Cherry angioma or Ruby nevus are also known as red moles. These skin lesions are made of capillaries and are benign, it means that they are completely harmless so, if you are worried about their appearance you must know that you don’t need to panic.
Usually, red moles can pop up on the body with actually little no warning. The appearance of e red moles is directly related to aging, solar exposure and genetic heritage. You can use sunblock to protect your skin from accelerated aging and reduce the possibility of having more of them, but eventually if they are present in your family, you have the genetic information for them to appear.
Red moles or Cherry angiomas
Moles are a common type of skin growth. They usually appear during childhood and adolescence, they often appear as small, dark brown spots and are caused by clusters of pigmented cells. Red moles or cherry angiomas can develop in most areas of the body, and they are also a common skin growth. These kinds of moles are usually found on people aged 30 and older.
Cherry angiomas don’t usually display any negative symptoms or side effects, however, they can be sensitive. Due to this they can bleed if scratched or cut. You can visit a dermatologist to remove them, the specialist will propose the best way to remove them.
Symptoms
Red moles or cherry angiomas get their name from their bright red colour appearance. They are usually small, smooth or can stick out from the skin. Cherry angiomas are not painful.
Risks factors
As we know, we usually don’t need to worry about red moles. In case of noticing changes such as size, color, shape or bleeding, it is important to consult a dermatologist, this could be due to skin cancer.
In case your doctor has the clinical suspicion of skin cáncer, your physician can suggest a biopsy which involves removing and examining a small sample of the area, or the entire lesion.
Treatments
Treatment for cherry angiomas are cosmetic. There are four common options for treating them:
Cryosurgery: this works by applying liquid nitrogen to cold burn the skin. A couple of days later the freeze burn creates a scab and when this falls off, the angioma or part of it goes with the scab. Follow up applications can be required for full removal.
Laser removal: the laser passes through the skin, and the blood vessels get burned and collapse. After the treatment, the angioma will disappear or turn gray and then fade over 2-4 weeks.
Electrodesiccation: it involves burning off skin by a controlled electric burn. A local anesthetic is applied, then an electrocautery burns blood vessels and skin resulting is a scab. , the angioma or part of it goes with the scab. Sometimes follow up applications are required for full removal.
Excision: this is the surgical removal of the skin, due to this, it is necessary to apply a local anesthetic first to numb the skin and be able to remove it correctly without pain when cutting and suturing.
Red moles are not dangerous, however, for esthetic purposes some people prefer to remove them, for that, you need to consult a dermatologist to consult what could be the best treatment for you.
Although it is possible to remove red moles, you must know that they can sometimes return after treatment.
If you are worried about lesions on your skin you should always consult with your dermatologist to be sure that we are seeing benign lesions.
Dr. Lourdes Espinosa, dermatologist graduated from the Mexican School of Medicine of La Salle University. She also completed a Specialization in Dermatology graduated from the Dr. Ladislao de la Pascua Dermatology Center, she is a specialist in Dermatology certified by the Mexican Council of Dermatology.
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