So I’m somewhat of a worrier when it comes to my health. I’ve been in and out of hospital (mainly checking myself in) with various mystery conditions ranging from tick bites (the possibility of contracting Lyme Disease) to tingling nerve sensations all over my body.

I’m on various medications for my anxiety, depression and slight psychosis; I’m perfectly mentally stable…however my mind does wander, usually on to my health.

A few years ago I noticed an outbreak of these little red spots all over my body. Immediately I was worried, thinking I had some exotic disease or some part of my body was failing. I saw many dermatologists, chief haematologists and general doctors and they all called these red dots Cherry Angiomas or Campbell de Morgan spots.

An example of Cherry Angiomas (Campbell de Morgan spots).
The little red dots you can see are an example of Cherry Angiomas (Campbell de Morgan spots).

They all agreed that they were benign malfunctions of the skin and I had nothing to worry about. However, they all said it is unknown what causes them.

So me being me, I was determined to find the cause. Because in my mind, the strange onset of literally hundreds of these tiny red spots has a cause, either internally or from environmental factors poisoning my body.

They are sometimes large, but sometimes a lot smaller – almost the size of a pin head (or prick).

What I think causes these red dots

While there are many things that are know to cause cherry angiomas such as age, hormone imbalances and even exposure to mustard gas, the less documented and most probable cause is bromine toxicity.

Maybe I’m getting more that most people because I’m currently taking an antidepressant called Citalopram Hydrobromide (aka Celexa) which is Citalopram bound to bromide.

What is bromine?

Bromine is a chemical element that is found in many processed food sources such as bread. It is used to make food last longer before going stale and increase the shelf life.

Bromine was actually used during the World Wars to suppress the sexual drive of service men overseas.

Bromine is toxic to the human body and can be somewhat carcinogenic.

Bromine can build up in your body and take over cell iodine receptors because the atomic structure of bromine is so similar to iodine that the human body is mistaken. Eventually there will be nowhere to store this excess of bromine and from my own research and studying have realised that it is finally stored in the skin, thus resulting in cherry angiomas or Campbell de Morgan spots.

There is only really one way to flush your body of bromine and that’s by consuming good sources of iodine.

Why do we accumulate excess bromine?

We really have no way to process excess bromine and with modern day diets, we eat foods containing less and less iodine. A long while ago, companies started to add iodine to salt (iodized salt) however with the health scares of using too much salt on our foods, we are not getting enough iodine.

The RDA of iodine in the United Kingdom is currently set at 100 micrograms (100 µg). However, from research it is found that the people of mainland Japan are taking in as much as 12.5mg (12500 µg) daily from food such as sea kelp and certain kinds of fish.

The Japanese are one of the healthiest nations with extremely low cancer rates and low thyroid function problems. Could this be why?

Iodine rids the body of bromine and heavy metals, halides and toxins.

Every cell in our body is programmed to use iodine in one way or another. Iodine is also the partner to the programmed cell death and generating new cells in the body. Most of our iodine is stored in our thyroid gland and this gland uses the most iodine for its functions.

What’s the difference between Bromine, Bromide and Bromate?

Bromine is a base element, which bromide and bromate can be formed from.

Bromide is the ion. Formula is Br- (with the – at the top). Can be ionically bound to another ion, e.g. sodium bromide, NaBr.

Bromate is another type of ion, but there are oxygen atoms as well. Formula is BrO3- (with the – at the top).

Iodine and iodide has the same relationship between bromine and bromide.

– From Yahoo Answers

What can I do to get rid of these spots and clear my body of bromine?

Well I’ve recently started taking iodine supplements in high dosage.

I’ve started on a dose of 50mg per day for a period of three months. This will saturate my body with iodine and kick start the detoxification and repair process. Once optimal saturation has been reached I’ll then stay on a steady dose of 12.5mg for the rest of my life.

Along with iodine, I’m also taking a mixture of many vitamins to help the detoxification process.

The quote below is the suggested method for iodine supplementation, as recommended by a group of researchers – this was publicized at an iodine conference in 2007.

Recommended Iodine Supplementation program

  • 50 mg Iodoral minimum for breast cancer (may start with 12.5 mg).
    Some practitioners may recommend another form of iodine such as Lugol’s solution.
    Iodoral is the Lugol’s formula in tablet form especially designed to avoid gastric irritation.
  • Vitamin C – 3,000 mg per day (more may be necessary to detox bromide).
  • 300-600 mg magnesium oxide (Iodine Investigation Project participants prefer magnesium glycinate or magnesium citrate.) I actually prefer the Chelated Magnesium by Solgar; it’s the most absorbable version for maximum benefit. If you really want almost 100% absorbtion, you should use a “Angstrom” or ionic magnesium suppliment.
  • 200 mcg selenium. The selenomethionine version is preferred by many.
  • 500 mg niacin (B3) twice a day (NOT niacinamide). Start lower to avoid flush.
  • 100 mg Vitamin B2 three times a day.
  • A comprehensive vitamin and nutrition program.

From my own research I also recommend the following in addition to the above

  • Bathing twice weekly in Epsom Bath Salts (Magnesium Sulphate) to increase your magnesium intake as it’s best absorbed and utilised through the skin. You’ll need a lot. While Epsom salt baths are great for increasing your serum Mg levels short term, it’s better to use something more long lasting like the Ancient Minerals Magnesium Chloride oil that stays in your body properly.
  • Daily use of a Liquid Zeolite detox programme – the Results RNA spray one is the BEST – it’s the most usable with much higher surface area for toxin extraction.
  • Seriously increasing your magnesium intake.

While I don’t know if this will clean up my cherry angiomas for good, I can tell you that after taking iodine for two weeks I’m already noticing a decrease in their size and numbers.

I have also started to apply Iodine topically to the cherry angiomas to see if that helps. I used Lugol’s Iodine which is part Iodine and part Potassium Iodide.

I’ll keep this blog post updated with the results as they unfold so stay tuned!

 

Citalopram box

VIDEO: Iodine Presentation by Dr. David Brownstein

Update Nov 2012:

I have concluded that my main source of toxic bromine/bromide is from my antidepressant medication (Citalopram Hydrobromide). I have successfully weaned myself off this medication from 20mg/day down to 2.5mg/day, and as of next week I will be off of it completely (I’m going to blog about my experience coming off this SSRI medication and will link to it from here, so watch this space). You can view the official ChemWatch safety sheet information on Citalopram Hydrobromide here (PDF).

Once I’m totally off, I’m going to start my Iodine plan again after I have completed an Iodine/Bromide 24 hour urine test to see my level of toxicity. Hakala Research do a great test here.

Once I’ve loaded myself with Iodine/Iodide for a period of about 6-12 months (at 50mg Iodoral per day), I will check my saturation levels doing another urinalysis test and decide how much longer I need to continue loading after that. Once I’m at saturation, I will continue on 12.5 mg of Iodine/Iodide for the rest of my life to combat everyday interactions with these toxic elements – for example fluorinated water, fluorinated toothpaste, chlorinated swimming pools, sofas/carpet with bromide as a fire retardent – these toxic elements are all around us – it takes a moment to realize how toxic the world we live in today really is.

Update April 2013 – My Iodine Loading Test Results:

I forgot to mention in previous updates that shortly after I discontinued use of the Citalopram medication I sent off for a Iodine loading test and bromide excretion test. The box arrived to me in the UK and had a urine container, specimen vile and a 50mg Iodoral tablet for the test. I followed the test instructions, collected my urine samples and set off my specimen via UPS to the lab at Hakala Research in Colorado, USA. The test requires you to stop iodine therapy 48 hours before doing the test to get a better reading. The test required me to take an Iodoral 50mg tablet in the morning and collect my urine for a full 24 hours after taking it.

Shortly after them receiving my urine (the day after I sent it) the test results arrived back the same day via email.

My Iodine Loading Test Results
My Iodine Loading Test Results

My results were as follows:

Iodine

24 hour excretion: 33.6 mg
% excretion/24 hr: 67%

This had a reference range of 0-50mg/24 hours because I took a 50mg tablet. They also mentioned on the results, “Iodine body sufficiency is achieved when the 24 hour urine collection contains 90% or more of the amount of iodine/iodide ingested”.

So this showed that I wasn’t totally deficient any more, I was actually getting somewhere with my therapy. However, this result can be a little inaccurate… which I will explain further down.

Bromide

24 hour excretion: 6.3 mg

This had a reference range of <5mg/24 hour. So I was over the reference range and excreting lots of bromide. I actually questioned this with Abbey at Hakala Research.

I said:

I have been taking Citalopram Hydrobromide (Celexa) for about 7 years which of course has given be lots of bromide over time. Before the urine collection, I had been off this medication for about two weeks.

With a 24h urine collection containing 6.3mg bromide (around 13mg for blood) – is that reading high or low in comparison to average test results?

And of course, if I excreted 67% of the 50mg Iodine in this test, could it be because my high bromide levels were causing the body not to “hang on” to the iodine and letting it pass through me? I.e. if I got my bromide levels down over time, perhaps the excretion % of iodine could actually decrease and then slowly increase as I continued supplementing with iodine?

Abby from Hakala Resarch replied with:

The 6.3mg Br is elevated compared to the U.S. average of around 2mg. Because bromide is excreted slowly from the body, I believe that if you would have done the test while taking the Celexa it may have been slightly higher.

You are correct about the iodine bromide interaction. Iodine will speed the detox. of bromide from the body, also, increasing your salt intake would help.

So I’m going to carry on with supplementing with iodine until I get around 90+% saturation. To get to 67% I was on 50mg of Iodoral for about 3 months (on and off).

I’d love to hear your comments below and your experiences with angiomas and iodine.

Show CommentsClose Comments

155 Comments

  • Paul H
    Posted May 8, 2012 at 11:22 pm

    Hi Ian
    I just came across your blog as i too have many cherry angiomas and am looking for answers. I would like to follow your progress and see how it goes. Just curious to know if you have had these for years or just the last few?
    Thanks Paul

    • Ian Stephens
      Posted May 9, 2012 at 9:40 am

      Hi Paul,

      Thanks for the comment.

      I’ve only had them for the last few years, I either didn’t have them before that or didn’t notice them.

      I panicked a little because I noticed hundreds of them all of a sudden, which seemed to appear all at once – I mean I had a couple before which I had all my life but I noticed a large increase of these tiny ones (which lead me to do some research).

      I thought I’d try applying iodine to them topically (the really small pin prick ones) and they seem to be getting smaller and sometimes disappear. I’ll update the blog post once I’m sure this is making a difference.

      The iodine that I’m taking has made me feel a little lethargic and anxious – however I’ve read that this could be because the bromine is now being released from my cells and it’s poisoning my body – increasing my vitamin C intake and using celtic sea salt (unrefined) over my food and if you can bear it drink a glass of 1/2 tsp with water helps flush these toxins.

      My Epsom salts (magnesium sulphate) arrived this morning actually, so I’ll take a bath with those later! Hopefully they will start to detoxify the skin layer (and hopefully the cherry angiomas!)

      How big are your angiomas? Did you notice a large increase in a small space of time?

      • Paul H
        Posted May 9, 2012 at 11:21 pm

        G’day Ian
        Thanks for the quick response
        I’ve got all different shapes and sizes mainly smallish ones but only really had them on the torso. They are now on my arms and legs and that’s only really happened in the last 6 months or so.

        Are yours just in one area or spread out ? I’ve read about the bromime/iodine theories and it sounds right but haven’t tried anything yet for concerns about it causing more {definately don’t want that} but might have to give it a try.

        I will try applying iodine to them topically ,that sounds promising, and see what happens. Thanks for posting this information it gives me hope for an answer .
        Paul

        • Ian Stephens
          Posted May 10, 2012 at 2:32 pm

          Hey Again Paul,

          Mine are mainly on my arms and torso, however I have a few on my upper legs (if you look a little harder). To answer your question, yes; they are fairly spread out.

