Angiomas

What is an angioma?

An angioma is a harmless (benign) overgrowth of small dilated blood vessels (veins and capillaries) near the surface of the skin. Because they are formed by blood vessels, these benign lesions appear as small red to dark, blue-purple bumps.  Patients will often describe these lesions as “blood moles,” but angiomas are NOT moles (nevi). Angiomas typically develop during a patient’s late 20’s, and almost everyone will develop a harmless angioma at some point in their lives.

What causes an angioma?

The cause is unknown. Most angiomas that develop have no underlying cause, and both men and women commonly have angiomas.  The number of these harmless, benign lesions that a person develops depends largely upon genetics and family history.  However, sometimes angiomas develop after an injury, during pregnancy, or rarely as a warning sign of liver disease.

What are the types of angiomas?

There are 3 common types:

• Cherry angiomas are usually found on the chest and upper body but can appear elsewhere. They are bright red, round or oval and small, shaped like a mole. They typically present in people in their late 20’s to early 30’s and can enlarge with age. They may be raised or flat. If scratched or cut, they will bleed. Cherry angiomas are also linked to pregnancy, chemical exposure, climate and some diseases.
• Spider angiomas (also called telangiectasia or “broken blood vessels”) are more common in children and in women who are pregnant or taking birth control pills or estrogen. They are a collection of small dilated, squiggly blood vessels that radiate out from a red dot. Spider angiomas are most commonly found on the face and chest, but can also appear on the ears, forearms and hands. They cause no symptoms and may resolve on their own. In kids, spider angiomas usually appear on the skin following an injury. A large number of suddenly-appearing spider angiomas on the abdomen and chest is a warning sign for liver disease.
• Venous lakes are angiomas that grow on sun exposed areas of the face including the lips and ears, neck and back of the hands. They are usually found in people over age 65 due to chronic widespread sun exposure. They are composed of tiny veins and are blue, or purple. They cause no symptoms but can bleed if injured.

What is the treatment for an angioma?

Most often an angioma is treated for cosmetic reasons, unless the angioma is bleeding, causing pain, growing or changing color. Treatment usually involves removal of the angioma by a shave excision, electrodessication using a needle to destroy the blood vessels, or using a laser beam to destroy the angioma. Removal with these methods rarely causes scarring.

It is important to have an angioma evaluated when there are any changes – bleeding, growing and changing colors – to rule out skin cancer.