What Are Cherry Angiomas? (2024)

Cherry angiomas are non-cancerous skin growths that are made up of blood vessels that have clumped together. They can be red or purple, round- or oval-shaped, and may be smooth and flat or raised. While cherry angiomas are often pinhead-size, they can grow to several millimeters in diameter.

Cherry angiomas are extremely common in adults over 30. A healthcare provider can easily remove a cherry angioma, but it's not medically necessary. Never try to remove a cherry angioma yourself.

This article goes over the causes and treatments for cherry angiomas. It also discusses when you should see a healthcare provider.

Signs of Cherry Angiomas

Cherry angiomas have a typical appearance and are usually easy for a healthcare provider to identify.

• Color: Cherry angiomas are reddish or purplish. The color comes from the small blood vessels they are formed from.
• Shape: The shape may be circular or oval. When it first starts to develop, a cherry angioma is typically small and flat. It may become raised as it grows.
• Size: Cherry angiomas usually do not grow to more than 5 mm in size.
• Location: Cherry angiomas are usually found on the torso, though they can appear anywhere, including the arms, legs, chest, and scalp.
• Bleeding: Occasional, minor bleeding of cherry angioma is normal. It may be caused by minor irritations, such as from clothing. Excessive bleeding should be evaluated by a healthcare practitioner.
  

What Causes Cherry Angiomas?

Cherry angiomas get their bright, cherry-red or purple color from the dilated capillaries they're made up of. Cherry angiomas are one of the more common skin growths and, while it’s possible for children to have them, they're most common in adults over the age of 30.

Genetics play a role in how likely you are to have cherry angiomas. If your parents and grandparents have them, there’s a good chance you will, too. Exposure to certain chemicals and gases in the environment can also cause cherry angiomas to appear in clusters. They're also more common in certain climates.

It’s also possible that hormones play a role in the appearance of cherry angiomas, as they're often discovered after childbirth. This is believed to be linked to the increase of prolactin, which is the hormone that stimulates breastmilk production.

Treatments for Cherry Angiomas

Cherry angiomas don’t typically need to be treated. If they bother you, however, you can have them removed by a healthcare provider.

Unfortunately, there's no evidence that you can successfully treat cherry angiomas naturally with home remedies like apple cider vinegar. Attempting to pop a cherry angioma or cut it off yourself could cause pain, excessive bleeding, scarring, or infection.

Cherry angioma removal should only be done by a healthcare professional. They can treat your cherry angioma with non-invasive techniques that cause minimal to no scarring. These treatments are also relatively painless.

Common removal methods include:

• Electrodesiccation: The spot is touched with an electric needle that destroys the blood vessels.
• Liquid nitrogen or cryotherapy: Using a probe, cold gas is sprayed on the angioma, causing it to fall off in a few hours.
• Laser: A concentrated laser beam targets the angioma and shrinks it, eventually causing it to disappear.
• Excision: Large cherry angiomas may be removed with a sharp razor in a procedure that takes less than 10 minutes and involves local anesthesia.

When to See a Healthcare Provider

Cherry angiomas are not dangerous, but they can look similar to some types of skin cancer. You should see a healthcare provider if you have a lesion that bleeds excessively or changes shape, size, or color.

Diagnosing Cherry Angiomas

Healthcare providers often diagnose a cherry angioma just by looking at it. They may request a biopsy if they suspect it's a potentially harmful skin growth instead.

Ruling Out Other Skin Conditions

Your healthcare provider may also want to check for a different type of skin growth called spider angiomas. These are closely similar to cherry angiomas, appearing as small red dots surrounded by thin capillaries (giving them a spider-like appearance).

Most common during pregnancy and in children, spider angiomas that appear suddenly and in groups may be a warning sign for liver damage. If your healthcare provider isn't sure which type of angioma you have, they may run blood or imaging tests to check your liver health.

Summary

Cherry angiomas are benign skin growths that are red or purple in color. They may be raised or flat and are usually round or oval-shaped. They can appear anywhere on the body, though they are most common on the torso.

Cherry angiomas are not dangerous and do not need to be removed, but you should see a healthcare provider if you have one that appears to be growing and changing significantly or bleeds excessively.