          Mine too started appearing in a short space of time, which is what worried me.

          Feel free to keep up to date with my iodine protocol experience on this blog post, I’ll update it as I go.

          So far the iodine being applied topically has only really helped the tiny ones (pin prick) but the larger ones are a little harder to budge. If you have hundreds like me, applying iodine on each one is going to take some time – a full detox might be your answer. But if you don’t want to jump into things, make sure you fully research the iodine protocol.

          To be honest, a detox with iodine can only really bring good things.

          Good luck and keep us updated with your experiences here too!

          • Nicky Palacios
            Posted April 27, 2014 at 5:57 am

            I also noticed these small red angiomas and i too was on Celexa….thank u so much for ur blog. b/c i thought I had something really wrong worth me. God Bless You

          • Karen
            Posted June 25, 2015 at 2:21 pm

            Ian,

            I, also take Citalopram and have cherry spots. Do you know if another compund, like Lexapro, would not be bound to bromides? I have anxiety and the pill does help. Thanks

      • chuck c
        Posted June 17, 2015 at 5:48 am

        Fabry’s disease maybe????

    • marie Jennings
      Posted May 20, 2015 at 6:02 am

      What if your allergic to Iodine, like me..then how do you get rid of these red dots popping up everywhere..

      • Rebecca
        Posted October 1, 2015 at 1:30 pm

        You can’t be allergic to iodine, it is a vital nutrient necessary to sustain life.

        You may be allergic to other things in the supplement, but iodine as a mineral, I believe that is impossible. It is like saying you are allergic to magnesium, or calcium, or air.

        But, there are tons of forms of it, and they are bound to different things, so my guess is that you are allergic to something like that vs. iodine itself.

        • Gpettit
          Posted February 14, 2016 at 7:01 am

          I to am allergic to iodine the mineral and medical iodine. Have been for years. But am seeking probiotic Theropy to get rid of my allergy.

          • Zelda
            Posted April 12, 2016 at 9:41 am

            I’m also allergic to iodine and actively avoid it. I’ve cut fortified folic acid from my diet as it contains iodine. Additionally I’ve cut out pineapple and soy sauce as they seem to be very high in iodine too.
            Is there anything other than iodine that helps with these cherry spots as mine have recently become incredibly itchy.

        • impaler
          Posted May 20, 2016 at 2:45 pm

          I think you are thinking about iodide and not iodine.

        • Lori
          Posted July 25, 2016 at 12:07 am

          I am allegic to vit E it’s not fun

  • Paul H
    Posted May 14, 2012 at 7:49 am

    Hi Ian
    If it’s ok to ask i was wondering how it’s going ?
    Paul

    • Ian Stephens
      Posted May 15, 2012 at 1:31 pm

      Hey Paul,

      It’s not going too bad – I’ve been on the protocol for a couple of weeks now and I’m sure that many of the smaller spots are reducing in numbers, but the larger ones are still around.

      It’s still way too early to say for definite yet, because the bromine detox takes up to three months on the high dosage that I’m on. I’ve been flushing quite a bit on the Niacin (Vitamin B3) – quite intense red flushes and burning all over my upper body (however it feels quite nice!), apparently it’s normal and perfectly harmless.

      The only thing that may be slowing my progress is my anti-depressant medication. It’s called Citalopram HydroBROMIDE – hence why I’m probably getting a high dose of bromide daily in my system. I’m looking into coming off it soon, however it’s recommended to come off this SSRI very, very slowly to avoid relapse.

      I’ll keep you updated!

  • yulia76
    Posted May 15, 2012 at 4:18 am

    hi Ian,

    Do you mind telling me how exactly you apply iodine topically?
    Thanks

    • Ian Stephens
      Posted May 15, 2012 at 1:39 pm

      Hello Yulia,

      For topical treatment I use Lugol’s Iodine solution. It’s a liquid form of iodine/potassium iodide which you can either take internally or apply topically.

      I place a couple of drops on the red spots and then allow it to dry and soak into the skin. I do this twice a day.

      The iodine stains the skin, so if you’re planning to use it on uncovered areas of your body – be aware of this.

      After a few days, the skin may start to peel on the surface leaving a new layer of skin – I’ve successfully removed some of the smaller cherry angiomas using this method, however the larger ones seem harder (and deeper) in the skin layer so it may take longer.

      While applying topically is great, it’s slow and requires persistance. I recommend doing the full detox with iodine as provided above for maximum effect, however it’s still early for me to say it’s defiantly working – having said that, I’m certain that I’m seeing results.

      I also recommend bathing in Epsom salts (Magnesium sulphate) – as absorption through the skin is the recommended way to get the magnesium detoxification benefits (because it isn’t easily absorbed through the intestine).

      • Sandra Swift Murray
        Posted January 7, 2017 at 6:43 pm

        Hi there . I have also read that these cherry heamangiomas are caused by vitamin B 6 deficiency often caused by an u feeling pyroluria. Also I have successfully removed these using a needle heated on a stove burner.then sticking it into the angioma! I am a nurse so motion squeamish! Basically these are small bleeds from micro vessels and need to be cauterized to stop the bleed. If there isn’t enough B 6 the trytophan in the body can’t be converted to niacin necessary for blood vessel integrity and good mental health!

  • Eva
    Posted May 26, 2012 at 6:32 pm

    Hi Ian, thank you for making this blog. I was just wondering how your process is going? thanks 🙂

    • Ian Stephens
      Posted August 12, 2012 at 5:21 pm

      Dear Eva,

      Firstly, thank you for you comment.

      I have currently put the iodine therapy on pause while I slowly come off of my antidepressant medication. The medication was pumping my body full of bromide so the therapy wouldn’t be as effective while taking it.

      Once I’m completely off of Citalaproam Hydrobromide I will resume the iodine therapy once more to flush it all out.

      I’ll keep everyone updated!

  • Kelly
    Posted July 10, 2012 at 12:48 am

    Hi, this is very interesting! Thanks…I have these taking over my body and I, like you, refuse to believe it is “normal”. Plus, they are starting to appear on my face!!!

    I’m going to try the topical and the internal cleanse you are on.

    Thought I’d pass on that I’ve read that cilantro is a natural chelator (sp?) and someone on a message board said that their cherry angioma disappeared after eating 2 tsp. a day. I just blended up a bunch of it fresh to do this with.

    As far as the antidepressants I thought you might find the book The Mood Cure by Julia Ross interesting. 5HTP is an amazing natural antidepressant.

    Thanks again. PLEASE keep us informed on how the iodine etc. is helping the red spots.

    • Ian Stephens
      Posted August 12, 2012 at 5:32 pm

      Hey Kelly; thanks for your comment.

      I know they can be quite frustrating and start appearing where you least expect them!

      Have you had any success taking cilantro? I believe we call that coriander her in the UK?

      As I posted in the comment above, I’m currently on hold with the iodine therapy as the amount of bromide I was taking into my body was outweighing the effect of the iodine supplements.

      I’ve started to slowly come off my antidepressant and once I’m off this, I’ll start flushing the excess bromide with iodine once again.

      How are you getting on with the spots Kelly? Any progress?

    • Ian Stephens
      Posted August 12, 2012 at 5:47 pm

      I also forgot to mention that I will also be starting 5-HTP once I’m off the SSRI. Taking it at the same time could be dangerous as there is a risk of Serotonin Syndrome.

      The benefit of 5-HTP is that it increases the levels of serotonin in the body while typical SSRI medication only extends the life of existing serotonin without increasing it.

      I’ll post a completely new blog page with my progress on that! Take care.

    • Brandon
      Posted March 28, 2015 at 4:12 am

      I have gotten quite a bit of these over the last few years. Went to the derm and had them lasered off. Tool about 3 weeks to fully heal. Best thing I could have done as it left no scarring and can never tell they were there!

      • norma
        Posted May 27, 2015 at 8:07 pm

        Brandon did the doctor tell you what cause them or how to prevent them? also about how much did the removal cause u,

      • Kelley King
        Posted August 22, 2015 at 7:34 pm

        I stumbled on this site and love it. I would never have thought about bromide on my own, for sure.
        Brandon, I have been to 2 dermatologists who don’t want to laser them. They want to do the needle thing. That’s fine, but I have many med spa places in my area, who WILL do it. I’m just nervous because doctors do not administer those treatments, it’s done by nurses or medical estheticians. I get conflicting opinions of which is best.
        Personally, I lean toward laser. I use it for other things and have no problems.
        Have the angiomas returned? Was the treatment painful?

    • norma
      Posted May 27, 2015 at 8:04 pm

      Kelly can u contact me and let me know if the cilantro work?

  • Amy
    Posted August 7, 2012 at 1:31 pm

    Thank you for posting this. I was on Celexa for 12 years along with having Hashimotos. I have had these tiny spots all over my arms. I’m a worrier too with medical things. It was not easy coming of Celexa. It has been a year. Tiny spots still there.

    I will try your solution.

    • Ian Stephens
      Posted August 12, 2012 at 5:53 pm

      Dear Amy. Thank you for your comment.

      I’ve been on Celexa for 7 years now and feel that now is the time to come off. Especially with the bromine toxicity it can create. I was on 20mg daily and am now down to 15mg per day. I’m coming down very slowly in this order: 20mg, 17.5mg, 15mg, 12.5mg, 10mg, 7.5mg, 5mg, 2.5mg then 2.5 every other day until I’m off. I change the dosage every 7 days.

      How was your experience coming off? Did you have an withdrawal effects? I’m noticing some day sweating and short temper with a little increased anxiety.

      It’s very interesting that you have the same spots too while on the medication; it backs up my case of bromine toxicity. However, you may also have an outbreak with a hormone imbalance – I.e. menopause or hormone problems.

      • shane
        Posted May 22, 2015 at 4:17 pm

        I found this very interesting! I was on citalopram for a couple of years, I then began to notice that my eyebrows and beard had started to become thin, my skin was very dry, I was feeling tired all the time and I also have cherry angnioma’s on my skin. I’m also thinking that it’s the fluoride or bromine in the citalopram that has caused these symptoms. Can anybody tell me if I’m iodine deficient? and will lugols help get rid of these symptoms? Thanks

        • Mary
          Posted October 30, 2015 at 1:40 am

          I have had these annoying little red dots all over my body for decades. They are hereditary – my mother had them as did my aunts. I hate the appearance, but they are harmless. Most of mine are tiny, but I have had some of the larger ones removed by my dermatologist. Unfortunately, I am getting more as I get older. Has anyone found any way of getting rid of them?

  • Shaun
    Posted August 19, 2012 at 7:52 pm

    Hello all,

    I started getting these cherry angiomas and read about someone who used apple cider vinegar to get rid of these little buggers.
    I tried the apple cider vinegar and it worked 100%.

    You just have to be patient when soaking them with apple cider vinegar because sometimes they can take about 35-45 mins to turn black. I soak a cotton bud in some apple cider vinegar then hold it on the cherry angioma. You get a little stinging sensation after a while which indicates that its working. I usually prick the angioma with a pin to help the vinegar penetrate the angioma.

    It can take about 2 weeks for the scab to fall off but after that you left with a light pink blemish which fades about a week after that. I have had no scarring using this method.

    To target smaller angiomas say on your face i make a small hole in a plaster (the size of the agioma)line it up with the angioma then zap it with a soaked (apple cider vinegar) cotton bud to prevent burning unneccissary skin. This method is time consuming but works.
    Try it! ive zapped about 15 of these little buggers already and only have a few small ones left to go.

    Good luck!

    • Ian Stephens
      Posted August 20, 2012 at 10:04 pm

      Thank you so much for your comment Shaun. I will definitely try this myself!

      The only thing is that I literally have many hundreds of cherry angiomas all over my body; which lead me to blog about what was causing them.

      May I ask the conditions under which yours started appearing? Age? Medication? Exposure to any chemicals?

