Cherry Hemangioma Follow-up
- Author: Clarence William Brown Jr, MD; Chief Editor: Dirk M Elston, MD more...
Further Outpatient Care
In general, the benign lesions of cherry hemangioma require no therapy, although lesions that are irritated or bleeding (most commonly secondary to trauma) usually require surgical intervention. Follow-up evaluations usually are arranged approximately 1 month after initial therapy. Occasionally, more than a single treatment is required to eliminate the lesion(s). If the lesions are numerous and present as small macules, consider a bleeding disorder such as thrombocytopenia.
Deterrence/Prevention
No effective means are available by which the development of the lesions of cherry hemangioma can be prevented.
Complications
Hemorrhages and secondary infection may complicate the course of traumatized lesions, often requiring surgical removal of the inflamed angioma.
The gradual appearance of multiple cherry angiomas over many years is common and often is expected; however, the sudden appearance of multiple cutaneous lesions always should raise concerns that the lesions may accompany the development of an internal malignancy.
Prognosis
The appearance of cherry angiomas has essentially no effect on the patient's life span, except in very rare situations in which the angiomas are present as a paraneoplastic sign in association with the development of an internal malignancy.
Patient Education
Patients rarely require little more than the reassurance that cherry angiomas are benign lesions and are not skin cancer. Occasionally, removal of a lesion that has been traumatized is necessary, or a patient requests removal of lesions because of cosmetic concerns.
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