eMedicine Specialties > Dermatology > Diseases of the Vessels

Cherry Hemangioma

Author: Clarence William Brown Jr, MD, Assistant Professor of Dermatology, Director of Mohs Micrographic and Dermatological Surgery, Rush University Medical Center
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: May 9, 2008

Introduction

Background

Cherry hemangiomas are the most common cutaneous vascular proliferations. They are often widespread and appear as tiny cherry red papules or macules.

Pathophysiology

Involvement of cherry hemangiomas is limited to the skin. These benign lesions are formed by a proliferation of dilated venules.

Frequency

United States

Frequency of cherry hemangiomas increases with age in both sexes and all races.

International

The incidence of cherry angiomas is uniform across all races, but individual lesions are most noticeable in pale-skinned individuals.

Mortality/Morbidity

  • Lesions are benign and usually do not undergo spontaneous involution.
  • Patients may demonstrate considerable concern regarding the cosmetic appearance of the lesions.

Race

Cherry hemangiomas are found in individuals of all races and ethnic backgrounds.

Sex

No distinction can be made on the basis of sex.

Age

Cherry hemangiomas occur more frequently with increasing age. In the past, the lesions often were referred to as senile angiomas.

Clinical

History

Cherry angiomas typically present in the third or fourth decades of life, and early lesions may appear as small red macules.

  • Lesions may be found on all body sites, but usually, the mucous membranes are spared.
  • Most patients report an increase in number and size of individual lesions with advancing age.

Physical

On physical examination, lesions may have a variable appearance, ranging from a small red macule to a larger dome-topped or polypoid papule.

  • The color of the lesions typically is described as bright cherry red, but the lesions may appear more violaceous at times (see Media File 1).
  • Rarely, a lesion demonstrates a dark brown to an almost black color when a hemorrhagic plug occupies the vascular lumen, often raising concern about the possibility of a malignant melanoma.

Causes

Little is known about the factors that contribute to the formation of cherry hemangiomas. Several reports have described the appearance of many small red papules histologically resembling cherry hemangiomas in patients with malignancies,1 although most lesions occur in healthy patients.

More on Cherry Hemangioma

Overview: Cherry Hemangioma
Differential Diagnoses & Workup: Cherry Hemangioma
Treatment & Medication: Cherry Hemangioma
Follow-up: Cherry Hemangioma
Multimedia: Cherry Hemangioma
References
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References

  1. Pembroke AC, Grice K, Levantine AV, Warin AP. Eruptive angiomata in malignant disease. Clin Exp Dermatol. Jun 1978;3(2):147-56. [Medline].

  2. Dawn G, Gupta G. Comparison of potassium titanyl phosphate vascular laser and hyfrecator in the treatment of vascular spiders and cherry angiomas. Clin Exp Dermatol. Nov 2003;28(6):581-3. [Medline].

  3. Gupta G, Bilsland D. A prospective study of the impact of laser treatment on vascular lesions. Br J Dermatol. Aug 2000;143(2):356-9. [Medline].

  4. Calonje E, Wilson-Jones E. Vascular tumors: tumors and tumor-like conditions of blood vessels and lymphatics. In: Elder D, Elenitsas R, Jaworsky C, Johnson B Jr, eds. Lever's Histopathology of the Skin. 8th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Lippincott-Raven; 1997:902.

  5. Hagiwara K, Khaskhely NM, Uezato H, Nonaka S. Mast cell "densities" in vascular proliferations: a preliminary study of pyogenic granuloma, portwine stain, cavernous hemangioma, cherry angioma, Kaposi's sarcoma, and malignant hemangioendothelioma. J Dermatol. Sep 1999;26(9):577-86. [Medline].

  6. Mazereeuw-Hautier J, Cambon L, Bonafé JL. [Eruptive pseudoangiomatosis in an adult renal transplant recipient]. Ann Dermatol Venereol. Jan 2001;128(1):55-6. [Medline].

  7. Odom RB, James WD, Berger TB. Dermal and subcutaneous tumors: cherry angiomas. In: Andrew's Diseases of the Skin: Clinical Dermatology. 2000. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: WB Saunders; 2000:751.

  8. Sanchez JL, Ackerman AB. Vascular proliferations of skin and subcutaneous tissue. In: Fitzpatrick's Dermatology in General Medicine. Vol 1. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill; 1993:1219-20.

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Further Reading

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Keywords

Campbell de Morgan spots, senile angiomas

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Clarence William Brown Jr, MD, Assistant Professor of Dermatology, Director of Mohs Micrographic and Dermatological Surgery, Rush University Medical Center
Clarence William Brown Jr, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology and American College of Mohs Micrographic Surgery and Cutaneous Oncology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

Evan R Farmer, MD, Professor of Dermatology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Clinical Professor of Pathology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine; Consulting Staff, Department of Dermatology, Johns Hopkins Hospital, VCU Health Services
Evan R Farmer, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, American Dermatological Association, American Medical Association, American Society of Dermatopathology, and International Society of Dermatology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

Richard P Vinson, MD, Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Dermatology, Texas Tech University School of Medicine; Consulting Staff, Mountain View Dermatology, PA
Richard P Vinson, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, Association of Military Dermatologists, Texas Dermatological Society, and Texas Medical Association
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Managing Editor

Warren R Heymann, MD, Head, Division of Dermatology, Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey
Warren R Heymann, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, American Society of Dermatopathology, and Society for Investigative Dermatology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

CME Editor

Catherine Quirk, MD, Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Dermatology, Brown University
Catherine Quirk, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha and American Academy of Dermatology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

William D James, MD, Paul R Gross Professor of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine; Vice-Chair, Program Director, Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania Health System
William D James, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology and Society for Investigative Dermatology
Disclosure: elsevier Royalty Other; american college of physicians Honoraria Other

 
 
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