Why would I need a skin biopsy?
Your provider at Family Medical Doctors performs a skin biopsy when you have a lesion that looks suspicious for cancer. Biopsies are also routinely performed on any lesion that’s removed from your skin to be sure it doesn’t contain cancerous cells.
You may need a biopsy for skin lesions such as:
- Moles
- Warts
- Skin tags
- Actinic keratosis
- Skin cancers
- Skin infections
- Bullous pemphigoid
- Inflammatory skin conditions (dermatitis and psoriasis)
Most of these conditions are usually harmless. Moles are the exception. Moles can turn into melanoma, the rarest but deadliest type of skin cancer.
The two most common types of skin cancer — basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma — are also identified by skin lesions. For example, you might notice a raised pink patch that forms a crust, a pink or red bump, or dry, scaly lesions.
How do doctors perform skin biopsies?
The team at Family Medical Doctors follows strict standards for safely performing your skin biopsy. After cleaning the area and injecting a local anesthetic, they remove the targeted lesion using one of these techniques:
- A shave biopsy uses a razor-like device to remove thin layers of skin
- A punch biopsy uses a round device to remove a small but deeper section of skin
- An incisional biopsy uses a scalpel to remove a small area of skin
- An excisional biopsy removes an entire lump, lesion, or abnormal area
When your biopsy is finished, the skin sample goes to a pathology lab where it’s examined under a microscope. The lab specialists identify all the cells in the sample, including any that are precancerous or cancerous.
What happens after my skin biopsy?
The next step depends on your lab results. In most cases, the lesion is free of cancer cells. If your lab results show you had skin cancer, but all the cancer was removed, you won’t need further treatment.
In the event the lab results show you may have some residual cancer cells in your skin, you will need additional treatment. At that point, your provider talks with you about your results and the next step.
If you have a skin lesion that changes in appearance, call Family Medical Doctors or schedule an appointment online to learn if you might need a skin biopsy.
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