What Is A Cherry Angioma: Causes, Treatment, And Removal

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What is a Cherry Angioma and Can You Remove Them?

Medically reviewed by Megan Slomka, MSN, APRN, FNP-C — Written by Amanda Delgado and Heather Hobbs — Updated on November 14, 2024

What is it?
Symptoms
Causes
Treatment
Seeking care
Outlook
FAQ
Takeaway

Cherry angiomas usually do not require treatment. However, some people may choose to remove these moles through cosmetic procedures or surgery.

Cherry angiomas are common growths that can develop on your skin. They’re also known as cherry hemangiomas, senile angiomas, or Campbell de Morgan spots.

They’re typically noncancerous (benign) and not a cause for concern unless they bleed or change appearance, which may be an early indicator of skin cancer.

Keep reading to see what cherry angiomas look like and find out about your removal options should you want or need to.

What are cherry angiomas?

Cherry angiomas are skin lesions or moles made of small blood vessels, which typically give them a reddish or purplish appearance. They most commonly occur in older adults, but for some people, they may appear in their 20s or earlier. Around 5% of adolescents can develop them.

What do cherry angiomas look like?

Cherry angiomas typically begin as small, flat, bright red spots. However, they can differ in color and may also appear blue or purple. Unlike other skin conditions, cherry angiomas can vary in color regardless of skin tone.

They may grow from 1 to 5 mm and become slightly raised.

They can be circular or oval in shape and often grow on the torso, arms, legs, and shoulders.

Bleeding may occur if the angioma is scratched, rubbed, or cut open.

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Cherry angiomas may appear bright red in color. Bencemor/Shutterstock

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Some people may develop multiple cherry angiomas. TimoninaIryna/Getty Images

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Cherry angiomas may appear darker in color. Rupendra Singh Rawat/Getty Images

What causes cherry angiomas?

Cherry angiomas may have multiple causes. People may develop them due to:

aging
pregnancy
genetics

They have a strong correlation with the natural aging process. Over 75% of people over 75 years old have them.

In some cases, people may develop several cherry angiomas at once, typically due to another health condition, like herpesvirus-8 (HHV8), or certain medications, including immunosuppressants. This is called eruptive cherry angiomas.

How are cherry angiomas removed?

While cherry angiomas typically do not require treatment, dermatologists can remove them for cosmetic reasons.

A doctor may also recommend removal if you have one in an area that’s easily bumped, which can lead to regular bleeding.

A few common procedures can remove angiomas, including:

Electrocauterization

Dermatologists can remove smaller angiomas with electrocauterization, which uses an electric current delivered by a tiny probe.

For this procedure, you’ll also have a grounding pad placed somewhere on your body to ground the rest of your body from a surge of electricity.

Shave excision

This procedure involves performing a shave biopsy to remove the angioma from the top portion of the skin. Then the dermatologist typically uses electrocauterization afterward to control bleeding.

Cryosurgery

Cryosurgery is a procedure that involves freezing off the angioma with liquid nitrogen.

The number of treatments can depend on the size of the angioma.

Laser treatment

Doctors can also use laser therapies to remove cherry angiomas. They use concentrated lasers that give off enough heat to destroy the lesion. These may include:

pulsed dye laser (PDL)
intense pulsed light laser
potassium-titanyl-phosphate (KTP) laser
neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser

A 2020 review found that people tended to prefer the PDL laser method over others due to a decreased chance of procedure-related pain.

Depending on how many angiomas you have, you may need between one and three treatment sessions. Cosmetic procedures may cause slight bruising.

If you do have angiomas removed with any of these methods, scarring is possible but uncommon. People with darker skin tones may experience pigmentation changes with certain methods.

Do cherry angiomas go away?

Cherry angiomas do not go away on their own, though a dermatologist can remove them with a variety of in-office outpatient procedures.

When to seek medical treatment for cherry angiomas

While cherry angiomas are typically benign, any changes in the way a mole looks can potentially be a sign of skin cancer. A doctor, like a dermatologist, can evaluate skin growths and lesions to rule out more serious conditions.

A doctor may decide to do a biopsy, which involves removing and examining a small sample of the area or the entire lesion, to diagnose or rule out other conditions.

The Healthline FindCare tool can provide options in your area if you don’t already have a doctor.

Are cherry angiomas serious?

Cherry angiomas are common and typically nothing to worry about. But if they bleed or change appearance, it is important to speak with a doctor. Any growth that changes in appearance, whether in shape, size, or color, or bleeds, can potentially be an indicator of skin cancer.

Frequently asked questions

Do cherry hemangiomas go away?

A cherry angioma won’t go away on its own, but it’s also unlikely to cause problems. It may bleed from time to time if it gets irritated.

Should I worry about cherry angiomas?

If the cherry angioma changes in size, shape, or color, it’s important to get this checked out by a healthcare professional, such as a dermatologist.

What is the difference between a cherry angioma and a hemangioma?

Angiomas and hemangiomas are similar. Angiomas can contain either blood vessels or lymphatic vessels, whereas hemangiomas are made exclusively of blood vessels. Cherry angiomas are more common in adults, whereas hemangiomas tend to appear during infancy and early childhood.

Takeaway

While cherry angiomas are typically benign, you may choose to have them removed. A dermatologist may suggest a specific removal method depending on factors such as the size of the growth and your skin tone.

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Angiomas. (n.d.). https://www.aocd.org/page/Angiomas
Buslach N, et al. (2020). Treatment modalities for cherry angiomas: A systematic review. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33252464/
Cherry hemangiomas. (n.d.).https://cpwmedspa.com/skin-cherry-hemangiomas
Oakley A, et al. (2017). Cherry angioma. https://dermnetnz.org/topics/cherry-angioma
Qadeer, HA. (2022). Cherry hemangioma.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK563207/

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Medically reviewed by Megan Slomka, MSN, APRN, FNP-C — Written by Amanda Delgado and Heather Hobbs — Updated on November 14, 2024

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Skin Care

What are cherry angiomas?

What do cherry angiomas look like?

What causes cherry angiomas?

How are cherry angiomas removed?

Electrocauterization

Shave excision

Cryosurgery

Laser treatment

Do cherry angiomas go away?

When to seek medical treatment for cherry angiomas

Are cherry angiomas serious?

Frequently asked questions

Do cherry hemangiomas go away?

Should I worry about cherry angiomas?

What is the difference between a cherry angioma and a hemangioma?

Takeaway

How we reviewed this article:

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