Cherry angiomas are benign skin growths that can be removed if they cause discomfort or are unsightly. They are most common in people over 40 and can be removed using cryosurgery, laser surgery, or electrosurgery. The cause of cherry angiomas is not fully understood.
A cherry angioma is a growth on the skin that is benign in nature. Many people develop cherry angiomas later in life, with the age of onset usually exceeding 40, although younger people can get them too. For the most part, the growth isn’t a cause for concern, although if it’s seen as a cosmetic defect or if it’s interfering with a patient’s life, a dermatologist can remove it, using a technique such as cryosurgery, laser surgery, or electrosurgery to take off the growth neatly.
The structure of a cherry angioma includes a number of enlarged and weakened blood vessels surrounded by lymph. The growth often takes the form of a dome in the skin and the top may be slightly flattened. The color varies from bright cherry red to dark purple. These types of angiomas most commonly occur on the trunk of the body, especially the back, but can occur in other areas as well.
For some patients, the growth can be unsightly. For others, a cherry angioma in the wrong place may feel uncomfortable when placed under pressure from things like waist bands, bra straps, or purse and backpack straps. In these situations, it may be a good idea to remove the growth so the patient is more comfortable. Removing a cherry angioma is an outpatient procedure that usually takes only a few minutes; the longest part of the procedure is often waiting for the local anesthetic to work.
Because cherry angiomas are rich in blood vessels, they tend to bleed freely when injured. For this reason, attempting to pierce a cherry angioma is not recommended. The growths can also start to bleed if they’re subjected to stress or pressure, as might happen when you get caught in the folds of someone’s clothing. If a cherry angioma begins to bleed, the patient should gently wash the area with warm soapy water and apply pressure with a cotton ball or swab until the bleeding slows down. Bandaging may be advisable to avoid infiltrations on clothes.
Why cherry angiomas form is not understood. They appear to be related to aging, as they appear more in the elderly and sometimes form in response to chemical exposure. However, because the growths are benign, few researchers are interested in attempting to go into the specific details of how and why these growths form.
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