Punch biopsy is a minor procedure where a small round core is removed from a suspicious or undiagnosed skin lesion or rash using a circular blade. The removed tissue is then examined under a microscope to give a diagnosis.
Also known as
Conditions treated
How it’s performed
The doctor injects local anaesthetic into the skin to make it numb. They then use a round blade to cut a hole through the skin, using a twisting motion to drill through the full thickness. This produces a core-shaped specimen of skin which is removed. A small hole remains where the skin was removed. The doctor will apply pressure to control bleeding and then place a dressing over the area.
Preparing for
Punch biopsy
No specific preparation is required.
Side effects and complications
Bleeding, scarring, infection
Follow-up
Punch biopsy is performed as a test to establish the diagnosis of a suspicious or unknown skin lesion, often to find out whether it is a cancer and if so, how deep it goes. the main follow-up is to discuss the pathology results and decide what further treatment is required.
Aftercare
Contraindications
Warnings
Punch biopsy sites sometimes bleed for several hours. There may be a crepe bandage wrapped around the area to control bleeding. If so, leave this bandage on overnight. Because there are no stitches, the skin will heal gradually from the bottom up. This often takes several weeks.
