Cherry Angioma

Cherry angiomas are skin growths that are fairly common. While they are usually present the most on the trunk of the body, they can be found anywhere. Rarely will they be found on the hands or feet. They are thought to be genetic, even though there is not a known cause to them. They usually appear on the body after the age of 30. They are found on all races, both sexes and all ethnic backgrounds. They will usually increase in both size and number as the person gets older. They appear as  a small, bright red cherry mark that can be either smooth or stick out. They are usually pinhead size to ¼ inch in diameter. They receive the bright red color from broken blood vessels inside the cherry angioma.

To diagnose cherry angioma, the doctor will simply exam the skin. Sometimes, a skin biopsy is also performed. Usually they are not treated, as they are noncancerous and are not harmful to the health of an individual. If they are removed, the removal does usually not cause any scarring. Do note that if you see any changes in the Cherry angioma, have it looked at. This could be a sign that there is a more serious cause, such as skin cancer.

Reasons to remove a cherry angioma are perosnal. Sometimes they effect the self condidence of a person. Or they might even bleed from time to time. Bleeding can be caused by scratching or rubbing them.   They may also grow in size. Should one decide to have them removed, they can either have the cherry angioma froze off by cryotherapy, lasered off, shaved off, or burned off with cautery/electrosurgery.

With Cryotherapy, liquid nitrogen will be used to quickly freeze off the Cherry angioma. With this type of removal, there is less chance of infection compared to others, and the wound is very easy to care for afterwards. Laser surgery is done as an outpatient procedure and is relatively quick. You could need one to three treatments depending on how many angiomas you have. There is a drawback of slight bruising from the surgery, which will last up to 10 days.

Shaving off the Cherry angioma means it will be sliced away in thin layers until it is completely gone. Stitches or sutures will be needed to close the wound after it is sliced off. With electrosurgery, an electric current is used to burn off the angioma. One will be shielded from the electricity with a grounding pad that has been placed on the body.

There are some home remedies that one can use to remove the Cherry angioma. Many have had luck with apple cider vinegar. Coat the area with ACV for at least 2 weeks. This will help to remove the Cherry angioma on its own. Or one could cover the area with a piece of duct tape for 2 to 5 days. This will break down the growth and remove the angioma painlessly.

As stated above, there is no real known cause to Cherry angioma. Some believe that pregnancy causes them in females, while others suggest certain chemicals, such as mustard gas, bromides, and cyclosporine can cause cherry angioma when exposed to them. Others say the climate is a huge factor for Cherry angioma.

Cherry angiomas are no trouble for many people unless they are rubbing against clothing or being bumped. Then they may start to get rather bothersome and one may wish for removal. A dermatologist should always be contacted if they change in appearance in any way