Cherry angioma removal

Cherry angiomas are common red blood vessel spots on the skin.

What is a red mole on the skin?

A red mole on the skin is often a cherry angioma — a small, generally benign blood vessel growth. They usually appear as bright red, dark red or purple spots and may be flat or slightly raised.

Cherry angiomas can appear anywhere on the body, but are common on the trunk, arms and legs. They often become more frequent with age.

Are cherry angiomas dangerous?

Cherry angiomas are generally benign and do not turn into skin cancer. In many cases, they do not need treatment unless they are bleeding, irritated, catching on clothing or cosmetically unwanted.

However, any new, changing, bleeding or unusual red spot should be assessed by a doctor before treatment. Some vascular lesions and skin cancers can look red or bleed easily, so diagnosis should be confirmed first.

Why assessment matters before treatment

Most cherry angiomas are straightforward to recognise, but assessment helps confirm that the spot is suitable for treatment.

During a skin treatment assessment with a nurse, your clinician will check the lesion and discuss whether treatment is appropriate. If doctor review is required, we’ll arrange this before treatment.

How cherry angiomas may be treated

Where treatment is suitable, cherry angiomas may be treated in clinic using vascular laser, broadband light or precision radiofrequency treatment. The method depends on the size, colour, location and number of lesions being treated.

Treatment is usually performed for cosmetic reasons or because the angioma is irritated or bleeding.

Healing and possible risks

After treatment, the area may be red, darkened, crusted or tender while it heals. This is usually temporary, but healing varies depending on the treatment method, the area treated and individual skin type.

Possible risks include redness, swelling, crusting, pigment change, scarring, incomplete clearance and recurrence. Your clinician will explain what to expect before treatment proceeds.

Can cherry angiomas come back?

Treated cherry angiomas may recur, and new cherry angiomas can form elsewhere over time. This is common and does not usually indicate a serious problem.

Related skin conditions

Spot Check Clinic also assesses and treats a range of other small skin lesions where suitable, including xanthelasma, milia, syringomas, sebaceous hyperplasia, seborrhoeic keratoses and skin tags.