Cherry angioma in Singapore: what red moles are, when to check them, and how a doctor removes them

The basics

What a cherry angioma is

A cherry angioma, also called a cherry haemangioma, senile angioma or Campbell de Morgan spot, is a small benign growth made of capillaries, the tiniest blood vessels. It looks like a smooth, bright red or ruby-coloured bump, sometimes flat at first and becoming dome-shaped, and is usually 1 to 5 mm across.

Most appear on the chest, back, abdomen and upper arms, and they are less common on the face, hands and feet. Many people search for 'red mole' because that is how they look, but they are not moles in the medical sense: a mole is a cluster of pigment cells, while a cherry angioma is a cluster of blood vessels.

They do not usually hurt, and they usually blanch, or fade slightly, when pressed. A cherry angioma that has partly clotted inside can look dark purple or almost black, which is one reason a doctor checks spots that look unusual.

Why they appear

Why cherry angiomas appear: age, genes and other triggers

Age is the main factor. Cherry angiomas usually begin to appear from the thirties, their number rises steadily with age, and an estimated three in four people over 75 have them. They occur in men and women and in all skin types, although they are easier to see on fair skin.

They often run in families, and laboratory studies have found changes in specific genes (GNAQ and GNA11) inside the spots themselves, which suggests the vessels grow because of a local change rather than a problem in the blood. Pregnancy has also been linked with new spots.

Less commonly, many cherry angiomas appear over a short time. This 'eruptive' pattern has been reported with certain medicines and chemicals and with some medical conditions. It is uncommon, but a sudden crop of new red spots is worth showing to a doctor rather than treating cosmetically.

Get it checked

When a red spot or red mole needs a doctor's check

Most red spots on the body are cherry angiomas, but several other conditions can look similar. A pyogenic granuloma is a fast-growing red lump that bleeds easily, often after a minor injury. A spider angioma has a central red dot with fine vessels radiating out. Angiokeratomas are darker and rougher. Rarely, a skin cancer without brown pigment (amelanotic melanoma) or a nodular basal cell carcinoma can look red or pink.

See a doctor before any removal if a red spot bleeds without being knocked, grows or changes shape over weeks, has an irregular edge or more than one colour, turns dark, is sore, or does not look like your other spots. If removal is done for diagnosis, the doctor may take the spot in a way that allows it to be examined under the microscope.

Tiny flat red or purple dots that do not fade when pressed, appear in crops, or come with easy bruising, bleeding gums or feeling unwell are not cherry angiomas. They need prompt medical review rather than cosmetic treatment.

Removal options

Cherry angioma removal: the methods a doctor uses

Cherry angiomas do not need treatment, so removal is a choice, usually because a spot catches on clothing, bleeds when scratched or bothers you cosmetically. Removal is done by a doctor after the spot has been examined.

For small spots, a common method is electrosurgery: after numbing, a fine electrosurgical or radiofrequency tip seals and removes the vessel, similar to cautery. Larger or raised spots may be shaved flat and the base sealed. A laser that targets haemoglobin, the red pigment in blood, heats the small vessels so that they collapse and are cleared, often with less change to the skin surface. Cryotherapy (freezing) is another option, but it can leave pale marks on Asian skin.

The evidence supports several methods. In a randomised trial comparing two vascular lasers with electrodesiccation, colour improved similarly with all three, while the lasers left less change in skin texture. A 2020 systematic review found many effective light-based and non-light-based options, with no single method proven superior. A 2024 randomised trial found higher satisfaction with electrosurgery than with cryotherapy for cherry angiomas.

Choosing a method

Choosing a method for Asian skin, face and body

The choice depends on the size, number and site of the spots and on your skin type. Small, flat spots often suit a vascular laser setting or a very light touch of the electrosurgical tip. Raised spots several millimetres across usually need the tip, or a shave with sealing of the base, because light alone may not reach the whole vessel.

In Asian skin, any method that inflames the skin can leave a temporary brown mark (post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation), and freezing or overly deep treatment can leave a pale spot or a small depressed scar. Doctors therefore use the lightest effective setting and treat a few spots first if you have many.

