From the Guidelines
Cherry hemangiomas typically don't require treatment as they are benign growths that pose no health risks, but if treatment is desired for cosmetic reasons or irritation, laser therapy is a common and effective option, as recommended by the most recent and highest quality study 1.
Treatment Options
- Laser therapy: uses pulsed dye or intense pulsed light lasers to target the blood vessels within the hemangioma, causing them to collapse and fade over time
- Electrocautery: uses an electric current to burn off the growth
- Cryosurgery: freezes the hemangioma with liquid nitrogen, causing it to blister and eventually fall off
- Shave excision: involves surgically removing the growth with a blade
Considerations
- These procedures are typically performed in a dermatologist's office with minimal discomfort and recovery time
- Most treatments require only one session, though larger hemangiomas might need multiple treatments
- After treatment, you may experience temporary redness, swelling, or scabbing at the site
- It's essential to keep the area clean and protected from sun exposure to prevent scarring
- Cherry hemangiomas can sometimes recur or new ones may develop elsewhere on the body as you age, as their formation is linked to genetic factors and aging, as noted in 1
Recommendations
- Laser therapy is the most common treatment option, as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics 1
- Clinicians may recommend surgery and laser therapy as treatment options in managing selected IHs, as stated in 1
- The decision to treat should be based on the individual case, taking into account the size, location, and potential for disfigurement or functional impairment, as discussed in 1
From the Research
Cherry Hemangioma Treatment Options
- Various treatment modalities exist for cherry angiomas, including laser therapy and non-laser therapy 2
- Laser therapies such as pulsed dye laser (PDL), potassium-titanyl-phosphate (KTP) laser, and neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser have been shown to be effective in treating cherry angiomas 2, 3, 4
- Non-laser therapies include cryotherapy, sclerotherapy, electrosurgery, and radiofrequency ablation 2
Comparison of Treatment Options
- A study comparing PDL, KTP laser, and electrodesiccation found that all three treatments were effective in resolving cherry angiomata, but PDL and KTP laser resulted in better texture outcomes compared to electrodesiccation 4
- Another study found that PDL and Nd:YAG laser were both effective in treating cherry angiomas, with PDL showing better results for smaller vessels in upper skin regions and Nd:YAG laser showing better results for deeper vessels like spider veins 3
Potential Complications and Considerations
- PDL therapy can be associated with complications such as pyogenic granuloma, as reported in a case study where a patient developed a pyogenic granuloma after PDL treatment for a cherry angioma 5
- The choice of treatment modality may depend on individual patient factors, such as skin type and lesion characteristics, as well as the potential for complications and side effects 2, 6
Efficacy of Laser Therapy
- Laser therapy, particularly PDL, has been shown to be effective in treating cherry angiomas, with significant improvements in color and texture outcomes 6, 3, 4
- The use of dynamic optical coherence tomography (D-OCT) has been explored as a follow-up tool to evaluate the effectiveness of laser therapy in treating cherry angiomas 3