A skin biopsy is a non-invasive procedure used to obtain a skin sample for histological examination to obtain clinical information that will help the Dermatologist make a diagnosis and proceed with appropriate treatment.
It is a precious method used when the patient's medical history, physical examination, and clinical examination are insufficient to confirm the final diagnosis.
Before the skin biopsy, the area to be biopsied will be cleaned. The boundaries of the lesion will be marked. Then a local anesthetic will be injected into the area to ensure you do not experience any pain or discomfort during the procedure.
On average, the skin biopsy procedure takes about 15 minutes and is an entirely safe method.
Common examples of skin conditions and lesions where a skin biopsy is required:
- Seborrheic or actinic hyperkeratosis
- Inflammatory skin diseases
- Skin cancers
- Skin infections
- Skin papillomas
- Suspicious moles
- Venereal diseases
