By Megan Harris — Laser Specialist, Cool Laser Skin Studio Calgary
You’ve probably noticed them — those small, bright red or purple spots that seem to pop up out of nowhere and just… stay there. If you’ve been living with a cherry angioma on your face, chest, or body and wondering what on earth you can do about it, this one’s for you.
The good news? At Cool Laser Skin Studio in Calgary, we can remove most cherry angiomas in a single treatment — and it takes less than a minute per spot.
What Is a Cherry Angioma?
A cherry angioma is a small, bright red to purple spot on the skin made up of tiny clustered blood vessels called capillaries. They are extremely common, completely harmless vascular lesions — but that doesn’t mean you have to live with them.
They can appear anywhere on the body and range from flat to slightly raised. Some are the size of a pinhead, others grow a little larger over time. They’re not dangerous, they don’t turn into cancer, and they’re not contagious — but they can be frustrating, especially when they show up somewhere visible like your face, neck, or chest.
What causes them? A few things:
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- Age — they become more common as we get older, and new ones can appear elsewhere over time
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- Genetics — if your parents had them, you’re more likely to get them too
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- Sun exposure — UV damage can weaken vessel walls over time
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- Minor trauma — repeated friction or pressure on the skin
Sometimes they go away on their own. Most of the time they stick around — because the weakened vessel that caused them isn’t going anywhere on its own. That’s where laser treatment comes in.
How Does Cherry Angioma Removal Work at Cool Laser Skin Studio Calgary?
I use the Nd:YAG 1064nm laser — the gold standard for vascular lesion removal — to target and collapse the feeder vessel underneath the angioma.
Here’s the science behind why this works so well: the 1064nm wavelength penetrates deeper than IPL or pulsed dye lasers, which means it can reach both flat and raised angiomas and target the vessel directly. The laser energy is absorbed by the blood in the vessel, heats it, and collapses it — leaving the surrounding skin completely untouched.
IPL and other shorter wavelengths sit more superficially in the skin and can miss the feeder vessel entirely, especially on raised angiomas. That’s why the 1064nm Nd:YAG consistently outperforms other methods for this specific concern.
As for electrocautery — while it can work, it uses heat applied directly to the skin surface, which carries a higher risk of scarring and longer healing. Laser is more precise, more controlled, and much more comfortable.
What to Expect During and After Treatment
This is one of my favourite treatments to do because the results are so immediate and satisfying — for both me and the client.
Here’s exactly what happens:
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- One precise pulse is delivered to the angioma — most clients describe it as a quick hot needle prick, and then it’s over
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- Immediately after, the red angioma goes grey and starts to fade — right in front of your eyes
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- Over the next few minutes, the spot darkens as the vessel collapses and the body begins processing it
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- Over the next few days, a small scab forms — do not pick it!
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- Within 1–2 weeks, the scab sloughs off naturally and the angioma is gone
If the angioma was larger, you may notice a small pink or red spot underneath once the scab is gone — this is just residual redness as your lymphatic system clears away the remaining vessel debris. It fades on its own.
Is There Any Downtime?
Minimal — and that’s one of the best things about this treatment.
Because cherry angiomas are small, the treated area is tiny. Aftercare is simple:
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- Keep the area cool for 24–48 hours post-treatment
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- Avoid saunas, steam rooms, and intense heat
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- Don’t pick or scratch the scab — let it slough off naturally
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- Apply SPF over the area once healed
That’s it. Most clients go right back to their day after treatment.
2 Real Client Stories That Say It All
One of my clients had a cherry angioma on his nose for five years. He’d been self-conscious about it for years and kept putting it off, assuming it would be complicated or painful. One zap. It was gone. He couldn’t believe how quick and easy it was.
Another client had a raised angioma that had been there for ten years. He’d actually tried to cut it off himself — which, understandably, did not work. One laser pulse, a few days of darkening, a small scab, and it was gone. He wished he’d come in years earlier.
I hear that a lot: “I wish I hadn’t waited so long.” These spots are so quick to treat — there really is no reason to keep living with something that bothers you.
How Many Sessions Does It Take?
Most cherry angiomas are removed in a single session. One pulse per angioma is often all it takes.
For larger, deeper, or more stubborn angiomas, a second session may be needed — sometimes at a slightly different setting to fully collapse the vessel. But the majority of clients walk out after one treatment and never need to come back for that spot.
It’s also worth noting: treating one angioma doesn’t prevent new ones from forming elsewhere as you age. But any spot we treat is gone for good.
Is Cherry Angioma Removal Safe?
Yes — completely. Cherry angiomas are benign vascular lesions and the Nd:YAG 1064nm laser is one of the safest, most well-studied lasers in the industry for vascular treatments.
The laser targets only the blood vessel — it doesn’t affect the surrounding skin, doesn’t cause scarring when done correctly, and is safe for all skin tones. Because the 1064nm wavelength bypasses surface melanin, it’s equally safe whether you have fair skin or a deeper skin tone.
Before any treatment at Cool Laser Skin Studio, we review your health history, current medications, and skin condition to make sure you’re a good candidate. If something looks unusual or we have any concern that the spot should be looked at by a doctor first, we’ll tell you.
Ready to Get Rid of That Pesky Spot?
If you’ve been staring at a cherry angioma for months or years and wondering if it’s worth doing something about — it absolutely is. It’s fast, it’s easy, and most of the time it’s gone in one visit.
Book a free consultation at Cool Laser Skin Studio Calgary and we’ll take a look, answer your questions, and get that spot sorted.
