What is the Difference Between Petechiae and Cherry Angioma

The key difference between petechiae and cherry angioma is that petechiae are tiny spots due to bleeding under the skin or in the mucous membranes, while cherry angioma is a small benign growth on the skin.

Petechiae and cherry angioma are two skin issues. Cherry angioma can look like petechiae, but there are differences. Petechiae are small red spots from bleeding under the skin that spread quickly and form groups. Cherry angioma is a common skin growth that comes in different sizes. It’s usually deep red or cherry pink and can be bigger than petechiae. In addition, cherry angioma appears alone, not in groups.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Petechiae
3. What is Cherry Angioma
4. Similarities – Petechiae and Cherry Angioma
5. Petechiae vs. Cherry Angioma in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Petechiae vs. Cherry Angioma

What is Petechiae?

Petechiae are pinpoint red dots on the skin caused due to broken capillaries or tiny blood vessels under the skin. Petechiae are not usually itchy or painful. If one presses on petechiae, they will turn purple, red, or brown. The other signs and symptoms may include confusion, dizziness or loss of consciousness, fever, spots that spread quickly, and trouble breathing. Petechiae are generally found on or in the arms, butt, inside the eyelids, legs, mouth, and stomach. Petechiae can be caused by endocarditis, infection, injury, leukemia, some medications which including certain antibiotics, antidepressants, and blood thinners, mononucleosis, straining, thrombocytopenia vasculitis, viral hemorrhagic fevers, and vitamin C deficiency.

Petechiae can be diagnosed through physical examinations, blood tests, and urine tests. Furthermore, treatment options for petechiae are cold compresses, taking lots of fluids, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), resting, and managing the underlying cause through antibiotics, chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy or bone marrow transplant, corticosteroids, immunosuppressants, and vitamin C supplements.

What is Cherry Angioma?

Cherry angioma is a small benign growth on the skin or red bump on the skin, which is harmless to the overall health. However, cherry angioma varies in size. It appears most commonly on the torso, arms, and legs of the body. Moreover, the typical signs and symptoms of cherry angioma may include bumps on the skin (1 mm – 5 mm in diameter), which are light to dark red in color, round in shape, solitary or numerous, and surrounded by a pale halo. Cherry angioma is caused by aging, pregnancy (hormones), genetic mutations, and chemical exposure such as topical nitrogen mustard, bromides, and butoxyethanol.

A visual examination of the skin generally diagnoses Cherry angioma. Furthermore, no treatment is generally needed for cherry angioma. However, if needed, it can be removed by electrodesiccation (electric needle), liquid nitrogen (cold gas), laser, and infections caused by cherry angiomas can be treated through antibiotics ointments.

What are the Similarities Between Petechiae and Cherry Angioma?

• Petechiae and cherry angioma are two skin conditions.
• Cherry angioma causes spots that are similar to spots in petechiae.
• Both do not cause itchiness.
• They can be diagnosed through visual examination.
• They are generally treated through therapies and specific medicines.

What is the Difference Between Petechiae and Cherry Angioma?

Petechiae are tiny spots due to bleeding under the skin or in the mucous membranes, while cherry angioma is a small benign growth on the skin. Thus, this is the key difference between petechiae and cherry angioma. Furthermore, petechiae are usually found on or in the arms, butt, inside the eyelids, legs, mouth, and stomach. On the other hand, cherry angioma is usually found on the torso, arms, and legs of the body.

The infographic below presents the differences between petechiae and cherry angioma in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.

Summary – Petechiae vs. Cherry Angioma

Red spots on the skin have a variety of causes, such as irritation, a fungal infection, burst blood vessels, autoimmune conditions, aging, etc. Both petechiae and cherry angioma are red spots on the skin. Petechiae are tiny red spots of bleeding under the skin that appear in clusters, whereas cherry angioma is a deep red or cherry pink skin growth that varies in size and appears in isolation rather than clusters. So, this summarizes the difference between petechiae and cherry angioma.

Reference:

1. “Petechiae.” Mayo Clinic.
2. “Cherry Angioma: What It Is, Causes & Removal.” Cleveland Clinic.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Oral petechiae” By Mdscottis – Own work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Cherry angioma” By Midasblenny – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia