What happens during a skin biopsy?
A health care provider will clean the site and inject an anesthetic so you won't feel any pain during the procedure. The rest of the procedure steps depend on which type of skin biopsy you are getting. There are three main types:
Punch biopsy
A health care provider will place a special circular tool over the abnormal skin area (lesion) and rotate it to remove a small piece of skin (about the size of a pencil eraser).
The sample will be lifted out with a special tool
If a larger skin sample was taken, you may need one or two stitches to cover the biopsy site.
Pressure will be applied to the site until the bleeding stops.
The site will be covered with a bandage or sterile dressing.
A punch biopsy is often used to diagnose rashes.
Shave biopsy
A health care provider will use a razor or a scalpel to remove a sample from the top layer of your skin.
Pressure will be applied to the biopsy site to stop the bleeding. You may also get a medicine that goes on top of the skin (also called a topical medicine) to help stop the bleeding.
A shave biopsy is often used if your provider thinks you may have skin cancer, or if you have a rash that's limited to the top layer of your skin.
Excisional biopsy
A surgeon will use a scalpel to remove the entire skin lesion (the abnormal area of skin).
The surgeon will close the biopsy site with stitches.
Pressure will be applied to the site until the bleeding stops.
The site will be covered with a bandage or sterile dressing.
An excisional biopsy is often used if your provider thinks you may have melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer.
After the biopsy, keep the area covered with a bandage until you've healed, or until your stitches come out. If you had stitches, they will be taken out 3–14 days after your procedure.
