Cherry Angioma Removal Toronto

Medically reviewed and last updated: November 2, 2026 by the Bar Beauty Medical clinical team under the medical delegation of Dr. John David Henneberry-Fudge, MD, FRCPC.

By Basil Russo, Founder, Bar Beauty Medical, 46 Fort York Blvd, CityPlace Toronto. Reviewed by Julia Barabas, Medical Aesthetician and Glow Specialist.

Cherry angiomas are the small, bright red dots that pop up on the chest, stomach, back and arms as we get older. They’re harmless, but plenty of people would rather not have them. At Bar Beauty Medical in CityPlace we remove them with the Aerolase Neo Elite laser. We need to see your spots in person before we can give you a price, so the first step is a free consultation.

Book a free consultation → Call 416-923-1200

The short version

A cherry angioma is a harmless little growth of blood vessels. It isn’t skin cancer and doesn’t turn into it.
They get much more common from about age 40, and new ones keep appearing as you age.
Doctors remove them with lasers, light, electric current, freezing or a small shave. We use a laser.
A small spot often clears in one session. Some need two or three.
We give you a price after we see your spots in person, at a free consultation.

What is a cherry angioma?

A cherry angioma is a small, raised spot made of tiny blood vessels. DermNet, the New Zealand-based dermatology reference, calls it a true capillary haemangioma, which is a medical way of saying a tight little cluster of capillaries. You may also see them called Campbell de Morgan spots or senile angiomas. Senile here only means they come with age.

Most are bright red, dome-shaped and 1 to 5 millimetres across. DermNet notes that some reach a centimetre and some look blue or purple. StatPearls says they show up mainly on the trunk and upper arms, and rarely on the hands, feet or face.

Why do they appear?

Nobody knows for sure. DermNet says the cause is unknown and that cherry angiomas increase markedly in number from about age 40. Cleveland Clinic estimates that about half of adults have them after age 30, and StatPearls, a medical reference hosted by the US National Library of Medicine, puts it at 75% of adults over 75. Men and women get them equally. Cleveland Clinic also lists pregnancy and exposure to certain chemicals as possible triggers.

Are cherry angiomas dangerous?

No. StatPearls says they have no malignant potential, so they don’t become cancer. They can bleed if they get scratched or knocked.

The important part is being sure a spot really is a cherry angioma. DermNet notes that doctors occasionally remove one to rule out a melanoma, and a biopsy can settle it when the diagnosis isn’t clear. Before you have anything removed, see a doctor if a spot:

is changing in size, shape or colour
itches, bleeds often, or looks different from your other spots
arrived suddenly along with a lot of new spots at once

The American Academy of Dermatology advises seeing a dermatologist for any spot that is different from the others, or that changes, itches or bleeds. DermNet adds that a sudden eruption of many cherry angiomas has, in rare reports, been linked to cancer inside the body and to pregnancy. That’s another reason to get a sudden crop checked.

How we remove cherry angiomas

We use the Aerolase Neo Elite, a 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser. Aerolase, the manufacturer, lists cherry angiomas among the vascular lesions it treats, across all skin types. The device is licensed for sale in Canada under Health Canada licence 107498, held by Aerolase Corporation.

A small spot often clears in a single session. DermNet says small red spots such as cherry angiomas usually disappear with one treatment, and Aerolase says 1 to 3 sessions.

How does the Nd:YAG compare with other options? A 2020 systematic review in Dermatologic Surgery found that no single treatment was clearly better than the rest, and that the 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser caused fewer pigment problems. A 2011 study that compared it with a KTP laser found the Nd:YAG needed fewer sessions, but redness, swelling, pain and scarring were more common with it. The authors judged the KTP laser more advantageous overall, and said the Nd:YAG may be preferable for darker skin.

A spot treatment is booked as a 20-minute appointment, and larger areas take 20 to 40 minutes. It’s done by our medical aestheticians, Julia Barabas, Vivian Temesvari and Elizabeth Naranjo. Meet the team.

