A cherry angioma is a noncancerous (benign) skin growth made up of blood vessels.
Cherry angiomas are fairly common skin growths that vary in size. They can occur almost anywhere on the body, but usually develop on the trunk.
They are most common after age 30. The cause is unknown, but they tend to be inherited (genetic).
Skin lesion or growth:
Your health care provider will probably diagnose a cherry angioma based on the appearance of the growth. No further tests are usually necessary, though a skin biopsy may be used to confirm the diagnosis.
Cherry angiomas usually do not need to be treated. If they are cosmetically unattractive or they bleed often, angiomas may be removed by:
Cherry angiomas are noncancerous and generally harmless. Removal usually does not cause scarring.
Call for an appointment with your health care provider if:
Angioma - cherry; Senile angioma
Habif TP. Clinical Dermatology. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Mosby Elsevier;2009.
Updated by: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Medical Director, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by Kevin Berman, MD, PhD, Atlanta Center for Dermatologic Disease, Atlanta, GA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is an independent audit to verify that A.D.A.M. follows rigorous standards of quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial policy, editorial process and privacy policy. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).
The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 1997-2012, A.D.A.M., Inc. Duplication for commercial use must be authorized in writing by ADAM Health Solutions.