Scin Biopsy
An easy and minimally invasive procedure to remove a piece of skin tissue for laboratory testing to aid the diagnosis and treatment of skin diseases and conditions.
SCIN BIOPSY
A Skin biopsy is small surgical procedure used to identify and correctly treat some of the more complex skin conditions and diseases. During a biopsy the doctor will clean the area and numb it with local anaesthetic before removing a piece of skin from the affected area with a scalpel (small knife), razor blade, scissors or a round cutter (called punch biopsy).
This piece of skin or tissue is then sent to a laboratory for further testing, and it is the most common form used to analyse whether foreign tissues, abnormal growths and tumours exists in the skin. A biopsy can not only provide answers around complex diseases present, but it will also enable the early enough detection of hazardous conditions so that you can take lifesaving steps towards the best treatment.
BENEFITS OF
SCIN BIOPSY
BENEFITS OF SCIN BIOPSY
• Enabling effective treatment and prevention strategies
• Quick, in-house procedure with no down-time
• Generally painless and quick
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
A round cutting instrument is used to ‘punch’ and surgically remove a piece of skin for microscopic testing and examination.
The exact size of the piece of tissue will be determined by the condition or abnormal growth suspected, its location and the type of tests required.
No. This is a very small procedure and is done at our consulting rooms.
The procedure is not painful, and the doctor will make use of local anaesthesia which might cause a mild stinging sensation when being injected. When feeling returns there might be a little bit of sensitivity and the doctor will prescribe painkillers in some extreme cases where bigger pieces of tissue are required.
Yes, if the exact condition is not identifiable through visual examination the doctor might use a variety of other instruments and tests to provide more definite details around the indications. Skin tests like use tests, patch tests, prick tests and intradermal tests can help identify potential allergies or causes of rashes, while black light is used to illuminate pigmentation abnormalities and fungi or bacteria. Learn more about skin disease diagnosis here.
Skin biopsies are used across the globe to effectively and correctly diagnose skin disease, but our doctors will only do one should the condition in question require it. In most cases, this is required when it’s not a common, easily identifiable or potentially cancerous skin disease. A biopsy allows the required lab testing to correctly identify and prescribe the treatment needed for corrective and preventative measures.
Consult your doctor for exact care instructions as this depends on the exact size of the excision done. Generally, bathing is not allowed, but the patient is allowed to shower after 24 hours. The area should be covered again with dressings until scab forms. If bleeding occurs, firm pressure and a clean gauze is recommended and if redness occurs around the wound, it could be signs of mild infection and it is better to contact your doctor for a topical solution if they have not included one in your prescription already.
