Cherry hemangiomas are red bumps on the skin that are not cancerous and often appear in the elderly. They can be removed for cosmetic reasons or if they bleed, and removal can be done through surgery, freezing, or laser treatment.
Cherry hemangiomas are bumps that develop on the skin, often later in life, but are not cancerous. The bumps are typically cherry red in color, hence their name, and are quite small in size. They are the result of a series of small veins that grow too much under the skin. Treatment for these benign bumps is usually not necessary, but may be indicated in certain circumstances, particularly for cosmetic purposes.
While any person of any age or ethnicity can get cherry hemangiomas, they are significantly more likely in the elderly population. For this reason, the bumps may also be called senile angiomas. The prevalence of hemangiomas with advancing age may be due to the fact that the skin becomes more fragile with aging and the blood vessels are more susceptible to damage. The spots may be more noticeable in people with fair skin.
Cherry bumps can be found on almost any part of the body but may be most prominent on the chest and back. While most commonly red in color, they can be purple or even brown in some cases. Some spots, or lesions, are prominent and rounded, while others are flatter. Although sizes can vary greatly, cherry hemangiomas rarely grow larger than the size of a pencil eraser, and some are so small they are barely noticeable.
There is usually no need to seek medical treatment for cherry hemangiomas. Treatment usually occurs because a bump has started to bleed or because a person would like the hemangiomas removed for cosmetic reasons. If a stitch is bumped or hit, it may bleed and may be removed. In other cases, bumps on the face, arms, or legs may be unsightly and may be removed if they bother the patient. If there is any concern that a skin lesion may be cancerous, surgery to remove a sample of skin for further testing may be indicated.
Removal can be achieved via three methods: surgery, freezing, or laser treatment. During surgery, cherry hemangiomas are cut away from the skin, usually under local anesthesia. Blemish freezing, also known as cryotherapy, involves using extreme cold to irritate and break down the lesion. In laser therapy, a pulsed laser is used to encourage the red blood cells in the hemangioma to absorb the laser energy, which subsequently leads to rupture of the lesion.
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