    • Marie
      Posted February 24, 2014 at 8:40 pm

      Hi Shaun,
      Not even sure if you are still checking this but I have a ton of the cherry anginomas on my torso. The really small ones. I am wondering if you can explain how you zap the smaller ones ? I am confused by that part.
      Thanks!
      Marie

    • Stacey M
      Posted February 24, 2016 at 7:34 pm

      WOW, I used apple cider vinegar on my sons little molescums on his chest. They do burn the skin but fall off and then I use a little neosporin to treat them. I have a ton of these cherry angiomas on me some big some tiny. I had laser treatment on a couple on my face but none went away. I had one removed in my dermatologist office. That was very big and gross looking. I’m going to try this apple cider vinegar! Fingers crossed.

  • Sarah
    Posted September 4, 2012 at 4:29 am

    Ian, thanks for sharing so much information.

    I’m 25 and I have noticed a huge influx of these little buggers over the past year. Most of mine are pin-sized, however I do have one that’s much larger and quite noticeable.

    This past June I had two of my angiomas removed with electrosurgery. I think the entire treatment lasted all of ten seconds, but boy did it hurt! I could not imagine repeating this process over and over again!

    I am going to try the ACV method, and I will report back to you. I am also going to look into bromides and see if that is a possibility. I do have painful hips, and problems with my digestive system. Ironically, these problems only started a couple of years ago, and that’s when my angiomas started appearing. From what I understand, angiomas generally typically don’t start appearing en masse until ones 30s or 40s. My parents have tons of them, and my grandfather has even more! We are of Greek and Turkish decent. I have heard that Italians commonly experience this too.

    Please do keep sharing your progress. I really wish dermatologists took this condition much more seriously. It really does take a psychological toll!

    • Ian Stephens
      Posted September 18, 2012 at 2:32 pm

      Thanks for the comment Sarah.

      Yes, they can also be hereditary, but a sudden increase in them over a short space of time usually indicated something else; especially at such a young age.

      For women, they usually start appearing more during the menopause when hormone balances aren’t quite perfect.

      May I ask, do you take any medication?

  • Matt
    Posted September 13, 2012 at 10:35 am

    I recently started getting these things all over my body. I’m 31 and never had a problem before. All of a sudden I got 8 on my chest, a few on the sides of my stomach and they itch like crazy. I thought I had cancer at first and then I started researching and figured out it was cherry angiomas. I saw where you can do the electric surgery which is pretty much burning them off so I actually tried lighting up a hot pin and burning them off myself. I did this to the ones on my chest and they are 100 percent gone! It left a little pink spot but after a couple of weeks my skin is back to normal.Only bad thing is they started popping up on my scalp and 3 on my face. I’m going to start taking vitamin c everyday and I hope I can get rid of these things soon and stop this itching. Does anyone else have problems with these things ithcing like crazy? Once I burned the ones off my chest it stopped itching… Im about to try to burn them off and apply ACV for a few minutes. I hope this works.

    • Ian Stephens
      Posted September 18, 2012 at 2:33 pm

      Thanks for the comment Matt.

      That’s a strange one, I can’t say that any of mine have ever itched. Do they itch only when they appear or do they continue to itch as time goes on too?

      I’ve not heard of itchy cherry angiomas – maybe I’m wrong. Do you have a picture of them? It’s quite possible that they are something else.

      Ian

    • Ro
      Posted February 22, 2015 at 12:23 am

      Have you found a remedy.. I am dealing with same thing
      Thanks
      R

    • Stacey M
      Posted February 24, 2016 at 7:35 pm

      Mine itch terribly

      • Stacy
        Posted June 6, 2016 at 3:06 pm

        I can always tell when I’m going to get a “new” one because my skin itches like crazy!!!

    • Tanya
      Posted September 9, 2016 at 1:15 pm

      Mine have itched too. I have 4 on my chest. Small ones scattered throughout my body. And 3 on my face. The biggest ones are on my chest and those are the ones I’ve notice itch sometimes.

  • Sally Wilson
    Posted October 1, 2012 at 5:26 pm

    Hi Ian,

    I read your website some a few months ago with great interest after a diagnosis by a dermatologist of campbell de morgan when i started to notice tiny pink prick spots on my arms, torso and legs.

    Whilst relieved to know they weren’t harmful, i was dismayed to hear there was nothing i could do about it i.e. i’m firmly of the belief that you are what put in your body.

    For over ten years though, i’ve eaten organic, undergone acupuncture, seen a herbalist etc. and so i was shocked when i started reading about suggested causes – iodine deficiency, build up of toxins etc.

    The only thing i can think of is a few years ago, back in 2005, i was put on amitriptyline hydrochloride for nerve pain. I’ve managed to decrease my dose over the past 3 years thinking i’d escaped side effects, but i’m wondering if you think these could be the cause? I know you discuss bromine but i also read that chlorine can be an iodine disruptor – I’d be very interested to hear your thoughts.

    When i started noticing them i cut out all herbs, vitamins etc wondering if they could be the cause but the spots are still appearing. Gradually, therefore, i’ve reintroduced a multi vitamin and milk thistle, and also tried epsom salts baths and topical application of iodine – i only applied it for a few weeks though as i didn’t really notive a difference. I used Lugol’s 2% – do you recommend 5%?

    Finally, i’ve read on a few sites that sun damage can cause them. My dermatologist disagreed with this but i just wondered what your thoughts are on this?

    They’re now starting to appear on my hands and it’s starting to worry me somewhat. I simply refuse to believe that these spots “just appear” as people get older.

    Any advice and/or information you could give would be much appreciated!

    • Ian Stephens
      Posted October 1, 2012 at 6:33 pm

      Hello Sally and thank you very much for posting your story.

      While this article focuses on Bromine (because that’s my case), you’re 100% correct when you mention that Chlorine is also a disruptor. Its chemical structure is very similar to Iodine and is also an element very similar to bromine and would indeed have the same toxic effect on the body and also bind to the Iodine cell receptors (literally blocking the attachment of Iodine, therefore resulting in toxicity). You get the cherry angiomas on your skin when there is nowhere else for the chlorine to go.

      The medication you mention (Amitriptyline) is most likely the cause of your cherry angiomas – especially as you mentioned you’ve been on them for over 3 years. If you can and if you feel that you’re body is ready, it would be great if you could come off of them completely as this would stop this additional source of chlorine – however it’s best to speak with your GP (although he/she might not be aware of the problem with these toxic elements!)

      While I’m not an expert in chemistry, these are only my opinions from research and the knowledge I already have from my own experiences.

      Topical use of Iodine has helped very minimally for me and only really had an effect on the very very tiny spots, so it’s not really worth the effort.

      The way to get rid of these little buggers is simply to increase your intake of Iodine. Quite simply, you have to intake more Iodine than the other toxic elements that are similar to Iodine (in your case chlorine).

      Iodine is great, because it doesn’t only give your body what it needs, it also helps (greatly) to flush the other toxic elements out.

      It’s going to be a very slow process – and while you can quite easily and quickly flush the toxic elements that are circulating in your blood stream out with Iodine, it’s going to take a lot longer to rid your fatty tissues/skin of the toxic elements. Basically, if you’ve been on a high source of toxin for a number of years, it’s going to take the same length of time if not longer to reverse the effect with Iodine.

      I’ve currently stopped my Iodine programme until I’m completely free of my antidepressant medication. That way it’ll be much more beneficial.

      I’m not too sure about sun damage, I don’t imagine this would be a factor (although I could be wrong) – none of the specialists I have spoken to have suggested UV damage as a cause.

      May I ask your age? Also, if you was to scratch a tender part of your skin quite roughly with your nails, would these little red spots start to appear around the area?

      It’s comforting to hear people with the same problem (although I know it’s quite worrying).

      Take care Sally and I look forward to your reply.

      Best Regards,

      Ian

  • Sally
    Posted October 1, 2012 at 8:17 pm

    Hi Ian,

    Thanks for responding so quickly and for confirming what i suspected about chlorine.

    The good news is, i have managed to gradually reduce the dose of amitriptyline with a view to ceasing it all together, and i’m actually wondering if this has somehow kick started them appearing in some weird way i.e. my body going through a detox and it coming out in my skin. I’m probably wrong but i’ve tried to look at this from every angle.

    I’m in my early thirties and so totally don’t fit into the “senile angioma” explanation. From what i’ve read though, people in their teens have experienced them.

    I would very much like to take an iodine supplement but what’s stopped me is the fat soluble aspect of it i.e. if i’d like to have children/get pregnant in a few years time, there’s conflicting research on what amount is acceptable to take. I don’t suppose you’d be able to shed any light on this? i know you’ve recently put your supplementation on hold but when you were taking iodine etc. did you notice a decrease in their size? I’m desperate to find something that will stop them appearing and growing – i’m noticing them more and more and as i’m sure you’re aware, the sheer amount of them can be quite alarming! Some websites say that some stay pinprick size and i’m sincerely hoping that’s the case.

    Also, would you be able to tell me which liquid zeolite you took?

    After i posted on your website, i tried to do a bit more research online and stumbled upon some recent research on them (2010) which i’ve pasted below. It interestingly suggests that the supplement Myricetin could help with treating them and discusses what’s actually happening in the skin where they erupt.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherry_hemangioma

    Regarding if i were to scratch an area would the spots appear, i am quite clumsy, regularly scraping myself on things (!) and as far as i’m aware, they don’t come up. Can they appear as a result of injury to your skin?

    I wish you all the best coming off your medication. I know how hard it is to come off something you’ve been taking for awhile. Hang on in there – i’m managing it slowly but surely.

    Kind regards

    • Ian Stephens
      Posted May 1, 2013 at 3:37 pm

      Sorry for my delay in replying Sally, I’ve been all over the place recently.

      Amitriptyline is a Tricyclic Antidepressant, which I’ve heard are quite hard to come off. I’m totally free of my SSRI (Citalopram) now and have been for several months. It hasn’t been easy but I feel much better now – in fact perhaps a little happier! The key for me was to come down very slowly – I literally had to shave the pills with a knife (breaking them in half was too drastic of a dose-drop). I came down a little by little, week by week. You have to monitor your emotions and listen to your body – that’s the only way to know if you’re going at the right pace. I had little spells where I would cry for no reason and felt sad, but that eventually lifted.

      I understand what you’re saying about the detox from cutting the dose, but I can’t think of any plausible reason for them increasing after cutting the dose. In fact, you’d probably see them slowing down if the amitriptyline is your cause.

      You’re right, they can spontaneously appear at any age (while rare), however a lot of MD’s I’ve spoken to have suggested that hormone changes/imbalances can be a cause. Perhaps the amitriptyline has played with your hormones slightly. While they mention hormones, they are never specific about what hormones can cause them – I don’t think they know themselves as little research has been done as they are supposedly “benign”. While they are benign, there is a cause – that’s the purpose of my article here!

      Iodine is stored in the body, mainly in the thyroid but also in the breasts, stomach, salivary glands and a few other places. Iodine is not “fat soluble” like you would refer to as “fat soluble vitamins” like vitamin A, K, E and D – it is a mineral and water soluble as far as I am aware. Whatever you body doesn’t use, most of the excess comes out in the urine or feces. I would say that (from my own knowledge) that it is perfectly fine to do the iodine protocol before you have children (or conceive) at 50mg/day (Iodoral). However, when carrying your child 50mg/day may be too much. It’s essential that iodine is present for brain development and intellect for your child, but a more reasonable (non-detox) dosage should be about 6-12.5 mg/day while childbearing. You should also stick to this lower dose while not on the detox (take it as part of your daily routine). You can also get Iodoral in 12.5mg tablets and break them in half.

      I’m actually back on the iodine protocol now as I’m free of my toxic medication – I’ve recently posted my iodine loading test results up above for everyone to look at. I have noticed that I no longer have any new cherry angiomas and the smaller ones are decreasing in size. The main point here is that no new ones have appeared; which is great news.

