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Skin lesion biopsy

• Overview
• Risks

Alternative Names:

Punch biopsy; Shave biopsy; Skin biopsy; Biopsy - skin

What the risks are:

Any time the skin barrier is broken, there is a chance of infection. If you tend to form large scars ( keloids ) in response to a skin injury, there is a fair chance one will form over the biopsy area. You may lose a very small amount of blood during the procedure.

Special considerations:

Fluid-filled lesions may be examined by skin lesion aspiration instead of skin lesion biopsy.

• Review Date: 5/3/2006
• Reviewed By: Michael S. Lehrer, M.D., Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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