Spots on the face are treated more conservatively than those on the trunk, and a spot with any doubt about the diagnosis is not simply vaporised: it is removed in a way that allows tissue to be examined.

What to expect

Sessions, comfort and healing

A local anaesthetic cream or injection is used for electrosurgery, and the treatment of each small spot takes a few seconds to a minute. With laser, most people feel a quick snap or warmth, with cooling to keep it tolerable. Several spots can be treated at one visit.

Small cherry angiomas often clear in one session. Larger or thicker spots may need a second session after several weeks, and a spot that partly returns can be retreated once the skin has healed.

Afterwards a small scab or crust usually forms and falls off within one to two weeks. The area may stay pink for some weeks before settling, and occasional temporary darkening is possible in Asian skin. Individual results vary.

Aftercare

Aftercare after cherry angioma removal

Keep the treated spots clean and dry for the first day, then wash gently. Leave scabs to fall off on their own; picking increases the risk of a mark or scar. A simple ointment or a plain dressing may be suggested for spots that rub against clothing.

Protect treated skin from sun with clothing or sunscreen for several weeks, because sun on healing skin makes temporary darkening more likely. Avoid hot baths, saunas and very strenuous exercise for a day or two if the spots were raised or bled during treatment.

Contact the clinic if a spot keeps bleeding after firm pressure for ten minutes, becomes increasingly red, hot, swollen or painful, or produces pus, as these can be signs of infection.

Recurrence

Will cherry angiomas come back after removal?

A cherry angioma that has been fully treated usually does not return in the same place, although a small spot that was only partly sealed can reappear and may need a touch-up.

What treatment cannot do is stop new spots forming. The tendency to develop cherry angiomas continues with age, so most people notice new ones over the years. There is no cream, supplement or diet proven to prevent them.

Many people simply have new spots checked occasionally and remove only those that bother them. That is a reasonable approach, as long as any spot that behaves differently is shown to a doctor.

At SkinRev Lab

Cherry angioma assessment and removal at SkinRev Lab

Cherry angiomas are assessed and removed by Dr Sin Yong (MBBS Singapore, MRCS Edinburgh, MSc Practical Dermatology Cardiff). At consultation he examines each red spot, with magnification where helpful, asks how long it has been there and whether it has changed or bled, and checks for anything that should not be treated cosmetically.

He then explains the options: leaving the spots alone, electrosurgical removal, or an energy-based vascular approach where it suits the spot and your skin, and whether any spot should be examined in a laboratory or seen by a dermatologist. Removal is priced at consultation, because it depends on the number, size and site of the spots. Results vary.

Consultations are at SkinRev Lab, #B1-28 CityLink Mall, 1 Raffles Link, linked underground to City Hall and Esplanade MRT, open daily 11am to 8pm (WhatsApp +65 8266 9585), and at IN Eternity Clinic, 9 Scotts Road, #12-01 Pacific Plaza, beside Orchard MRT (WhatsApp SkinRev Lab on +65 8266 9585 or IN Eternity Clinic on +65 8815 3008).

Sources

References & sources

1. Oakley A. Cherry angioma. DermNet. Revised September 2020.
2. Qadeer HA, Singal A, Patel BC. Cherry hemangioma. StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; updated 3 April 2023.
3. Collyer J, Boone SL, White LE, et al. Comparison of treatment of cherry angiomata with pulsed-dye laser, potassium titanyl phosphate laser, and electrodesiccation: a randomized controlled trial. Arch Dermatol. 2010;146(1):33-37.
4. Buslach N, Foulad DP, Saedi N, Mesinkovska NA. Treatment modalities for cherry angiomas: a systematic review. Dermatol Surg. 2020;46(12):1691-1697.
5. Sadeghzadeh-Bazargan A, Shafiei M, Atefi N, et al. Evaluation and comparison of the efficacy and safety of cryotherapy and electrosurgery in the treatment of sebaceous hyperplasia, seborrheic keratosis, cherry angioma, and skin tag: a blinded randomized clinical trial study. Health Sci Rep. 2024;7(11):e70154.

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