      You’re right, most of them will stay the original “pin-prick” size which has been the case for me (apart from one on the back of my arm which has grown and grown to the point where it’s raised above the skin about 2mm.)

      I took a couple of liquid zeolite products. The best one by far is the Results RNA ACZ Zeolite spray. This has the smallest cage size (it really is nano).

      Thank you for posting that research – I haven’t seen that before. You can actually get supplemental Myricetin which I didn’t realize. I suppose it’s worth trying!

      The reason I asked that was because I noticed them sometimes appear if I was to scratch the skin vigorously or scrape it. The thing was, they would ALWAYS disappear after a while, which suggests they weren’t really cherry angiomas at all and more likely just blood pooling in the skin from the trauma.

      Thanks for the wishes – I can now say that I am finally free of the Citalopram medication – I was on it for 7 years and while coming off was hard, my head feels much clearer now and my emotions are much more varied – rather than always being on the happy medium I can truly feel sad times, good times and happy times now I’m off.

      Take Care Sally.

      Best Regards,

      Ian

  • dr larry von
    Posted October 5, 2012 at 4:42 pm

    Have you tried the Cilantro for the cherrys? If so, any results?

    • ianstephens
      Posted September 4, 2013 at 10:35 pm

      I haven’t tried Cilantro (coriander) myself for them but I have seen people discuss it before. It seems, to be honest – once you have these angiomas, the only way to really remove them completely is via surgery such as laser removal.

      All we can do is stop them from starting in the first place and if they do start, understanding the cause – which is what I was trying to explain in the post above re. bromine.

  • bernie
    Posted October 9, 2012 at 3:14 pm

    I would like to point out that if you have Hashimotos you must not take iodine supplements. So what else can you do to get rid of those spots?

    • ianstephens
      Posted September 4, 2013 at 10:45 pm

      There was indeed a study that mentioned around 78% of participants who cut their iodine intake down had improved their Hashimoto’s condition.

      However, I’ve also read that iodine could help (or not affect) the disease – especially reading some of Dr. Brownstein’s work. In fact, iodine deficiency in conjunction with toxicity of bromine, fluoride (goitrogens) could be the cause of Hashimoto’s in the first place.

      It’s a hard one to pass comment on, but you should do it possibly with a doctor who specialises in this field because TSH levels and other indicators could go all over the place (although this is expected with iodine therapy and crazy readings can indeed be harmless while on the therapy).

  • Leber
    Posted November 12, 2012 at 5:49 am

    You shouldn’t be taking Celexa in the first place, I hope you’re off it. It causes permanent damage and restructuring to the brain’s sleep architecture when used long term. Think about what it does to you day by day. I didn’t think it was happening but eventually the day will come where your brain is past the point of no return. No one should be on SSRIs. Look on paxilprogress for thousands of cases about long term brain damage.

    • ianstephens
      Posted September 4, 2013 at 10:54 pm

      Thank you for your comment Leber.

      Yes, I’m off Celexa (Citalopram) now. I was on it for 7 years and have been free of the medication for about a year now.

      I’ve always had crazy sleep problems. I suffere(d) with insomnia for years (even before the medication) and still do sometimes now. I’m also unable to wake up refreshed in the morning – I always feel like death warmed up. My circadian rhythm seems to shift by two hours each night if I naturally let it. I’d go to bed two hours later, wake up two hours later and it repeats. I control it myself although I end up feeling tired all day. Perhaps I’ve got a “Non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder “, although I’ve never been officially diagnosed.

      Coming off was hard, and I’m going to write about the whole experience in a new post. I tackled the symptoms with Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) and Matrix Reimpriting with a therapist here in the UK. I’m also going to write about my experiences with these energy healing techniques soon too.

  • Claudia
    Posted November 18, 2012 at 3:13 pm

    Please keep us posted about your findings on the cherry angiomas. I I am not wearing blouses that expose the torso because I’m embarrased. My mom developed these marks all over her body and she commented she got more as she got older, so there may be some genetics involved. On the topic of Celexa, while I completely agree that Celexa has negative side effects, it is important that you address the reasons it was given to you in the first place. I find tryptophan and Vitamin B are helpful in regulating my mood. I know tryptophan got a bad rap in the past but it has worked well for me. I notice the difference in my mood when I stop taking it after a week. Keep up the good work!

  • Nicole
    Posted November 29, 2012 at 3:23 pm

    I just wanted to say after reading this I am a little upset, I was told to take celexa while I was pregnant with my daughter.
    She was born with Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus. I believe it is from the celexa and not getting enough iodine as I believe I have a build up of bromide in my system.

  • Anna
    Posted December 9, 2012 at 3:18 am

    I’ve been trying to help my aunt out on this one. I came across your site and I’m not really sure if a lack of iodine could be causing the problem. My aunt is 78 years old. She has these cherry angiomas on her scalp – maybe 6 of them scattered mostly on the top of her head. Her scalp burns, is red in some spots and is warm to the touch. When this happens, which is mostly at night when she is trying to sleep == her eyes get fuzzy. She has seen the eye doctor. The eye doctor told her she needed cataract surgery for the fuzzy eyes – she had the surgery done, but she still gets the fuzzy eyes. Has anyone had this problem before?

    • Jon
      Posted February 14, 2013 at 9:43 am

      Are you sure the fuzzy eyes are not from floaters? As we age, pieces of the inside of the eye can break off and float around. I notice my floaters when I’ve been laying down. Usually, they’re not too bothersome, but for some people, they can really impair their vision.

  • Julia
    Posted January 10, 2013 at 9:13 am

    I would be careful with Iodine – it can destroy thyroid. I have noticed a lot of tiny cherry angiomas and after googling came across your notes. I am 43 yr old woman – checking if have oestrogen dominance – listed as possible reason. I eat tones of fish – unlikely deficient in Iodine. I don’t take any medications either. Most doctors agree cherry angiomas are harmless.

  • Becky
    Posted January 12, 2013 at 7:03 pm

    Iodine can NOT destroy the thyroid. Those who are on thyroid medication many times don’t have to take it any more once their body receives sufficient iodine. The most easily absorbed source is Prolamine Iodine from Standard Process. This can be purchased from your local chiropractor. Iodine is also a detoxer of heavy metals. If an older woman has estrogen dominance, get off the drugs. There are natural things you can take with no side effects such as saw palmetto and dong quai from greenbush. An easy way to determine if you are deficient in iodine is to put a 2 inch patch of iodine on your forearm. If it is absorbed before 24 hours, you are deficient. I have yet to meet a woman who passes this test. Bromine is in many processed foods which blocks the absorption of iodine. Iodine is needed for the endocrine system as well, which in turns affects the hormones. Sufficient iodine reduces the bromine which in turns provides better hormones.

    • DavidR
      Posted December 27, 2014 at 11:04 pm

      What a grossly irresponsible post.

      Really – do your homework.

      It has been medically shown that Iodine in excess of levels of sufficiency can trigger auto-immune responses against the thyroid and, further, that excess levels of Iodine in the blood can impair the production of certain important compounds such as TPO (made by thyroid).

      If you didn’t perform your own trial and can’t quote a source, don’t state it as a fact. My source was the New England Journal of Medicine.

  • Tania
    Posted January 16, 2013 at 6:02 am

    I have cherry angiomas too of varying sizes, mostly on my torso and arms. The ones on my upper arms are very numerous and of pin-prick size and I used to wonder what they were, not realising that they may be cherry angiomas too. My mother and some of her sisters had these too. Reading of their possible connection to iodine deficiency, I had my doctor test my iodine level. It came back as “severely deficient”. I have started taking Lugols drops. I am slightly hypothyroid too so I am hoping the iodine supplementation will help with this too. I look forward to following your progress.

  • Diana
    Posted January 24, 2013 at 7:59 pm

    I take 80 mg of iodine a day in kelp capsules. Is that enough to prevent them? I just started getting them about 3 years ago. I don’t eat gluten anymore, but I like to go swimming at a public pool which has chlorine in it. I noticed them after a long hot summer when I went swimming more than usual. I wear a chlorine block when I swim which is no longer than 30 minutes to get exercise swimming laps. I have them all over my body although most are on my stomach and back.

  • james
    Posted February 5, 2013 at 12:03 am

    I took, internally, nascent iodine sporadically over a three week term. I stopped when the small red dots erupted on my torso. thanx for your info. the form of the eruptions, is prickly tiny scabs. just want to make sure we are talking about the same thing. i will resume the iodine treatment tomorrow and report any changes and +/- progress. you all be well.

  • Gemma
    Posted February 23, 2013 at 10:55 am

    Hi I came across this site cause I too am trying to find an answer to why these cherry angiomas occur. I’m 23 and always had a few tiny red dots on my upper arm and chest but never thought much about them. Then 3 years ago I had a baby after that these angiomas spread rapidly! My arms are covered in them! the only parts of me that don’t have any of these things are my feet and bottom of my legs although I’m am noticing them starting to travel down. On my upper arm alone I have counted over 300! Been to doctors numerous times and all sorts of blood tests which all came back normal and I’ve been told that its just cosmetic which I would accept if wasn’t covered in them. My general physical health is ok I am overweight,have a few gallbladder issues and suffer ibs,I also suffer badly with anxiety and depression but all these are things that can be resolvedcontrolled. For me it seems to be the birth of my daughter that’s triggered these dots(and all of my other health issues) they are driving me mad,terrified of waking up one morning and being so covered you can’t see my skin! I wish I could stop them developing.

    • Jenny
      Posted April 27, 2013 at 5:49 pm

      I first noticed mine on the front sides of my lower stomach, hundreds, it was a couple of years after my second child, I was about 43 years old. Never taken any medication, was overweight especially the stomach and thought the weight may have affected my skin. A year or so later I started the gym and it was at this time I noticed hundreds on the inner arms. I have been referred to a dermatologist who advised that it was Eruptive Angiomas and the cause may or may not be some virus that I picked up at some stage in my life?? Since this time they continue to spread on my chest, front stomach, upper legs and neck, majority are tiny. I am now 48 and in the last year was diagnosed with pernicious anemia (severe B12 deficiency) and now have 3 monthly injections. Other than that I have suffered from IBS for last 10 Years, joint pains, Gallstones and digestive problems. Diet not brilliant, was always spicy (not so much nowadays) but have always kept away from medication. I too hate these and I am due to go on holidays soon and feel really conscious. Have recently separated and even though I am making efforts to loose weight cannot imagine having the confidence to enter a new relationship. Great to find this feed, always helps when you see others in same boat and things can always be worse. Any nice spotty men want a nice spotty woman..only joking :)x

      • Bry
        Posted June 1, 2015 at 7:43 pm

        Hello Jenny,

        I noticed that your list of symptoms (anxiety, IBS, angiomas etc.) resemble mine. I have discovered over the past 2 years of extensive research that hormonal problems, IBS, anxiety and skin issues (particularly when seen as a suite of symptoms together) are the result of a leaky gut (i.e. gut inflammation). For my case they say that in order to see resolution of all of these symptoms I need to heal my gut. Gut inflammation can be the result of undiagnosed parasites (tests often show false negatives, so sometimes it’s advised to do a parasite cleanse whether or not you test positive), persistent stress, undiagnosed food intolerances, gut dysbiosis, and diet. The best approach I have found for healing leaky gut and the range of associated issues is outlined in the book The Paleo Approach (Sarah Ballantyne), Chris Kresser’s website, and The Healthy Gut Summit interviews. They focus on nutrient-dense foods (chicken/turkey/grass-fed beef, organ meats from animals raised free-range, vegetables except nightshades, low glycemic fruits, gluten-free, very few grains and only if properly prepared, lots of dark green leafy veges, cooked foods at first, and lots of probiotic foods like coconut water kefir, goat milk kefir, sauerkraut etc. to restore the proper microbiota balance in one’s gut. You might want to look into this further.

