We asked an M.D. to weigh in.
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First, the lingo: Those skin growths—which are usually the size of a pinpoint, sometimes a bit bigger—are called cherry angiomas. And the good news is, they are completely benign, says Gary Goldenberg, M.D., an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
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Photograph courtesy of NDT Plus
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“These growths represent a collection of small blood vessels and can look red, deep blue, or purple,” he says. They pop up, he explains, when there’s an overgrowth of blood vessels in one area.Both men and women can be prone to cherry angiomas, and it all comes down to genetics. (So if you’re wondering if they’ll show up one day, skin-check Mom or Dad.) Most people develop the suckers in their late twenties, and they can continue to pop up throughout life. Docs aren’t sure as to why the spots make themselves known at that particular time, but Goldenberg says it’s likely that that’s when we’re genetically programmed to develop these lesions. Had ‘em your whole life or don’t see any just quite yet? “In some patients, they may appear sooner or later in life,” says Goldberg. Great.
[post_ads]For the most part, there’s no need to do anything about your cherry angiomas (besides embrace them). Though if the marks tend to bleed easily if traumatized, you should see your doc to rule out anything more serious, says Goldenberg. And if the bumps are in places you’d rather they not be (like on your face), they can be treated for cosmetic purposes, he notes.
