What the heck is a cherry angioma?

By Glen Depke, Traditional Naturopath

I was trained by Dr Chi years ago in to use the tool of fingernail and tongue assessment and I cannot share the level of assistance this has provided for my clients throughout the years. While I often use other testing such as adrenal saliva testing, stool collection, urine analysis and blood testing for food sensitivity, the use of the body provides another holistic benefit for all.

Dr Chi has agreed to come to our clinic for 3 days in June to work with our clients personally and this is truly a gift because there is nobody better at fingernail and tongue assessment than this man. He is internationally renowned for his skills, years of work in this field and his uncanny ability to get right to the point of your health issues.

While I would suggest that everyone comes in during those three days, this is not realistic. First off, there are only 105 available appointments, so there is no possible way that everyone that follows Depke Wellness could get in. Second, there are many people that follow our newsletter that either are not in the Southern California area or do not have the ability to travel on these specific dates. 

Since most of you will miss the opportunity to see Dr Chi personally, I am going to share some of the assessment tools over the next few weeks, so you can enjoy some of these "gifts" personally. I will also share that when we reach out in upcoming emails, you will not only have an opportunity to see Dr Chi, but we will also offer Dr Chi's books on fingernail and tongue assessment as well as his herbal treatment book. 

Look for this coming out soon!

So let's get into the question, what the heck is a cherry angioma?

Have you ever notice cherry or red-colored moles or dots on your forehead or chest? These are called cherry angiomas and often signify estrogen dominance. They are a manifestation that excess estrogen attacks peripheral blood vessels, causing an aneurysm, which creates that cherry color. 

The location of the cherry angiomas is helpful in determining what may be the problem.

CHERRY ANGIOMAS ON THE ABDOMEN/CHEST

Cherry angiomas located on the abdomen, or the chest, may either be because of a liver or hormone problem, or both.

Liver - In both men and women, cherry angiomas in the abdomen can signify a liver problem, most likely liver cirrhosis.

Hormone - If there is no liver issue, then excess estrogen may be the cause. This is typically related to problems with the reproductive organs, such as prostate or testicular issues in men and ovarian cysts, uterine fibroids, breast tumors, endometriosis, etc, in women. If there are over 10 to 15 large cherry angiomas, it can signal prostate cancer risk in men and breast cancer risk in women. 

J.P., DC from Montana, has a 34-year-old female patient with cherry angiomas on the abdomen and red dots on the tongue, indicating a risk for estrogen-related conditions. She said that she did have an ovarian cyst but did not treat it. A year after that, she found that her CA.125 (ovarian cancer marker) was 16 (normal is below 3) and was diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

CHERRY ANGIOMAS ON THE FOREHEAD

Cherry angiomas on the forehead or hairline can indicate a stroke or aneurysm risk. Again, this is also tied to hormones, particularly estrogen. Many studies have linked excess estrogen (and low testosterone in men) to an increased risk for cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis, stroke, myocardial infarction and congestive heart failure.

S.M. from Florida has cherry angiomas on the forehead and abdomen, making her at risk for aneurysm or stroke. She reveals that five years prior to that, she had a stroke. Her estrogen level is also elevated, which is already affecting her breast and liver.

R.L, a 58-year-old male from Minnesota has more than 50 cherry angiomas on his abdomen and more than 10 on his face and head. When he learned that the cherry angiomas are related to hormones and heart issues, he revealed that he already had a stroke twice before.

With this information, you can potentially understand your own health issues a bit deeper and provide areas to investigate. As an example in my practice, if I see cherry angiomas on the torso, I will test adrenal function along with estradiol and estriol. This will help me understand if this is a liver or an estrogen dominance issue. These tools are invaluable if used properly.

Look for other tools of assessment over the next couple of weeks. This can assist you in moving forward in your journey to health and happiness.