Small red spots, gone in a single visit — with one important step first. Every lesion is examined by a physician before any laser touches it, because not every red bump is a cherry angioma.
Cherry angiomas are benign clusters of small blood vessels that appear as bright red dome-shaped bumps, most often on the chest, trunk, and arms. At Plump Medical Spa in Newport Beach they are removed with a 1064nm Nd:YAG vascular laser, which targets the blood inside the lesion so it collapses — usually in a single session, with mild redness or a small scab resolving over one to two weeks. Every lesion is examined by Dr. Amir Mortazavi, MD before treatment, because several other conditions can look like a cherry angioma.
A cherry angioma — also called a cherry hemangioma or a Campbell de Morgan spot — is a small, bright red, dome-shaped bump made of an abnormal cluster of tiny blood vessels. Most measure between half a millimeter and six millimeters. They appear most commonly on the chest, trunk, and arms, though they can develop anywhere including the scalp and face.
They are benign. They are extremely common — the majority of adults over 30 have at least one, and the number tends to increase with age. They are not caused by sun exposure, diet, or anything you did. The underlying cause isn't well understood, but they run in families and are associated with aging.
Because they're made of blood vessels, they bleed readily if scratched, shaved over, or caught on clothing or jewelry. For many patients that's the reason they seek removal rather than appearance alone.
Several conditions can closely resemble one, and some of them are serious:
This is why the evaluation matters more than the laser does. Firing a laser at a lesion that turns out to be malignant destroys the tissue needed to diagnose it and delays real treatment. That is a clinical decision, not a cosmetic one — which is why at Plump the same physician who examines the lesion is the one who treats it.
Stable cherry angiomas generally don't change. Change is the signal that a lesion needs assessment before anyone considers removing it cosmetically.
Several techniques work. They differ meaningfully in scarring risk, precision, and suitability for different locations.
The one that was treated generally won't return. Treatment doesn't prevent new ones from appearing elsewhere, though — and because angiomas increase in number with age, most patients will develop more over the years.
That isn't a sign the treatment failed or that something's wrong with you. It's the natural course of the condition. Many patients come in periodically, clear whatever has accumulated in one visit, and get on with things.
Not reliably. Since the cause isn't well understood and the strongest associations are age and family history, there's no established preventive measure. Anyone selling you a prevention protocol for cherry angiomas is selling you something that doesn't have evidence behind it.
Cherry angioma removal is technically simple. A few pulses of a vascular laser is not a difficult procedure, and many practices delegate it to a laser technician or nurse.
The part that isn't simple is deciding whether the thing in front of you should be lasered at all. Distinguishing a benign angioma from an early nodular basal cell carcinoma or an amelanotic melanoma is a clinical judgment, and getting it wrong means destroying the lesion that needed a biopsy.
At Plump Medical Spa, Dr. Mortazavi examines and treats every lesion personally. Not because the laser requires an MD to operate — but because the decision to fire it does.
Patients come in pointing at eight red spots and ask me to zap all of them. Usually all eight are exactly what they look like. But the reason I look at each one first is the case where one of them isn't — and once it's been lasered, that information is gone. It costs two extra minutes and it's the entire point of having a physician do this.
What is a cherry angioma?
A cherry angioma, also called a cherry hemangioma or Campbell de Morgan spot, is a small bright red dome-shaped bump made up of an abnormal cluster of tiny blood vessels. They typically range from about 0.5 to 6 millimeters, appear most often on the chest, trunk, and arms, and become more common with age — occurring in the majority of adults over 30. They are benign and have no relationship to cancer.
Can a cherry angioma be skin cancer?
A true cherry angioma is benign. However, several other lesions can closely resemble one, including nodular basal cell carcinoma, amelanotic melanoma, and angiokeratoma. This is why any red bump should be evaluated by a physician before it is lasered. Treating a malignant lesion with a laser destroys the tissue needed for diagnosis and can delay appropriate care.
How are cherry angiomas removed?
The main options are vascular laser, intense pulsed light, electrocautery or electrodessication, and shave excision. Vascular laser targets the blood vessels inside the lesion specifically, which generally allows removal with a lower risk of scarring than electrocautery, which destroys tissue with electric current and can cause pinpoint scarring.
What laser is used for cherry angioma removal?
At Plump Medical Spa in Newport Beach, cherry angiomas are treated with a 1064nm Nd:YAG vascular laser. The 1064nm wavelength is absorbed by hemoglobin in the abnormal vessels, coagulating them so the lesion collapses. Because it targets blood rather than pigment, it can be used safely across a wider range of skin tones than some other vascular devices.
Does cherry angioma removal hurt?
Most patients describe a brief snapping or stinging sensation lasting a fraction of a second per pulse. Because each lesion requires only one or a few pulses, treatment of an individual angioma takes seconds. Topical numbing can be used for larger lesions or patients treating many spots at once.
How many treatments does a cherry angioma need?
Most cherry angiomas clear in a single session. Larger or more raised lesions occasionally require a second treatment, typically spaced four to six weeks apart to allow the treated tissue to fully resolve first.
Will cherry angiomas come back after removal?
A properly treated cherry angioma does not typically return in the same spot. However, treatment does not prevent new angiomas from developing elsewhere. Because they tend to increase in number with age and run in families, many patients return periodically to have new lesions treated.
Why do I keep getting cherry angiomas?
The cause is not well understood. They increase in number from around age 30 onward, tend to run in families, and are associated with aging rather than sun exposure or lifestyle. Developing more of them over time is normal and is not a sign of an underlying health problem.
What does it mean if a cherry angioma bleeds?
Cherry angiomas are made of blood vessels, so if scratched, shaved over, or caught on clothing they can bleed noticeably. Recurrent bleeding is a legitimate medical reason for removal rather than a purely cosmetic one. A lesion that begins bleeding spontaneously, without trauma, should be evaluated promptly.
Should I be worried if a red spot changes?
Yes — any growth that suddenly changes in size, color, or shape, bleeds without being injured, itches persistently, or becomes inflamed should be evaluated. Stable cherry angiomas do not usually change. Change is the signal that a lesion needs assessment before any cosmetic treatment.
Can cherry angiomas be removed from the face?
Yes. Facial angiomas are commonly treated and generally respond well. Facial treatment warrants more conservative settings given the visibility of the area and the thinner skin, which is one reason the evaluation and treatment are performed by the physician rather than delegated.
Who performs cherry angioma removal at Plump Medical Spa?
Dr. Amir Mortazavi, MD examines and treats every lesion personally. Treatment is not delegated to nurses, aestheticians, or laser technicians. Because evaluation of a red lesion is a clinical judgment before it is a cosmetic procedure, the assessment and the laser are performed by the same physician.
Dr. Mortazavi will look at each one and tell you which are angiomas, which aren't, and which shouldn't be lasered at all.
4667 MacArthur Blvd, Suite 310 — Newport Beach, CA 92660
(949) 568-7544 — info@plumpmedicalspa.com
Tuesday – Saturday, 10am – 6pm — By Appointment Only