Skin Biopsy

What you should know

• A skin biopsy is a procedure where your caregiver takes a sample of your skin for testing. Testing is done in a special lab to diagnose or rule out skin cancer, or other skin disease. Skin biopsies may also be done as treatment to remove a skin lesion (injured area of skin). Your caregiver may do a biopsy to check scaly spots, rashes, growths, warts, and other skin lesions. Your caregiver may also do a skin biopsy to look at small nerve fibers. This may be done if you are having pain and numbness in your lower legs and feet. It may be necessary for you to have more than one skin biopsy.
  
  
• There are many different ways to do a skin biopsy. One of the more common ways is a punch biopsy. Punch biopsy allows the whole thickness of your skin to be taken. This includes the layer that contains blood vessels, nerves, sweat glands, and hair shafts. It may also include the fat under your skin. Punch biopsies may be done if the skin lesion is very small, or very large. During the procedure, a biopsy punch tool is used to remove the skin sample. With a skin biopsy, your caregiver may learn what skin or nerve condition you have. Once your caregiver knows what your condition is, treatment can start as soon as possible.

Care Agreement

You have the right to help plan your care. Learn about your health condition and how it may be treated. Discuss treatment options with your caregivers to decide what care you want to receive. You always have the right to refuse treatment.

Risks

• Having this procedure may cause you to bleed from the biopsy area, or get an infection. You may have bruising, swelling, or pain in the area where the biopsy was done. You may have scarring from where the skin tissue was removed. You are at higher risk of having problems after your procedure if you smoke, or take steroid medicines. Smoking and steroid medicine may make it harder for your tissue to heal. You may have an allergic response from the numbing medicine used for the procedure.
  
  
• Not having a needed biopsy means you may not be treated if you have a serious skin condition. You may also have a nerve condition, and not know it. Serious skin and nerve conditions left untreated may cause you to have lifelong problems and illness. Call your caregiver if you are worried, or have questions about your biopsy or care.

Getting Ready

Before your procedure:

• Write down the correct date, time, and location of your procedure.
  
  
• Tell your caregiver if you have a bleeding problem, or blood disorder.
  
  
• You or a close family member will be asked to sign a legal document called a consent form. It gives caregivers permission to do the procedure or surgery. It also explains the problems that may happen, and your choices. Make sure all your questions are answered before you sign this form.

Treatment

What will happen:

• You will be taken to the room where your procedure will be done. If you are a patient in the hospital, you may have the procedure done in your room. Your caregiver will clean the area where the skin sample will be taken from. Special sheets will be put over the area to keep it clean. Medicine called anesthesia will be given to numb the biopsy area. This medicine will be given with a shot into the skin.
  
  
• Your caregiver will stretch the skin around the biopsy area, with his fingers, to make the skin tight. The biopsy punch tool will be firmly placed on the area where the skin sample will be taken. Your caregiver will turn, or move the punch tool back and forth to cut the skin. The skin sample will be put in a clean container with a special liquid. The open skin area (wound) may then be closed with tapes or stitches (threads). Your caregiver may put medicine on your wound that stops the area from bleeding. The sample taken will be sent to a lab for tests.

After your procedure:

A bandage will cover the biopsy area to keep it clean and dry. The bandage will help to protect the area from infection. When the procedure is over, you may be able to go home. You will return to your room, or stay in your room, if you are a hospital patient. You may have some bleeding, oozing (leaking fluid), redness, or swelling after the biopsy. These are normal. You may also have pain during the first 24 to 48 hours after your procedure.

Contact a caregiver if

• You cannot make it to your procedure on time.
  
  
• You have a skin infection, or a new sore near the biopsy area.
  
  
• You have questions or concerns about your skin biopsy.

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The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.

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