Many years ago I had two angiomas. I didn't know what they were at the time. When I saw my GP, I asked her about them and she said she'd take care of it. She came in with a can and sprayed both of them with some cold stuff (cryotherapy). I just paid for the office visit.
I now have several more but I have a new GP. I'm going to ask him if he'll do the same thing...
After having them for over 10 years I finally schedule an appointment with the dermatologist, and I almost cancel on him. I just had them lazered it took about 15 minutes and I paid $200.00 including first consultation. They did let me know that the price varies depending on the amount of cherry angiomas, and how meny areas I wanted treated. I still have to wait about one week for the results. If they are not gone completely I may have to do a different treatment. But I am happy I finally did something about them. I waited so long, because I thought I could't afford it. I guess it is true when they say that if you never try you'll never know. I hated them so I had to get them out of my life. LOL My Dr is Dr Lawrence A. Osman in Northridge Ca or Woodland Hills Ca
I had two small ones removed on my face/scalp when I went to my family doctor and he didn't charge me other than the visit ($20). He noted what they were and said I could come back to have all of them on me removed and when I questioned him on price he just did two of them quick (less than a minute). I have had them for years so I went to a dermatologist and they gave me a quote for, I think, $100 for every 15 minutes they would spend removing them (using a hot wire like the family doc before). I figure they could get all of mine (50 of them or so) in an hour so cost should be less than $500 for major work. Still, that's pricey when you see what they do which is quickly zap them with a hot wire that just burns off these external group of blood vessles.
I too have decided to look into the removal of <10 of these angiomas but haven't even made the phone calls yet. And, like you, I have no idea if it will cost $50 or $500 or....? From what I've read, the laser excision sounds like the best route, but is ultimately more expensive. Did you get any info from one of those laser specialy centers? I'm going to call a couple next week and see if I can get any info up front. THanks for posting.
I've been calling around, and I finally found a dermatology office that was willing to talk about prices. It was like pulling teeth, but an assistant eventually agreed to read to me from their billing schedule.
First of all, an office visit costs $125, and nothing happens until you've had a consultation first, so that means $250 for the consultation plus the visit where the procedure is done.
This office had a price of $80-$200 per angioma for the cheapest removal option -- shaving -- and $160-$580 for laser excision. In either case, they won't remove more than "a few" during a visit.
Assuming they remove 3, therefore, the cost to me will be somewhere between $490 and $1990.
The assistant warned me, however, that I'd also have to pay for "lab fees" and who knows what else. On the plus side, she said her doctors sometimes offer a discount for cash.
Overall, this seems expensive to me. I might have it done just to remove the one that's bothering me, but I certainly won't remove a dozen or more as I'd originally hoped to do.
-TC
Thank you for the reply. However, I'm concerned that by posting your comments here, you've made it less likely that anyone will answer my questions. Nevertheless, I'll repeat my questions in the hope that someone will answer them:
From a procedural perspective, how does angioma removal work? Is it an in-an-out kind of thing, where the dermatologist removes as many as possible in the time available; or is it more of a plan/prep/execute/recover thing that takes several appointments?
How many angiomas can I expect to have removed in an appointment? Just one? Hundreds?
And what is the approximate cost? Those of you who have removed angiomas or had them removed -- were you able to do 12 of them for less than $100? Less than $1,000? Less than $10,000? For some reason, everyone in the health care industry pretends money doesn't matter; but it matters to me, and I don't want to pay for an evaluative appointment with a dermatologist just to learn that angioma removal is unaffordable for me.
-TC
Hi,
The exact cost of treatment can only be told to you by your skin specialist. About the treatment options available -
Treatment for cherry hemangioma lesions is recommended only in situations of irritation or hemorrhage or in instances in which the lesions are deemed by the patient to be cosmetically undesirable.
Shave excision: This procedure allows delicate removal of the lesion by blade and histologic confirmation of the diagnosis. Hemostasis following removal may be obtained by chemical means (aluminum chloride) or by performing electrocautery.
Curettage and electrodesiccation: These techniques permit reliable elimination of the lesion through tissue destruction. The risk of scarring usually is minimal when the technique is performed by a skilled operator.
Pulsed dye laser: Ablation of lesions using pulsed dye laser may be performed for cosmesis. The use of a pulsed dye laser with a green light source allows selective absorption of the laser energy by the hemoglobin contained within the red blood cells and subsequent obliteration of the vascular lumen.
Cryotherapy: Cryotherapy is a less well-controlled means by which lesions are eliminated through irritation, coagulation, and subsequent destruction.
It would be advisable to consult a skin specialist for your symptoms and a proper clinical examination.
Let us know if you need any other information and post us on how you are doing.
Regards.