        • Cynthia
          Posted May 28, 2016 at 4:43 pm

          Hi Jenny, i saw that you’ve had a lot of stomach problems as i have. I’ve had several procedures and lab work done and the Dr’s couldn’t figure out why i was having so much pain, along with everything else. I’d already done a parasite cleanse but still not feeling much better. Then I found out H.Pylori causes pain, bloating, ulcers, nausea & blocks our body from absorbing the vitamins & nutrients from the foods we eat . This bacteria EATS away the stomach lining causing holes(ulcers) . So i asked the Dr to test me for H.Pylori , and i came back positive for H.Pylori. I found out it’s spread through saliva, forks, & spoons. So if you have it, then your mate should also get tested . The treatment is a couple of antibiotics & an acid blocker for a couple of weeks, plus you should add probiotics & make them a part of your daily regimen to put back the “good” bacteria that H.Pylori has eaten away. H.Pylori is a hard bacteria to get rid of, once you’ve been diagnosed & treated, you should get retested in 2 or 3 months to make sure its gone. Hope this helps you & others, Cynthia

  • nancy
    Posted March 5, 2013 at 6:07 pm

    WOW…I was on Celexa for 3-4 months and then took myself off. I have always felt that my brain was never the same after that. Fortunately, I was on a very low dose. Reading all the info on bromine/iodine etc. for Hashimotos, this is the first time I’ve come across a link with bromine/celexa. Glad I wasn’t on it long term…cannot believe I was right all along!

  • Clint
    Posted March 14, 2013 at 4:05 pm

    I just stumbled on your site. I too have the cherry angiomas and have had for many years. About a year ago I found our that my drink of choice(Mountain Dew) has BVO(Brominated Vegetable Oil) and I stopped drinking it. I had been drinking MD for at lease 20 years and was disappointed they’d put this poison in it. BVO is also in many fruit flavored drinks like Gatorade. My cherry angiomas are as many have said, hundreds on my torso, upper legs and arms. I have been taking Lugols, but not very consistently as I forget fairly often. When I do remember I take 5 drops of 2% a day in a glass of water. Anyway thanks for the blog, I enjoyed the info.

  • Joe
    Posted March 29, 2013 at 1:24 pm

    Needing an iodine boost to combat these things makes me wonder how many people here have thyroid conditions. I have the cherry angiomas on my chest and they started popping up when my thyroid went down which leads to anxiety, lethargy, weight gain and a ton of fun things. So do people here have a thyroid issue? Just curious to see if there is a correlation.

  • Clint
    Posted April 1, 2013 at 7:11 pm

    Joe, Yes I am hypothyroid. I started on synthroid, but it did not work for me, so switched to Armour Thyroid and it has helped quite a bit, but the cherry angiomas are still there.

  • Kathy
    Posted April 3, 2013 at 12:17 am

    I have had cherry angiomas for a good 15-20 years, with steady increases over the years. I am a health care provider and I give immunizations and I see patients that have these red spots, too. For so long I felt like a freak of nature, but then I saw I wasn’t alone. Also reading this blog tells me I am not alone. I have wondered about the common cause(s) but only recently learned of the iodine/bromine theory and I will be trying a trial of Iodarol shortly. Thanks for the info; I have hope for a “cure”.

  • Brian
    Posted April 13, 2013 at 10:47 am

    What about Morton salt used for pools? I think it’s just NACL.

  • Cheryl
    Posted April 20, 2013 at 9:06 pm

    I am 32 have had these things forever. I was ok with it because just had a few on my arms and legs but it seems like over night 3 came up on my face on closer inspection I have lots of tinywinsey ones on my arms. It freaks me out because I think will all these lil ones grow into big ones and if so how long before they do and should I treat them now while they are still small I don’t think my insurance will cover the ones I want taken off. I might try the cilotro thing. I was going to try iodine to if that didnt work. I hate these things

  • Cheryl
    Posted April 20, 2013 at 11:04 pm

    Also it seems strange how we all eat and drink some of the same things so why don’t everyone have them. Are some of us just more able to release these toxins than others?

  • Dee
    Posted April 25, 2013 at 3:14 pm

    Hi Ian,

    I think I got mine from our hot tub, which my husband disinfects with a bromine powder preparation. I wonder if that’s scientifically possible (skin route of entry), since I don’t ingest the bromine. My theory seems plausible to me since they appeared after we got the hot tub, and because there are no angiomas on my neck or face. I’ll tell him to switch to chlorine, or find something milder.

    Thanks for the tip on iodine deficiency – I don’t salt my food. I’ll try a supplement.

    BTW – It’s “Lyme Disease”, not “limes disease”.

    Also – I’ve read about people putting apple cider vinegar on cherry angiomas. I want to try that on the larger ones.

  • Eve
    Posted May 3, 2013 at 11:52 pm

    I have largish one on my chest which has started to itch.
    Have large one on stomach which doesn’t itch. years ago whenever one first appeared, as long as it was in place easy to tub, i would rub and rub really hard until the whole area went red and i was often able to ‘rub’ them out in this way.
    since eating lot of organic food, they are not so noticeable in that no new ones appeared and a small one that was on my hand has gone without me doing anything to it. I still eat ‘junk’ processed food but maybe the organic fruit & veg makes a difference.

    • Eve
      Posted May 3, 2013 at 11:57 pm

      Sorry, typo in my comment, 1st time posting, The above comment should have read “if it was in a place easy to rub” not “easy to tub”. Sorry about that. Very useful and informative blog by the way!

  • Maria
    Posted May 16, 2013 at 3:16 pm

    Ian,

    I’m just getting ready to attack my symptoms with iodine. There is a lot of conflicting information! I just ran across a chart that says cherry angiomas are typical for bromide detox; however they started up before I ever tried to use iodine. I would like to know how your depression is doing? Have your cherry angiomas decreased; I have quite a few, they are embarrassing to me. All over my upper legs and arms and now they are starting on my chest. About three years ago I had to have a stage 4 basil cell melanoma removed from my eye lid. I’m quite fair skinned so I have always been very careful. The Dr. commented that it was a very strange place for a skin cancer and that I had no signs of sun damage. Have you run across anything like that in your search for health? Is it possible that the skin cancer had to do with the iodine deficiency? Just curious, I may end up answering my own question but would appreciate your input. Thank you.

  • Mark
    Posted June 6, 2013 at 2:33 pm

    I have developed Cherry Angiomas or Campbell de Morgan spots, virtually thousands popped up all over my body in a time frame of 3 months. I went to several doctors and dermatologists, they told me to live with it; “it’s normal, it comes with age” I was only 34 years at the time,”age?”, it is now 3 years back. I started investigate and studied hundreds of hours on the internet, looking for a cure. Not just to stop them from appearing, but to “kill” it and cure my skin to normal. Here follows my cause and study; My wife and I started delivering catalogues, about 10,000 catalogues sitting in my living room every weekend, because we could not store it outside in the weather. In the morning when we awoke, we could smell it’s strong odour in the house. I used to lick my fingertips when I fold the catalogues,5,000 we fold between each other over a weekend. This was our part time job, to make an extra income over weekends. Coming to Australia from South Africa 5 years ago was tough and we where forced take up catalogue distribution. My wife developed the same spots, but not as aggressively as me, she was 24 years at the time. In my search, I found that bromine is used in catalogue inks, especially in yellow dye/ink. It is also present in our water supply, as it was suggested by locals on a few forums I found on the internet. How I cured myself; It took me two years to build up bromine levels from water, bread products and mainly catalogue inks that caused me to brake out thousands, not hundreds, but thousands of cherry angiomas! My breakout was worse than any picture you will find on the internet. I counted on my right inner bicep 150 spots at one time. I had mental breakdowns and had to go on anti depression medication, because of these spots. We immediately stopped all catalogue deliveries (I still do not touch catalogues, but if I do I wash my hands after reading a catalogue). I stopped eating all white flour products and cut away excessive refined sugar intakes. I also stopped drinking any yellow coloured sodas/products. I went on a course of iodine lugol’s solution bought on ebay, bout 15mg a day to 30mg at one time. I bought an OR system and stopped drinking any tap water, not for preparing food, nor in my coffee. If I go on holidays, I buy demineralized water. My breakouts stopped about 3 months after my effort to cure it. My breakouts reversed and there are hardly any spots left 3 years later. How I got rid of the stubborn spots; I got so obsessed with these spots that I bought a dental radio frequency unit (from Budmans Dental out of the US) and coagulate the spots for 2 seconds each, that is enough to kill the small ones without any real pain. Another way I got rid of some bigger ones (because coagulation on 3mm upwards sizes will be painful) was to burn a small hole, (the size of the spot) out of Elastoplast,and cover that over the skin so that the red spot is exposed. I then used a small abrasive nail manicure micro motor and run it over the spot until it started to bleed. I then used a cotton bud and wet it with apple cider vinegar and put it over the Campbell spot, I change the cotton bud every 6 hours for 2 days and the spot is cured, it leaves a brown spot that will dry out and disappear after about two weeks. This method will not leave a mark on the skin after it is healed. The Campbell spot will not return because it will be completely gone. This is what I have done to cure myself. I am not a doctor, nor do I want anyone to follow my advise. This is what worked for me and what I have done to gave me back my “life” and to cure myself from a skin disease that doctors ignore. Don’t give up on Campbell spots, it can be cured!

  • Reg
    Posted June 19, 2013 at 6:59 pm

    I am interested in your theory of cause and cure and will be looking into that as well. I have cherry angiomas in similar quantities and similar placement on my body as has been mentioned. I recently came across this video on youtube and it was so simple and elegant, I just had to try it for getting rid of these little red bumps. It worked! Give it a try, it will get rid of them completely. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5tI2zWQzGo. The only thing I did differently was I used the actual point of a pin, heated it, and stabbed it a few times into the angioma. It scabs up, and once the scab falls off, it’s gone!

  • Dana
    Posted June 27, 2013 at 6:31 pm

    I too have many angiomas, probably thousands, and the anxiety I have around them has been causing me a lot of anxiety! My obsession with them is practically controlling my life at this point. They first started about a year ago, they all just popped up out of nowhere! At the time I was going through extreme stress…I had a Heath problem with noone was able to diagnose at the time, along with some investigation into some modules on my thyroid. Just before they appeared I had gone for a nuclear thyroid scan…and days later they showed up. Not sure whether this is a coincidence or not. Since last year, I’ve finally got some diagnosis to the medical problems I was facing last year…with surgery this March they discovered I have stage 3 endomentriosis and had a melon size dermoid cyst in my ovary. They stated it appeared the cyst had ruptured several times which is what was causing me all the pain last year. So now I’m stumped…was it the cyst rupturing and releasing toxins into my system, was it the nuclear iodine test? I really have no idea and neither does any doctor I’ve spoke to? I am currently doing a liver detox as I await my appointment with the derm in July which I have been waiting a year to see. I have tried the apple cider vinegar, I have tried Epsom salt, iodine pills, and burning them off. The only thing that does work is burning them off but I have so many that it will take me years to get to all of them. I’m willing to try just about anything at this point! Does anyone have pictures or anything they can show if theirs…I’ve never met anyone with as many as I have! I will keep you all posted on the liver detox and let you know what my dermatologist says.

  • Kitty
    Posted July 4, 2013 at 9:24 pm

    I have read all your comments with relief, knowing that i am not on my own. I have thousands of Campbell spots. I am 45 years old, and the first one appeared 12 years ago on my breast, and then went on slowly spreading on my torso, front first then back. They then travelled down on my legs and now fiercely on my arms and face, mostly(to my despair)around my eyes! Everyday I find a new one!
    I saw the GP many times, and was only referred to the dermatologist few weeks back. I feel very tired and down at the moment (not because of the spots), and thought it was my hormones playing up. I also have a blood disorder called ITP, which is an auto immune disorder. Somehow i am convinced that there is a link between my fatigue and the spots. When I question if it could be a lack of minerals, the dermatologist said it was very unlikely. All your comments have been helpful, as i strongly believe that it is a reaction to something(thought it could be the tap water)and a lack of minerals, so the iodine is my answer.
    Does any of you has digestive problems? I became gluten and lactose intolerant five years ago following Parvo virus, so had to exclude them totally from my diet. I don’t have refined sugar or yeast. either. I do not take any medications as I am over sensitive and get strong side effects. I do not smoke or drink and do not have any processed food. I will try the iodine, and hope that they stop spreading.

