Skin Biopsy, Care After

The following information offers guidance on how to care for yourself after your procedure. Your health care provider may also give you more specific instructions. If you have problems or questions, contact your health care provider.

What can I expect after the procedure?

• Soreness or mild pain.
• Bruising.
• Itching.
• Some redness and swelling.

Follow these instructions at home:

Biopsy site care

• Follow instructions from your health care provider about how to take care of your biopsy site. Make sure you:
  • Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before and after you change your bandage (dressing). If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer.
  • Change your dressing as told by your health care provider.
  • Leave stitches (sutures), skin glue, or adhesive strips in place. These skin closures may need to stay in place for 2 weeks or longer. If adhesive strip edges start to loosen and curl up, you may trim the loose edges. Do not remove adhesive strips completely unless your health care provider tells you to do that.
• Check your biopsy site every day for signs of infection. Check for:
  • More redness, swelling, or pain.
  • Fluid or blood.
  • Warmth.
  • Pus or a bad smell.
• Do not take baths, swim, or use a hot tub until your health care provider approves. Ask your health care provider if you may take showers. You may only be allowed to take sponge baths.

General instructions

• Take over-the-counter and prescription medicines only as told by your health care provider.
• Return to your normal activities as told by your health care provider. Ask your health care provider what activities are safe for you.
• Keep all follow-up visits. This is important.

Contact a health care provider if:

• You have more redness, swelling, or pain around your biopsy site.
• You have fluid or blood coming from your biopsy site.
• Your biopsy site feels warm to the touch.
• You have pus or a bad smell coming from your biopsy site.
• You have a fever.
• Your sutures, skin glue, or adhesive strips loosen or come off sooner than expected.

Get help right away if:

• You have bleeding that does not stop with pressure or a dressing.

Summary

• After the procedure, it is common to have soreness, bruising, and itching at the site.
• Follow instructions from your health care provider about how to take care of your biopsy site.
• Check your biopsy site every day for signs of infection.
• Contact a health care provider if you have more redness, swelling, or pain around your biopsy site, or your biopsy site feels warm to the touch.
• Keep all follow-up visits. This is important.