Other ways cherry angiomas are removed

We only remove cherry angiomas with laser. These are the other methods you may hear about, so you can compare.

Method	How it works	Worth knowing
Laser (Nd:YAG, pulsed dye, KTP)	Laser light targets the tiny blood vessels	We use the 1064 nm Nd:YAG only. DermNet says bruising affects up to 10% of patients after Nd:YAG treatment.
Intense pulsed light (IPL)	Filtered flashes of light	StatPearls says it has been used with success. Some bruising and swelling can follow.
Electrocautery	A fine electric needle heats the spot after a numbing injection	DermNet says the light version, electrodesiccation, heals quickly with minimal scarring, while the deeper version can leave white scars.
Shave excision	The spot is shaved off and the base is sealed	StatPearls says it’s often used for larger spots.
Cryotherapy (freezing)	Liquid nitrogen freezes the spot	DermNet says the area is likely to blister within a few hours, can leave a pale mark or scar, and isn’t advised for darker skin.

Aftercare, side effects and coming back

After laser treatment, DermNet advises not scrubbing the area or using harsh cleansers, and protecting it from the sun to lower the risk of dark marks. For Nd:YAG treatment, DermNet lists pain during treatment, then redness, swelling and itching that can last a few days. It says bruising affects up to 10% of patients and blistering is rare. A darker or paler patch can also appear where the spot was.

Scarring can happen. MedlinePlus, the US National Library of Medicine’s health site, says removal usually doesn’t cause scarring, but Cleveland Clinic says it often can, and the 2011 study above found more scarring with the Nd:YAG than with the KTP laser.

Cleveland Clinic says a treated cherry angioma sometimes comes back, and new ones keep appearing with age, so you may want another session down the road.

What cherry angioma removal costs at Bar Beauty Medical

We need to see your spots in person before we can give you a price. Book a free consultation and we’ll look at them and give you a quote before anything is done.

Ontario says a service needs a medical reason to be covered by OHIP, and gives cosmetic surgery as an example of what isn’t covered. Removing a cherry angioma for looks is something you pay for yourself.

We’re at 46 Fort York Blvd in CityPlace, Toronto, ON M5V 3Z3. Call 416-923-1200, get directions, or book a free consultation online.

Frequently asked questions

Are cherry angiomas cancer?

No. StatPearls says they have no malignant potential. See a doctor first if a spot is changing, bleeding, itching or looks different from your other spots.

Why am I getting more cherry angiomas?

They become much more common from about age 40, and the number keeps growing with age. The cause is unknown. If a lot appear suddenly, see your doctor.

Do you remove cherry angiomas in Toronto?

Yes. We remove them with the Aerolase Neo Elite laser at 46 Fort York Blvd in CityPlace. We give you a price after we see the spots in person.

How much does cherry angioma removal cost?

We need to see your spots in person before we can give you a price. The consultation is free.

How many sessions will I need?

A small spot often clears in one session. DermNet says small red spots usually disappear with one treatment, and Aerolase says 1 to 3 sessions.

Does laser removal leave a scar?

It can. MedlinePlus says removal usually doesn’t scar, but Cleveland Clinic says it often can, and a 2011 study found more scarring with the Nd:YAG laser than with a KTP laser. Protect the area from the sun afterwards to lower the risk of dark marks.

Will a cherry angioma come back after removal?

Sometimes. Cleveland Clinic says a treated spot can return, and new ones keep appearing with age.

Is laser removal safe for darker skin?

Aerolase, the manufacturer, says its laser treats cherry angiomas across all skin types, and the authors of a 2011 study said the Nd:YAG laser may be preferable for darker skin. Darker skin can still be left with dark or light marks, so tell us if your skin tends to darken after a scrape or a pimple.

Is cherry angioma removal covered by OHIP?

Not when it’s done for looks. Ontario says a service needs a medical reason to be covered.

Who removes cherry angiomas at Bar Beauty Medical?

Our medical aestheticians, Julia Barabas, Vivian Temesvari and Elizabeth Naranjo.