  • Jackie
    Posted July 10, 2013 at 3:57 am

    Is Zoloft 25mg a day considered the same as the SSR that you are taking Ian? I had about 40 cherry angiomas laseres off today but I know there are more to come. I also have pernicious anemia and take a multivitamin b-12 injection 2 x week! Which iodine supplement would u recommend for me? I’m 51.

  • gary
    Posted July 25, 2013 at 12:48 pm

    I have been starting to get more spots. I cannot believe. Its takes alot of work to remove them..I feel bad and wondering if its because of my weight loss and brain tumor along with meds..

  • Sara
    Posted August 14, 2013 at 5:38 pm

    It’s funny but I started eating a lot of strawberries during my diet and shortly afterwards I started breaking out with these Cherry Angiomas and they keep popping up on me overnight. I was reading about Bromine and they list strawberries as a culprit.

    • Robin
      Posted August 3, 2015 at 4:59 pm

      Sara, it’s the chemical they use on strawberries that’s the culprit, it is a bromide compound of some sort.

  • Kristan
    Posted August 16, 2013 at 12:01 am

    I was put on Citalopram in October of 2012. I developed numerous cherry angiomas after being placed on this medication, they continue to grow despite the fact that I have discontinued this medication. I assume that I had been accumulating bromine through eating foods containing preservatives and so forth over the years, and that by taking the Citalopram this encouraged the growth of the cherry angiomas, and that I continue to have bromine toxicity as it was “built up” and then exacerbated by the medication. I will certainly try the iodine supplements and am interested in hearing if anyone has had any success in reducing theirs through iodine supplementation 🙂

  • Almitra
    Posted September 29, 2013 at 3:54 pm

    I am on Trazadone and Wellbutrin. Do they contain bromide? Is bromide related to the fibromyalgia I have?

  • Almitra
    Posted September 29, 2013 at 3:59 pm

    I forgot to mention that over the past year I have developed cherry angiomas on my chest. I also started Wellbutrin about a year ago. Coincidence? I was on Prozac before and I’ve been on Trazadone for years. My mother had cherry angiomas also. (she took tons of meds) Is it just genetic in my case?

  • Melissa
    Posted October 13, 2013 at 5:52 am

    I’m not on any medication so I’m curious how I developed them. I’m only 31 and have some on my neck, stomach and legs. I want to try the iodine detox, but I’m currently nursing my baby. Is it safe to do it while nursing? Thanks.

    • Lisa
      Posted October 24, 2013 at 10:25 pm

      Hi Melissa, I’m not on any medication either although I am 8 months pregnant and am taking prenatal vitamins and an iron supplement. I’ve just developed some of these spots on my chest/stomach. I am curious to know if you too were on a prenatal vitamin and/or iron supplement during your pregnancy?

  • shell
    Posted October 22, 2013 at 5:10 pm

    I had them and they increase radpidly. When I did a yeast, and a parasite cleanse, then a liver /gall flush. they stopped increasing. Liver toxicity may possibly be related to it. The parasite cleanse have iodine in it. Now they are back 2 years later so I know I need to cleanse again. It would probably be good to do twice and year and keep the iodine count up.

  • Kim , R.Ph
    Posted November 8, 2013 at 11:35 pm

    Hi everyone.. I have started taking ACV tablets today for I am noticing quite a few of them as well. I tried the PIN Prick-cotton-ACV thingy and it does work, but when you have quite a few of them.. you are just one massive cottonball. I wanted to try the ACV tablets and see how it goes.. I do think it has to do with our hormones.. I will keep you all updated..

  • Tiffany
    Posted November 20, 2013 at 7:11 pm

    I have also had them appear all over my body, like red pepper scattered all over. Especially my inner arms. I have had some of them since I was young and they are gradually getting more and more as I am now 35. Now I have one on my face under my eye. I have one on my left hand and right finger. I think this is strange and conspiracy! I have more to say about them but I am about to leave for lunch! I just wanna follow this post!
    Tiffany

  • Tiffany
    Posted November 26, 2013 at 11:13 pm

    Ok, I am back. I went out and bought some sea kelp vitamins for the iodine. I am wondering if it has to maybe do with my bra, or pillow, or covers. I see some of the red dots on my chest, they are on anything that would touch a pillow or covers or a bra. I am going to try the Apple Cider Vinigar(ACV) and see what this does. But the fact we might be getting poisoned is scary! I also have fits of coughing and stuffy nose thoughout the night but during the day I am fine. This has been going on for a long time, and I am not a smoker. We need to all find out what all we have in common so that we can solve the problem.

  • Lee Caleca
    Posted December 26, 2013 at 4:02 pm

    Wow, you’ve really done your homework and put it all together for those of us who’ve been trying to research the same.

    Tiffany, you are so right. Finding the common denominator would go a long way to getting to the bottom of this. I’ve paid for doctors who tell me “sometimes the skin works is strange ways” but they could never tell me anything else. Of course we all agree with Ian that there is obviously a cause.

    I just started taking magnesium and kelp supplements. I’m not sure about the kelp because it’s 150 mcg potassium iodode. Somewhere in here I think I read that it’s not as good as iodine. Should I get an iodine supplement as well?

  • Lee Caleca
    Posted December 26, 2013 at 4:10 pm

    Here’s something interesting about methyl bromide soil fumigation and bromine residues in crops:
    http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2FBF02520364#page-2

  • Susana
    Posted December 26, 2013 at 11:15 pm

    I was told very recently by an acupuncturist (he also practices other methods of healing) that cherry angiomas are the external indicators of internal health issues. You can tell what by their placement. E.G. If on the face, watch out for stroke, heart issues…

    • Crystal
      Posted January 10, 2015 at 3:32 pm

      that is interested by the placement, mine are belly and chest those are the big ones

  • Dominique
    Posted December 28, 2013 at 10:41 pm

    I am 32, and I’ve had them as long as I can remember. Mostly, they are tiny, but there are dozens of them and they are quite dark- almost purple, against my very white skin. Anyway, out of curiousity, I tried the sizzling hot pin method on a few of them today- its weirdly satistfying, some of them actually pop. I have always eaten as healthily and naturally as possible, and I stay out of the sun and have never been on any medication. So, I wonder about Bromine toxicity in my case, the only thing I can think of that I come into contact with that concerns me is fabric dye. Lots of it, I dye things all the time and have done so for decades. My Husband is 34 and also has hundreds of the really tiny ones and a few big ones, but isn’t really worried. I am worried, as I know fabric dyes could have come into contact with our food, and has certainly been on my skin a lot. I hope the little burns don’t scar, the cherry heamangiomas seem like they’re gone, just little scabby dots left.

  • mel
    Posted January 11, 2014 at 12:02 pm

    I was alarmed when I first found random red splodges on my body. I asked a doctor in work about them and was relieved to hear that they were harmless. I’ve had them for years now and am very fond of my little splodges and would never want to actively get rid of a part of me. Too busy worrying about getting myself fit and active, engaging in life and working hard for the future. Love my CdeMs!

  • Katherine
    Posted January 24, 2014 at 10:48 pm

    Wow- I have been trying to look into this for years – long since I had access to the internet. I have had these spots since I was a teenager – 25 years now as I am 39. I went to so many doctors as a child and all they wanted to do was show their students. It became so humiliating, especially as a teenager, I gave up going to doctors. Over the last decade, every now and again, I will try and look it up and have never found any satisfactory answers. I have always had hundreds/ thousands of the pin prick spots and a few of the larger ones. They have changed in time – some areas have disappeared by themselves but overall, they have increased, especially the larger spots. I do have some hormone issues and have been on the pill since a teenager and now HRT. I always felt there was a connection but he endocrinologists always said they had never seen it in their other patients. I’m curious to hear how the iodine supplements might work but wonder if there are any side effects from taking iodine?? In truth,I have learned to live with this. I have always been aware of what I wear so that it covers up the most spots. My Mum has a few spots (literally) so nothing like me and no-one else in my immediate family so I am unsure if it can environmental or genetic…. I pray it never goes to my face but I’ ve always felt there are worse inflictions in life as otherwise, I have been very healthy all my life.
    So reassuring to know that I am not the only one though and will be very interested to hear how people get on trying the iodine.

    • SJ
      Posted April 25, 2014 at 3:19 pm

      Your situation almost exactly mirrors mine (apart from I came off the pill years ago), right down to my mum having some angio’s too, though far less than me. And yes, in truth, outwardly in appearance, it’s NOT the worst thing to have, but to know it might have a link to something I can do something about, makes me want to give it a try anyway. 🙂

  • Teresa
    Posted January 28, 2014 at 2:45 am

    I am so glad that you have this website. I am 53 years old and have had these cherry angiomas over my arms, chest, abdomen, back and now they are on my thighs. I have about 10 large ones that are a little smaller in diameter than a pencil eraser. I have hundreds the size of pin pricks. I had a few in my 30’s but one day, I just noticed they first appeared in areas where I had been severely sunburned in my teenage years. I don’t know if this has anything to do with them or not. When I am in the sun- more appear in the evening. I use Lugol’s solution 7% on my stomach but will try applying it to the angiomas as well as treating several with the apple cidar vinegar. Thank you for all the information. I will keep checking for posts

  • Darlene
    Posted March 1, 2014 at 8:36 pm

    If anyone’s watching, this might answer a couple of questions.

    As I understand it, most, if not all, anti-depressants have the same base compound as in fluoride…the same fluoride that is added to our water.

    “…fluoride has been shown to inhibit the ability of the thyroid gland to concentrate iodine.” That’s a quote from an article on this site (I won’t post a link…copy and paste and remove the spaces):

    natural endocrine solutions . com /archives/fluoride-bromide-and-thyroid-health/

  • Christie
    Posted March 7, 2014 at 3:57 am

    Hi. This is really interesting to me. I have had these “cherries” for a long time. Mine are very small, however, I’ve noticed they have really increased. I’m not anywhere near menopause. I do take celxa and amitriptyline. So I found this corrolation very interesting. I have stopped my 10mg/day of amitriptyline but I still take 20mg/day of celexa. My brother also has a few of the “cherries”. He is on a few antidepressants but I’m not sure which ones. I only know they are not the same as mine. I believe heredity has a little to do with this but I strongly believe it’s from the medication. At least the major increase of them. Who knows. Just thought I’d share

  • SJ
    Posted April 25, 2014 at 2:34 pm

    Me too. A few cherry angiomas on the arms developed during teen years and have exploded since, mainly recent years, down my arms and a few across the bust area and spots on the boobs. I’m 38 and have noticed they’ve got bad recently. They’re tiny pinheads and some larger and irregular but very noticeable. Inititally, the nurse at the surgery (UK, Halifax) was clueless as to what it was and it was only turning to online help I found out it could be linked to low iodine and bromine toxicity. Well, we’re surrounded by these chemicals and living in high-tech homes breathing in fumes from paint, TVs, carpets, mattresses, etc. Then to your horror you find it could be in food, soil, etc, the list goes on. Especially as we can’t be sure what’s being imported and what it’s grown in.

    Sensibly (as bromine will never be eradicated from our lives and nor should it, it’s a necessary chemical, just probably in too high amounts for modern domestic use in confined spaces) – all one can do is to take an iodine supplement, bath in Epsom or dead sea salts and try and increase iodine-rich foods in our diet. No government seems willing to tackle the issue head on and I’ve read that iodine deficiency is on the increase. Also, that women seem to be more susceptible but both genders obviously get it.

