present only a cosmetic concern for some individuals. If, however, a sudden outbreak occurs, it could be a sign of something more serious, so please see your doctor. Cherry angiomas shouldn’t bleed or be painful.
Cut it out
A cherry angioma can be cut out or shaved off, using local anaesthetic for pain. This method can cause some scarring.
Burn it off
Burning off a cherry angioma is typically done with an electric needle with the use of a local anaesthetic for pain. The blood vessels are destroyed and the angioma is scraped off. This causes a small white scar afterwards.
Freeze it off
Liquid nitrogen is swabbed or sprayed on the area (while protecting and avoiding other tissue) to freeze it, which causes the angioma to blister or peel, then fall off. The angioma may scab before peeling off. The peeling off will occur after a few days as the skin underneath the scab heals over, sans the angioma.
Laser it off
Lasers can shrink and shrivel blood vessels, which are subsequently damaged and reabsorbed by the body. This is the best method if you want to avoid the scarring that occurs when the skin is actually cut into. Laser treatments cause the angioma to shrink and disappear, turn another colour (grey, darker), then fade over several weeks as the dead blood vessel cells are recycled by the body. More than one treatment may be needed, but this varies by skin tone and size of the angioma.
We can delicately cut, burn, freeze or laser your cherry angiomas.
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