What Are Skin Biopsies?
Skin Cancer Care Specialists | February 9, 2017
When you have an abnormal area of skin or something that looks potentially cancerous, a doctor will often perform what is known as a skin biopsy. A simple test used to examine a particular area of skin, a skin biopsy involves the placement of a needle into the skin to remove a sample. That sample then gets examined and evaluated for the presence of cancer or other skin diseases. Skin biopsies are in-office procedures usually performed with local anesthesia.
Conditions a Skin Biopsy Can Detect
Skin biopsies are used to diagnose or treat a variety of skin conditions, including:
- Skin cancers, including basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma
- Skin infections
- Skin tags
- Suspicious moles, warts or other growths
- Actinic keratosis
- Dermatitis
- Blistering skin disorders
What to Expect
On the day of your biopsy, you’ll come into our office, where we’ll clean the site and the medical provider will inject a local anesthetic. This may sting, but only for a second or two, and then the rest of the procedure is completely comfortable. A sample of skin is removed so it can be examined under a high‐powered microscope for abnormalities. Typically, you can go home soon afterwards.
What to Do Afterwards
After your biopsy, you’ll want to keep the wound clean and dry; it should fully heal within a week or two. Otherwise, you are free to return to normal activities. Do you have any questions about a skin biopsy and how it works? Interested in talking to a member of our team? Contact us anytime to set up a consultation with Dr. Weisberg or with Kathryn LaCalamita, PA-C.
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