    I removed my TV, computer and other possibly brominated electronic equipment from my bedroom, bought bedding from IKEA (which has a ban on brominated/PBDE products) and bought some houseplants that filter chemicals from the air (they don’t filter bromine but take on the likes of benzene, formaldehyde, toluene and ammonia). Peace Lily and Dracaena Marginata are particularly good for filtering indoor air to help breathing. IKEA are selling the latter, potted and young, for £1 at present. Google ‘NASA clean air plants’ for the list or find the same on Wiki. It all helps in the quest to purify the home. They’re also really easy to look after.

    I’ve only been on the iodine supplements for 3 days but was glad I found this blog and that there are others going through the same. I hope some of the tips above are also helpful for guys and gals here.

    Good luck everyone!

  • SJ
    Posted April 25, 2014 at 2:38 pm

    “I’ve read that iodine deficiency is on the increase.”

    PS: must add, it seems to be a ‘western problem’, wouldn’t you know. 😉

  • Sarah
    Posted May 8, 2014 at 9:03 pm

    Just wanted to share our odd experience. Last month I noticed a tiny pin point red dot on my 4 year olds back. It has grown outward and protrudes from his back. As we are researching it my husband finds a red mole in the middle of his back that also grew outward. My husband’s gotten bumped a lot and has bled. No much has happened with my son’s. Dose it seem odd that a 4 yr. old and his 32 yr. old father would both get cherry angiomas?? Probably environmentally caused?

  • Amie
    Posted May 13, 2014 at 1:32 am

    Hi…I am glad that I found this, since I am 29 and have these all over my chest area! I am not on any medications, but I recently had surgery and the iodine they used for prep, I am allergic to! So what do I do if I am allergic to iodine?!

  • SJ
    Posted May 13, 2014 at 8:20 am

    Update: some good news. I found out that, unlike the US, the UK and Europe has a ban on brominated flour/bread (phased out in breads in 1990s) and BVO (brominated veg oils) which is added to soda/soft drinks. There was a recent news item about the big US soft drinks giants banning BVO in their products, likely due to the knock-on effect of bad publicity.

    It seems that for food and drink, at least, the UK and Europe is ahead of the US in this matter in many ways. It’s not perfect but it’s a start.

  • Diana
    Posted May 31, 2014 at 2:04 pm

    I started getting cherry angiomas on my stomach and back. Then slowly I’m getting more on my arms. I don’t take medication and I eat sprouted wheat which doesn’t have dough conditioner in it, but I do go swimming in chlorinated pools in the summer. I noticed the breakouts were in the summer when I go swimming. Now I realize the chlorine from the pool is poisoning me. I started taking Kelp which has iodine in it and 12.5 mg of iodine on weekends when I go swimming. Now I’m thinking I should be taking more iodine on weekends when I swim. I take the Iodoral brand. I love your article. I only swim for about 30-45 minutes at a time, but I guess that’s enough time to get poisoned by the pool. I will try the other things you suggest.

    • Julie
      Posted February 12, 2015 at 3:02 pm

      Diana, That is exactly when my appeared, when I started swimming in chlorinated pools and hot tube, it was a non-bromine pool, but yes of course chlorinated, they appeared suddenly and quickly and I have been swimming more than ever in my life. My thyroid is acting up as well, losing hair quickly and very fatique, going to the doctor to have my levels checked, I do take an estrogen and wondering if this could be the cause as well.

  • Linda
    Posted June 7, 2014 at 7:10 pm

    Checking to see if there are any updates on the cherry angiomas since 2012?

  • Renee
    Posted June 22, 2014 at 9:04 pm

    Having chronic health issues for the past few decades it’s gotten a lot worse over the past 10 years or so. Started doing some investigation I found something called low-dose naltrexone and I’ve been using since 2011 for my chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia. Another thing I started doing was the iodine protocol that you talk about. Mainly started doing it to get a healthier thyroid because since the crap halides take over all the cells in your body that don’t have iodine in it. I’ve been doing it for seven months and I still can’t get past three of the 12.5 mg tablets without going into half a day of downtime from detox. I started using something called liposomal vitamin C and wow did I ever start detoxing bromide out through my skin. I started having a horrible Parmesan cheese type smell coming out of the sweat in my torso area, I really never used to sweat before I started using iodine. It’s very weird because I won’t sweat under my arms maybe it’s because I’m using antiperspirant but the sweat around my breast and stomach area is horrible I have to shower a few times a day change my clothes when I’m heavily detoxing with the iodine and liposomal vitamin C kicks in huge for bromide detox. Liposomal vitamin C is better or just as good as a vitamin C IV drip 90% plus gets into your cells and I know this is true because I started the protocol using regular vitamin C tablets or chews. After starting on the liposomal vitamin C liquid It kicked butt in detox I recommended to anybody who’s trying to detox. Sadly I must have a very long to detox because this is been going on for too long I have to actually take iodine protocol breaks because I just can’t stand the smell coming from my torso. I do feel the iodine protocol is the way to go definitely need the co supplements and the unrefined Celtic sea salt if you don’t then all you are doing is just moving halides like bromine from one part of your body to another not getting rid of it! There is a fabulous group called iodine on Facebook that’s where I learned a lot of tricks but the liposomal I learned from an individualized Bio medicine doctor. I put my support group website above support people along with my 4000+ members use low-dose naltrexone for the chronic illnesses and for their health in general. Google it you’ll see it’s an immune modulator and great for everybody it is seemingly too good to be true, you just have to remember LDN tricks your body into healing itself that’s a good phrase to Google!

  • J.M.
    Posted July 9, 2014 at 7:12 pm

    Has anyone explored a possible connection between breast cancer radiation (post surgery) and cherry angiomas? Also, what about chloroquine taken as an anti-malarial for 2 yrs. (Aralen). Alochol? Recreational drugs?

  • Lauren
    Posted August 9, 2014 at 5:50 am

    Hi Paul, I saw this page and was instantly enlightened. I’m on several different medications and am having the same cherry angioma breakout that you’ve described. There even on my scalp. I hate them for several reasons. If I go to the pharmacy (I live in the US) what is the best supplement to buy? Also is there a list of bromine containing meds anywhere on the internet? Thanks. Will you please email me your answer if possible.

  • Nick
    Posted August 9, 2014 at 10:56 am

    It seems a while since the writer of this article posted anything again in the comments sections. Does anyone know what happened?

  • Elizabeth
    Posted August 9, 2014 at 1:57 pm

    Any update? This is so helpful. I would love to know how you are doing now. Was the therapy successful?

    I, too, have these on my trunk, arms and upper thighs. I believe it’s possible to be coming from my long term use of an asthma inhaler.

  • honny1
    Posted September 22, 2014 at 3:58 pm

    I have one near by ear. It is just one but quite big..doctor advised me to remove it by electrolysis. but I am scared
    is there any fast cure of angioma at home itself. I don’t want to visit that doctor again.

  • Jane fox
    Posted January 2, 2015 at 11:44 am

    Hi, we’re you aware that chemicals licensed in the UK for water treatment processes contain bromine and acrylamide, in addition to the dreaded chlorine. I purchased a water distiller from Amazon and it’s dreadful to see and smell the chemicals that are extracted from tap water during this process. I feel so much healthier not drinking un-distilled tapwater. Might be worth a try, should definitely help with reducing toxins. I too have cherry angiomas. I was diagnosed with a under active thyroid which can be due to low iodine (hence high bromine levels as bromine displaces iodine in the body, esp the thyroid). I also have hip pain. Try asking your GP – mine is in total denial and only offers the standard NHS response “we don’t know what causes cherry angiomas and they are not harmful” – the lack of understanding in the NHS is disgraceful! Thanks for the blog

  • Crystal
    Posted January 10, 2015 at 3:44 pm

    thankfully being apart of some great group on line i posted some pictures. years of have a few of these red spots boot know what they were then this past 3 month i have noticed an increase on the belly and chest and small tiny pin like ones all over the body, they are not connecting. these group are great because i am dealing with candida and parasites and hormone issues. i have started desicated t4 pills recently, did some blood work and was post menopausal at 36, so i am on a natural formula for hormones, adrenal support, dimaseus earth for the parasites and trying to straighten out the diet. the red spots are a concern of many, i have also notice a whiteness to my toes nails and not the half moon, some have mentioned terry nails. I have done a zyto scan which i am not sure if any of you are familiar with it or not but I have allot of penicillium in my body…why i am not sure. I have an air purifier in the house that runs all the time and helps with electrical as well. So now i am wondering if i should take this to my natural path or not? or just start a treatment?
    So I will start increasing the vitamin c and salt which i use allot of celtic but the iodine not sure how much i should really start a? and should i get tested fist as well to see where i am at. with there being som much going on with my body i have so much i am trying to fix its frustrating!! thanks and i love this group

  • Jina
    Posted January 11, 2015 at 5:04 pm

    Hello this article is very helpful I have the spots- one on my arm which is very annoying- and would like to gt rid of them! Wondering if your plan has been working.

  • Cathy
    Posted January 21, 2015 at 4:12 am

    I, too, have thousands of these on my torso, now spreading to my arms, chest and legs. I am 39, but up until about 35 only had a few on my entire body. After the birth of my second child, they erupted and haven’t stopped. I visit the dermatologist 2-3 times each winter and each time have 100 plus lasered off. I’ve always been suspicious that it was the birth control I was on when I was nursing, although like others in this thread I had low thyroid during my pregnancy and was on synthroid. My dermatologist said he’s never seen anyone with this many angiomas… Not exactly what you want to hear! Anyway… I’m hoping people keep commenting. I’ve felt very alone, like my body is being invaded and there’s no stopping what’s coming. All of the laser treatments feel like I’m pouring a cup of water on a forest fire, but I keep fighting. Let’s all figure this out.

    As for my body make up… I’m a healthy, normal weight 39 year old. I was diagnosed recently with high blood pressure ( genetics). I’m of Italian descent. I’m a non smoker, non drug user, and a social drinker. I have a high stress job. I also took Zoloft for one year after the birth of my second child (same time angiomas started to worsen).

    • Dana
      Posted March 17, 2015 at 5:35 am

      Hi Cathy…I’m serious as to which birth control you were on while nursing? I was recently taking the mini pill…progestin based…while I was breastfeeding but had to discontinue as I started to get itchy prickly skin and these red dots started to erupt again. I’m convinced it’s due to estrogen in the body, specifically estrogen dominance.

  • Gemma
    Posted February 8, 2015 at 10:34 am

    I everyone i posted here about 2 years ago now about my experience with these cherry angiomas and 2 years later i’m still none the wiser. I decided to stop focusing on them as i was becoming obsessed and as soon as i stopped looking for them i noticed them less. However there are times when i get curious about them again to see what is causing them as i have noticed in the last couple of months i’m getting more but i’ve also had a major flare up of my anxiety disorder don’t know if this is related or not. Like others i started getting these after having a child so could be hormonal factors a doctor the other day told me this happens quite often. I have noticed alot of people i know have these cherry angiomas athough never met anyone who has thousands like myself. Anyway i will keep checking back here to see if anyone has some answers.

