Angioma

Angioma is a benign dilatation of a blood vessel of the skin.

Synonyms: Haemangioma

https://www.orshospital.rs/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/angiom-1.jpg
https://www.orshospital.rs/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/angiom-2.jpg

How it develops?

It develops as a thickening of the blood vessel wall, which makes it permanently dilatated and visible.

Symptoms and signs

Red changes on the skin in the form of dots, flush with the skin or slightly elevated, from 2 to 10mm in size.

They commonly appear after age of 20.

How is it diagnosed?

By clinical examination and dermoscopy.

How is it removed?

They can be removed in various ways:

  1. LASER
  2. Radiofrequency surgery
  3. Surgical excision

Risk factors and prevention

It is usually considered that they can be associated with genetics. Excessive sun exposure can affect the formation of angiomas..

The only known preventive measure is appropriate sun protection, but that will not be able to solve the problem of new angiomas forming on a person with a predisposition.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to remove it?

No, we remove only those angiomas that are often injured or that present as an esthetic problem.

In injuring an angioma dangerous?

No, injuring it can only cause bleeding from this skin lesion. Any bleeding of this kind can easily be stopped by applying pressure to the bleeding spot for 5 to 10 minutes.

What is the best way to remove angiomas?

A vascular laser is the simplest, most effective way to remove this kind of skin lesions.

Learn more

Sinonimi: HaemangiomaHemangioma

Definition

Benign tumors (lesions) of the skin blood vessels. They form through a process of proliferation (multiplication) of endotelnih ćelija of the blood vessel..

Types of angioma in adults:

  • Cherry angiomas
  • Spider angiomas
  • Venous like

Cherry angioma

This angioma (appearance of cherry fruit) is usually noticed as a set of small oval reddish growths on our body. Their size varies from 1 to 6mm in diameter, they can be larger, though extremely rare. Angiomas from 1 to 3 mm in size are practically flush to the skin, larger ones can be felt as slight elevations. They are usually red, though they can be blue, black or a combination of these colors. Their number increases during the lifetime, especially after the age of 40. They can appear on any part of the body, but they are usually located on the torso.

https://www.orshospital.rs/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/angiom-3.jpg
https://www.orshospital.rs/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/angiom-4.jpg

Cherry angioma

It is unknown why thea form. But the usually mentioned causes are genetics and skin sun damage.

It’s not a cause of any functional or other types of nuisance and it can become infected only exceptionally rare. They can only cause an esthetic concern, much more so if the location is on the face. Rarely they can be injured, and in such cases, simply applying mild pressure to it for a few minutes is usually enough to stop the bleeding.

Spider angioma (Nevus araneus)

Angiomas looking like a spider are noticed as a red lesion of the skin with a more thick and color intense center with radially spreading linear spokes red in color (like the legs of a spider).

It appears in children as well as in adults. It pronouncedly appears in periods of increased estrogen functions in women (i.e. pregnancy), but also in cases of impaired liver function.

https://www.orshospital.rs/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/angiom-5.jpg
https://www.orshospital.rs/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/angiom-6.jpg

Spider angioma (Nevus araneus)

Venous like

Angiomas looking like veins are presented as bluish, reddish or pinkish, usually oval bumps (elevations) on the lips.

https://www.orshospital.rs/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/angiom-7.jpg
https://www.orshospital.rs/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/angiom-8.jpg

Venous like

Diagnostics

They are commonly diagnosed based on their appearance (by eye). Although, sometimes they can’t be easily distinguished from skin cancers, melanomas in particular (black elevated angiomas look like a nodular melanoma), Basal cell carcinomas and angiokeratomas. In such cases, digital dermoscopy, which is a sovereign identifier of angioma’s lobular structure unlike any other skin tumor, is of great assistance. In rare complicated cases, ultrasonic or magnetic resonance diagnostics can be usefull.

Treatment

Angiomas are harmless skin tumors which do not require removal.

Never the less, if they present any, above all esthetic nuisances, they can be effectively removed with the following methods :

  1. Laser
  2. Electrosurgery
  3. Cryosurgery