Cherry hemangiomas often seem to appear out of nowhere. One small red dot shows up on the skin, then another, and before long you’re wondering when that happened.
They’re extremely common, especially with age, and they’re almost always harmless. While cherry hemangiomas don’t require treatment, many people choose to have them evaluated or removed because of how they look or where they’re located.
Benign vascular growths (small blood vessel clusters)
Face, neck, trunk, arms, shoulders, chest
Clear removal with no scarring
What Are Cherry Hemangiomas?
Cherry hemangiomas are benign growths made up of small blood vessels. They appear as small red dots on the skin.
Size and appearance:
Common locations:
Cherry hemangiomas can appear on any area of the body but are more common in the areas listed above. They may increase in number over time.
Why Cherry Hemangiomas Develop
The exact cause of cherry hemangiomas isn’t fully understood, but they are strongly associated with aging.
What we know:
What does NOT cause them:
Because they involve blood vessels, cherry hemangiomas are sometimes discussed alongside other vascular concerns such as facial veins or spider veins, though they behave differently.
How Cherry Hemangiomas Can Affect Daily Life
Cherry hemangiomas are rarely symptomatic. They don’t cause pain or discomfort under normal circumstances.
When they may become noticeable:
Why people seek treatment: Most people who come in for cherry hemangioma treatment do so for cosmetic reasons — they simply don’t like how the spots look. Wanting reassurance or cosmetic improvement is completely reasonable.
What to Expect During a Consultation
A consultation at Lazaderm is focused on clarity and reassurance.
During your visit, your provider will:
If removal is recommended, the process and healing expectations will be explained clearly before treatment.
Setting Realistic Expectations
Cherry hemangioma removal is typically very successful.
What to understand:
The goal is clearer-looking skin and peace of mind.
Treatment is not medically necessary, but evaluation is important to confirm the diagnosis. When removal is desired, cherry hemangiomas respond very well to treatment — particularly laser therapy. A consultation allows your provider to ensure the lesion is benign and recommend the best removal method.
At Lazaderm, we use the Cutera 1064nm laser as our preferred treatment for cherry hemangiomas.
How it works: The laser energy is absorbed by the blood in the vessels, which destroys the lesion. The body then naturally clears the treated tissue.
Results:
Why Cutera 1064nm: Some clinics use a KTP laser, but we find that the Cutera 1064nm laser works very well. An important advantage is that it can be used safely on patients with darker skin tones, making it appropriate for a wider range of patients.
Best for:
The Ellman Surgitron radiofrequency system can be used to cauterize cherry hemangiomas when needed.
How it works: Radiofrequency energy is used to cauterize and destroy the lesion.
When it’s used: We only use radiofrequency if the lesion does not respond to laser treatment — which is very rare. The Cutera 1064nm laser is effective for the vast majority of cherry hemangiomas.
Considerations:
Best for:
Some providers treat cherry hemangiomas with cryosurgery (freezing), but we do not offer this approach at Lazaderm.
Why we’ve chosen not to use it: Newer technologies like lasers and radiofrequency offer much better control and cause less damage to surrounding tissue. Cryosurgery can be effective but carries higher risks of:
We believe the Cutera 1064nm laser provides superior results with minimal risk, which is why it’s our treatment of choice.
If you have red spots on your skin that you’d like evaluated or removed, a consultation can provide reassurance and options. At Lazaderm, cherry hemangioma removal is quick, effective, and typically leaves no scarring.