    • Gerwin
      Posted February 26, 2015 at 3:12 pm

      my 10 month old son has it too.
      he eats bread which i think is processed, he has mild asthma. Doctors here did’nt want to test him for bromine toxins and such.

      i will seek 2nd opinion.

      thanks for the response

    • bev
      Posted March 12, 2015 at 6:52 pm

      I stumbled across this site the other day and have had some of these spots bothering me for years. I’ve always wondered why they are there, why I get more of them, and how to get rid of them. There are a few particulary that bother me, one is like a bright red skin tag on my neck, most of the others are flat or barely raised, this one (to me) is gross and kind of floppy.
      Anyway, I decided to do the Apple Cider Vinegar trick…first day I soaked a cotton ball, put a Band-Aid over it and went to bed, the whole area was a bit red in the morning, and the angioma itself felt harder and seemed smaller. So, I did it again the next night. I didn’t pay much attention to the fact that the Band-Aid was bothering my skin, and went to bed. The next day, it looked pretty bad, but the angioma was now almost half black. I wanted this thing gone, so I did it again another night, the next morning, my neck looked BAD. Very bad, the skin all around it was burnt to a crisp. That night I took a scissors and just clipped off the little hard black bit that was remaining of the angioma. It was GONE, and I was very pleased, however, I’ve had a scab about the size of a quarter on my neck for a week now, it’s getting better and I have hopes that it will heal and be gone. I just hope that darn thing doesn’t come back. I think I will try to do the same to the ones on my legs, I just might do it for three days in a row!

      • bev
        Posted March 12, 2015 at 6:53 pm

        I meant to say, “I just might NOT do it for three days in a row!” LOL

    • Dana
      Posted May 6, 2015 at 5:09 pm

      Hi Gemma,
      Like you, I posted on here for the first time a few years ago. I continue to search for answers and I refuse to believe these so called “senile” angiomas aka Cherry angiomas developed so rapidly and continue to increase just because. Thought you might be interested in hearing that I recently been working with Dr. Depke and spoke with Dr. Chi to try and figure out what’s going on with me! Look both up, they are very knowledgeable in Cherry Angiomas and have written books and articles. Dr. Chi is passionate about estrogen dominance causing the Cherry angiomas. Its worth looking up the symptoms if estrogen dominance also applies to you…I have a lot of the symptoms and endometriosis so I believe this can be the trigger. I developed these initially during a time of heightened stress and believe that caused adrenal insufficiency and ultimately estrogen dominance. Hope you find this theory to be helpful.

      • Lisa
        Posted October 2, 2015 at 6:02 pm

        Hi Dana. I am interested in the hormone connection and these doctors. Has your gotten better? Any more info you can give?

  • Jacob M
    Posted February 27, 2015 at 5:05 am

    I found this video to remove them DIY…works! 🙂
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5tI2zWQzGo

    Jake

  • Andy
    Posted June 21, 2015 at 7:44 pm

    Hi ! I’m 27 y.o white male, few of this little red bastards about 0,5 mm diameter were on my shoulders for about 2-3 years, but month ago I noticed that they appear all over my hands (small, near 0,2-0,4 mm), few on legs and body. Immediately I visited dermatologist, she referred me to oncologist. He told me, that this is completely harmless, have no connection to some malignancy at all, and just a genetics. I guess it could be true, because both of my parents have this dots, but only couple, not 70-80 like I have. Iodine deficiency is possible in my case, because I don’t like fish or any seafood and don’t know about quality of my water. So, now I take iodine pills and vitamins, but still want to pass a full blood test for any possible problems (although beside this dots I can’t complain about health). So thank you guys for information about this strange ughm… condition, glad I’m not alone with this problem.

  • Lenny
    Posted October 23, 2015 at 2:10 pm

    Hi just bought your recommendations and have realised i bought niacinamide by mistake. In your blog above you say NOT this. Why?

  • Heather
    Posted October 28, 2015 at 6:34 pm

    I stared getting mine in college at 18, during a very stressful period in my life. I had gone to the doctors because I felt that I had an ulcer. They kept saying I didn’t and that I was probably just depressed. I Never went in depression medication. For months I had difficulty eating because my stomach hurt. I actually ended up getting clusters headaches due to the stress of just feeling like garbage. Needless to say I ended up getting a cat scan for a brain tumor. In the end it was an ulcer. But during all that I ended up with the little buggers mostly on my torso but also on my legs. The reason I started researching is because my hubby has a giant one on his side and we currently can’t get rid of it sugerically.

  • Catalina
    Posted December 2, 2015 at 9:16 pm

    Thank you so much for all your effort!!!! Luckily I found your blog which answers so many questions I have as a nurse and biologist I also wasn’t happy with most information saying that the angiomas are harmless!!!! More doctors need to know about this!!! Basically you explained that the bromide is preventing the iodine from doing its job by acting as an inhibitor. My mom has breast cancer and its due to increased herceptin on her cells but they don’t know what causes this increase in these little proteins. It makes me wonder if bromide not only inhibits the iodine but also stimulates or triggers a cascade or response that changes the properties of whatever it is attaching to, for example causing an increase in the little herceptin hairs or some other bad effect. I found these little red dots on my breasts this morning and upper abdomen and I also just recently stopped taking an SSRI that actually caused me to gain 100 pounds in one year!!! I am so mad at that SSRI and not it makes me wonder if there are increased incidence in cancer for people who are taking medications containing bromide!!! You are a genius!!! I think you are seriously on to something and it is good that you are documenting everything. You might find a cure for cancer that is so freaking simple!!!

  • Theresa
    Posted February 12, 2016 at 1:34 am

    I just wanted to make a quick comment regarding the supplements you have suggested. People need to be careful not to buy things with magnesium stearate as an added ingredient. This substance is not magnesium as we know it, it is a manufacturing lubricant to make the pills shoot through the machinery faster. It is not a good substance to ingest. Read about that here: http://www.drrons.com/beware-of-additives-in-supplements.htm and here: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/06/23/whole-food-supplement-dangers.aspx

  • Vanessa Garcia
    Posted March 3, 2016 at 6:48 am

    Does anyone know if they also have Hashimoto? I also just found out my bromide levels are high. Started the iodine tables two weeks ago. Will start taking two tables tomorrow for a total of 25. Have been bathing in Epsom Salt for years not realizing I was detoxing. Used it to relief my Fibromyalgia symptoms. But I do have a history of Kidney Failure and Hypothyroidism. Good to know I am on the right track to a better health.

  • Amanda
    Posted May 1, 2016 at 1:46 pm

    I am not concerned about my cherry spots for asthetic reasons but if my body is deficient in minerals I am concerned. Did your therapy also help your depression-or need for celexa? I have used it from time to time. I use lots of good and vitamin-mineral therapies to help but yours is interesting to me.

  • Catherine
    Posted May 2, 2016 at 5:23 pm

    It doesn’t look like Ian is still answering these, but alternative, has anyone looked into the theory that these are cause by toxins in the liver, requiring a liver cleanse as opposed to an iodine deficiency?

  • david davies
    Posted May 29, 2016 at 12:58 am

    hi,i also have these spots over my chest and stomach only,i wont take my top off in the sun,its knocking my confidence too,should i take iodine tablets?i went to doctors and was told nothing to worry about,cherry spots.

  • Marisol
    Posted May 29, 2016 at 9:45 pm

    I also began noticing these beginning to appear by the thousands after my third pregnancy. That’s been 16 years ago, and they seem to continue to sprout. Mainly the little tiny pinprick ones. I’ve had 2 doctors erroneously say that they are “petechia” and was sent for blood work. All was well except anemia (due to heavy periods). The anemia has been gone for about 10 years. The pinpoint cherry angiomas have continued, and I think I see more every day. I went on a gluten free diet a few years ago, and noticed they seemed to be disappearing, but I discontinued that diet (mainly out of being lazy) and now they are back. Can this be related to not just bromine, but also a gluten intolerance? I just bought Lugol’s Iodine but am not sure how much to take. The entire dropper filled to the top? Is there such thing as too much iodine? Someone posted on another site, about low iron levels and this condition. Who knows. Glad I’m not alone. I have never seen anyone with as many as I have. It’s frustrating. Have never been on any meds at all, so that theory is out for me. As I child I suffered from terrible bouts of strep throat and was on different antibiotics constantly. The only thing I can think of as far as meds. I hope this iodine thing starts to work its magic.

  • K Halos
    Posted August 9, 2016 at 3:52 am

    Hi:)
    I noticed my little “spots” a few years ago…. In the middle of menopause!:(
    Mostly mine are on my forehead… Which is quite conspicuous!
    I am 57 and am thought to be in my early 50s, I am NOT a vein person, yet I would LOVE for them to be gone! Thank you for your iodine idea and I will continue to watch for your results. I was thinking I would need them lasered off….. Ouch! AND expensive!
    Keep up the test!:)

  • Kerry
    Posted August 11, 2016 at 8:47 pm

    Iain, I’m considering the Iodine protocol. Very interested to know if you have had positive long lasting effects from it?
    Kerry

  • Debbie Rizzo
    Posted September 20, 2016 at 10:01 pm

    A salt push or salt loading detoxes bromides.

  • rm
    Posted November 9, 2016 at 1:52 pm

    So I seemed to have gotten them after using a tanning bed over 20 years ago, lots of them. Not sure what the connection is, but I was very unhealthy and fair skinned. I lived with them or a long time, THEY GROW LARGER WITH TIME!!! BUT, i watched videos on You Tube with people burning them off with a pin head, and IT WORKS, no scarring, my skin looks so good now!

  • Mallory
    Posted December 11, 2016 at 7:31 am

    Hi Ian! Did the Iodine Protocol help you get rid of the cherry angiomas after all? My sister is experiencing them and is considering the protocol.

  • Anna
    Posted December 20, 2016 at 9:15 am

    Thank God I found this! Thank you for posting this, because I have them everywhere. When applying the treatments you did say the smaller ones were disappearing? I also was wondering if you could post all the products you are using?? At least not the ones listed

  • Louise
    Posted January 5, 2017 at 12:12 am

    Your article was really helpful, I’ve done lots of research and your companion vitamin explanation was very clear. I’m interested in getting rid of cherry angioma, not just preventing more. It would be great to hear an update on whether this has worked for you?

  • Scott
    Posted June 27, 2017 at 10:20 pm

    I work on board ships for long periods of time. The drinking water is brominated to make it “safe” to drink, similar to chlorinating water. During the last trip I was on I noticed a few more cherry angiomas pop up. The meals they provided weren’t particularly iodine rich, lots of processed food and bready stuff. Also I rarely add salt to anything I eat either (iodinized). So this situation sounds like a potential breeding ground for the cherry angiomas.

  • Tarre
    Posted July 7, 2017 at 2:32 am

    The bromine/iodine theory is interesting, I think I’ll start taking iodine supplement. However my main goal for now is to get rid of those I already have.

    I have tons of CAs – hundreds, maybe thousands. They are all over my body, except lower legs maybe. Most are pinprick size and no one sees them except me, maybe… but I know they’re there and it’s driving me nuts! I have bad anxiety and depression because of them. I’m only 29, and as with time they increase in number – what will my future look like?

    Sure, I could remove the largest ones at the dermatologist – but no way they could remove all the small ones…

    However I found some videos on youtube and three days ago I started removing them with a hot pin. For now it seems to work! Some disappear after one touch, some don’t, some leave a scab, so it will take a week or two to see… But there is hope for me now!

    I’d really really really like to talk to people who have as many as I do and are obsessed with them. My e-mail is tarrelond1ash@gmail.com Let’s talk about ways to remove them, their causes and everything else!

  • Donna
    Posted July 9, 2017 at 7:09 am

    Did you guys get any thyroid problems or gray hairs? Everyone told me the bromide in citalopram couldn’t get free to hurt me. Now I will show this article to my doctor!

  • Jen
    Posted July 19, 2017 at 11:39 pm

    Hi thank you for writing this blog …. I too have been on ciprelex for many years and have just noticed that I have these spots as well …. I’m female In my 40’s and they are very dark purple/black spots … I went to doctors today and he said they were angiomas too …. I would love to come off the ciprelex but the side effects are very bad ….. any feedback on how too come off this drug the easiest ? Thanks and love to hear back from anyone that has similar worries about coming off …. even though being on this isn’t good for us either …. I also have severe depression and anxiety
    Jen

    Would like to talk to anyone via email if possible as well

  • Vanessa
    Posted September 9, 2018 at 11:36 am

    Wow, thanks for the information on c/a… definitely going ahead with the detox and lecol’s iodine….

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