Of rashes, moles, other benign and malignant skin lesions
Biopsy and surgical excision are procedures in which all or a portion of a skin lesion is removed and when indicated, sent to a pathologist to render a diagnosis. SKIN Specialists performs these procedures as an in-office procedure under local anesthetic, and results are available in 4 to 10 days. A biopsy is necessary to distinguish between different types of rashes or skin lesions; or to confirm whether skin cancer is present and if so, to obtain information on the type of skin cancer to determine the most appropriate treatment.
SKIN Specialists utilizes the following procedures dependent on the suspected diagnosis of the skin lesion:
WHAT IS INVOLVED WITH A BIOPSY OR EXCISIONAL PROCEDURE?
A small injection of a local anesthetic such as lidocaine is given into the skin to make the area numb. This usually stings momentarily but the skin quickly becomes numb. Patients may feel a pushing sensation in the area where the skin biopsy is being performed but there should not be any pain. You should tell the doctor if you experience pain during the biopsy. You may have stitches depending on the type of procedure. If so, you will be told when to return to the office for removal. Depending on the type of procedure, a dressing may be applied to the surgical site. If so, the dressing should be left in place for the first 24 hours. Additional instructions will be provided at the time of surgery. If a specimen is sent to a pathologist, arrangements will be made to tell you the results. It usually takes about 1 week to obtain the results from the pathology laboratory, but can sometimes take longer if special stains are required. There will be a small scar left after the skin biopsy or excision site has healed.
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