If you have tiny red bumps on your chest, they should be checked by your doctor who may refer you to a dermatologist for diagnosis. If they are new and seem to be gradually increasing in number, they may be benign little spots called cherry angiomas.
Size
Cherry angiomas do not itch or hurt, but they're still not welcome. They are not cancerous or even harmful. They can be unsightly if there are a lot of them, and some people have hundreds. They usually start at about age 30 to 40, and almost everyone gets some according to "Clinical Dermatology". They vary in size from a tiny 1/2-mm dot to 5 mm, or about the diameter of a pencil eraser. The number of them you have tends to increase with age.
Color
These annoying little spots are most often seen on the chest and belly. They can be almost flat or a rounded bump that is easily felt. DermNetNZ describes the color variation, "They can be red, blue, purple or almost black". Of course, the very dark-colored ones cause you concern because the color can resemble melanoma. Your physician must be consulted to rule this out.
Types
Cherry angiomas may bleed a little if they are accidentally scratched. This is because they form from blood vessels. "Clinical Dermatology" calls them the "most common vascular malformation". Your skin contains many tiny capillaries, and there are several malformations that can occur. The cherry angioma is usually the least troublesome of these. Others are spider angiomas, telangiectasias, and angiokeratomas. There are also some hereditary forms of angioma that bleed very easily.
Considerations
Once you have a firm diagnosis of cherry angioma, you can be relieved that they are not serious and will not cause you harm. However, you can expect to get more of them. Large ones may need to be protected to prevent bleeding. Changes should be reported to your doctor. Not all cherry angiomas are on the trunk or out of sight. If some small ones appear in an area that is visible to others, you may be able to hide them with concealing makeup.
Treatment
If makeup doesn't conceal your cherry angiomas or if you have some that bleed frequently, you can have them removed. You will probably get more of them as time goes on, so removing them is not a permanent solution to the condition itself, but it can get rid of the troublesome ones. MedlinePlus explains that cherry angiomas can be removed by electrocautery or laser treatment as well as regular surgery or freezing, which is also called cryosurgery. Scarring is not a common problem.
References
- "Clinical Dermatology" Third Edition; Thomas P. Habif, M.D.; 1996
- DermNetNZ
- MedlinePlus
