Cherry angioma
Cherry angiomas (also known as “De Morgan spots,” and “Senile angiomas”[1]:595), are cherry red papules on the skin containing an abnormal proliferation of blood vessels. They are the most common kind of angioma. They are also called senile angiomas or Campbell de Morgan spots, after the nineteenth-century British surgeon Campbell De Morgan who first noted and described them.
The frequency of cherry angiomas increases with age.
Characteristics
Characteristics
Cherry angiomas are made up of clusters of tiny capillaries at the surface of the skin, forming a small round dome (“papule“), which may be flat topped. They range in colour from bright red to purple. When they first develop, they may be only a tenth of a millimeter in diameter and almost flat, appearing as small red dots. However, they then usually grow to about one or two millimeters across, and sometimes to a centimeter or more in diameter. As they grow larger, they tend to expand in thickness, and may take on the raised and rounded shape of a dome. Multiple adjoining angiomas are said to form a polypoid angioma. Because the blood vessels comprising an angioma are so close to the skin’s surface, cherry angiomas may bleed profusely if they are injured.
Cause
Cause
Cherry angiomas appear spontaneously in many people in middle age but can also, although less common, occur in young people. They can also occur in an aggressive eruptive manner in any age. The underlying cause for the development of cherry angiomas is far from understood, much because of a lack of interest in the subject. This is probably due to the fact that they very rarely are caused by an internal malignancy. Chemicals and compounds that have been seen to cause cherry angiomas are mustard gas,[2][3][4][5] 2-butoxyethanol,[6] bromides[7] and cyclosporine.[8] A correlation has been seen between cherry hemangiomas and activity of the enzyme carbonic anhydrase[9] as well as a significant increase in the density of mast cells in cherry hemangiomas compared to normal skin.[10]
Treatment
Treatment
On the rare occasions that they require removal, traditionally cryosurgery or electrosurgery have been used.[11] More recently pulsed dye laser or Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) treatment has also been used.[12][13]
Prognosis
Prognosis
In most patients, the number and size of cherry angiomas increases with advancing age. They are harmless, except in very rare cases that involve a sudden appearance of many angiomas, which can be a sign of a developing internal malignancy.
Epidemiology
Epidemiology
Cherry angiomas occur in all races, all ethnic backgrounds, and both sexes.
References
References
- ↑ James, William; Berger, Timothy; Elston, Dirk (2005). Andrews’ Diseases of the Skin: Clinical Dermatology. (10th ed.). Saunders. ISBN 0721629210.
- ↑ Eruptive melanocytic nevi and cherry angiomas secondary to exposure to sulfur mustard gas. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10188695
- ↑ Delayed complications of sulfur mustard poisoning in the skin and the immune system of Iranian veterans 16-20 years after exposure. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16961503
- ↑ Eruptive cherry angiomas associated with vitiligo: provoked by topical nitrogen mustard? http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17169094
- ↑ Mustard gas scarring with specific pigmentary, trophic and vascular charactristics (case report, 16-year post-exposure). http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17382390
- ↑ Eruptive cherry angiomas and irritant symptoms after one acute exposure to the glycol ether solvent 2-butoxyethanol. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9871882
- ↑ Cherry angiomas associated with exposure to bromides. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11244231
- ↑ Eruptive Angiomas After Treatment With Cyclosporine in a Patient With Psoriasis http://archderm.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/extract/134/11/1487
- ↑ Carbonic anhydrase is abundant in fenestrated capillaries of cherry hemangioma. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7908484
- ↑ Mast cell “densities” in vascular proliferations: a preliminary study of pyogenic granuloma, portwine stain, cavernous hemangioma, cherry angioma, Kaposi’s sarcoma, and malignant hemangioendothelioma. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10535252
- ↑ Aversa AJ, Miller OF (1983). “Cryo-curettage of cherry angiomas”. The Journal of dermatologic surgery and oncology. 9 (11): 930–1. PMID 6630708.
- ↑ Dawn G, Gupta G (2003). “Comparison of potassium titanyl phosphate vascular laser and hyfrecator in the treatment of vascular spiders and cherry angiomas”. Clin. Exp. Dermatol. 28 (6): 581–3. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2230.2003.01352.x. PMID 14616818.
- ↑ Fodor L, Ramon Y, Fodor A, Carmi N, Peled IJ, Ullmann Y (2006). “A side-by-side prospective study of intense pulsed light and Nd:YAG laser treatment for vascular lesions”. Annals of plastic surgery. 56 (2): 164–70. doi:10.1097/01.sap.0000196579.14954.d6. PMID 16432325.
External links
External links
- Netdoctor UK Dr John Pillinger. GP
- HealthScout
- FPNotebook
- MedSapiens
- eMedicine with picture showing small red dots
- Cherry hemangioma in the scalp
Looking for the patient version?
© 2026 MyEClinic – IFTM Institut für Telematik in der Medizin GmbH