Cherry angiomas are also sometimes called as Campbell De Morgan spots or as Senile angiomas. These are papules on the skin that appear cheery red in color. This occurs on the skin that contains anomalous blood vessel growth. These are considered to be common and benign kind of angiomas. They are named after Campbell De Morgan a British surgeon who first detected and reported about these spots. Such dermatologic spots can appear on almost any region of the body. This type of angiomas is commonly found in people above 30 years of age. Senile angiomas spots appear reddish due to broken blood vessels under the skin. The condition is not a concern unless there are other signs such as bleeding or fluctuation in size of the spots. This may be indication of skin cancer which is a much serious condition and should be treated immediately.
What do Cherry Angiomas look like?
Cherry angiomas are circular or sometime oval shaped spots which are primarily cherry red in color. Size of these spots may range from pinpoint to 1.2 cm or more. Some of these spots may appear smooth and flat on the skin while others may be slightly raised. These spots are often seen on shoulders, trunk and arms. If these spots are broken due to scrubbing or scratching they may also bleed.
Causes of Cherry Angiomas
The condition is highly recorded in people over 30 years of age however it can also affect younger individuals. They can appear at any age and may be eruptive. The factors that may cause cherry angiomas are not certainly determined. This is probably because not too much attention is paid towards to condition because rarely the disorder is associated with internal malignancy.
Earlier studies and few new hypotheses indicate that such condition may occur due to formation of new blood (technically called angiogenesis) and development of new veins (medically known as vasculogenesis). The first study that was conducted focused on genetic and molecule contribution to cherry angiomas was released in 2010. It revealed that the MicroRNA 424 gets decreased in senile hemangiomas which may probably lead to the condition. It was discovered that inhibition of MIR-424 can cause increase of MEK1 and Cyclin E1 which may cause proliferation of endothelial cells.
There are other chemical compounds and cells which may cause the condition. These include mustard gas, cyclosporine, bromide and 2-butoxyethanol. As compared to normal skins a considerable increase in degree of mast cells is detected in skin affected with cherry angiomas.
According to a study conducted in November, 2007 the condition was also linked with Prichard’s structures. These are small endocardial deformities; this is regarded as cellular growth in heart tissues. The study revealed that these structures were detected during autopsy of aged individuals who were also affected with cherry angiomas. This dermatologic anomaly occurring in newborns is associated with certain protein, particularly placental antigens, which was found in considerable number of newborns affected with the skin issue
Cherry Angiomas and cancer
Though it is assumed that the cherry angiomas may be associated with cancer some expert deny on the hypothesis. Some medical experts assert that apart from hindrance to the appearance they have no medical influence or significance. Though most of these spots appear on trunks they can also occur in extreme regions of the body.
Skin cancers are irregular area that may aggravate or change overtime. If such signs are noticed then it may not be cherry angiomas but rather some other condition. However, in some cases these angiomas may alter like cancer and this is when one should see a doctor mandatorily.
Treatment of Cherry Angiomas
Cherry angiomas is a common benign condition which usually does not need any treatment. However, there are several treatment options if the condition is affecting your appearance or it gets scrubbed and bleeds. Here are some possible techniques to treat cherry angiomas:
Electrocauterization
This is a kind of invasive treatment wherein a tiny probe is used to deliver electric current to burn away the angiomas. This procedure also involves grounding pad which will be placed against your body to protect other body regions from electric current.
Cryosurgery
In this surgery the angiomas spots are froze using liquid nitrogen. It is believed that freezing the spots can destroy them. This is considered to be easy and relatively fast procedure. In most cases the patient needs merely one session for the bumps to ebb away. In this procedure liquid nitrogen is prayed on the spots for merely 10 seconds. As compared to other surgical treatments this procedure stands extremely lower chances of infection and does not need much after-care.
Laser Surgery
This is a procedure which uses PDL or Pulse Dye Laser. This is a concentrated yellow laser that produces sufficient heat to damage and eradicate these angiomas. This is a fast procedure and outpatient procedure wherein the patient is not needed to be hospitalized. Depending on the number of angiomas you may have to undergo one to three sessions of this treatment. This surgery may leave bruises that may persist for around 10 days.
Shave Excision
This is another invasive technique wherein the angiomas is sliced repeated in layers. The slicing is done until the angiomas is gone. This is an alternative option to other invasive techniques that would involve cutting away the bumps and stitching incision to seal the wound.
Remember that scarring is common if you wish to remove the angiomas through any of the aforementioned surgeries. Removal of cherry angiomas is not suggested if it is hidden and cannot be seen generally.
Cherry Angioma Pictures
