Cherry Angiomas

Cherry angiomas are small lesions on the skin which are generally always bright in color. These lesions are also known as senile angioma or Campbell de Morgan spot.

Cherry angiomas have the classic features of being bright red and may appear like a mole. The size is variable and may range anywhere from 2-5 mm. Cherry angiomas are benign skin lesions and are made up of small blood vessels.

They can occur anywhere on the body but are most common on the abdomen and occasionally the back or neck. They also occur on the arms but rarely on the leg

Cherry angiomas are similar in features to spider angiomas and angiokeratomas. It is felt that these are similar lesions.

Why cherry angiomas occur is not known.

They are not related to sun exposure or aging. Their significance is unknown but they pose no medical problems

Cherry angiomas can range in color from bright red to deep purple. The bright color is due to the numerous small blood vessels which make up the lesion. When traumatized or cut, cherry angiomas can bleed profusely

Cherry angiomas may either be single but some individuals may have multiple lesions.

The most important factor in the treatment of cherry angiomas is symptoms. The majority of individuals are not bothered by angiomas. In fact many women prefer to have an angioma and show it off as a beauty spot. Since the cherry angiomas have no symptoms, there is no treatment required.

In the very rare case, where a cherry angioma has been traumatized or is bleeding, there are several options for treatment.

The treatment options include:

- Cryosurgery

- Laser

- Electro surgery

- Excision

There is no difference in the outcome and all the above treatments produce similar discomfort and scarring. Since the lesions are small, the scars are minute and can easily be camouflaged with makeup.