Patient Education
EXCISION INFORMATION & WOUND CARE INSTRUCTION
An excision is a technique used for diagnosis and/or removal of certain skin growths and conditions. The specimen is sent to a dermatopathologist for evaluation. Further treatment may be necessary depending on the pathology evaluation. Local anesthesia is used.
Most excisions require sutures to close the wound. Most areas of the body will have antibiotic ointment and a dressing or band aid applied after the procedure.
Leave the dressing or band aid on for 24 hours (unless it gets soiled at which time you will want to replace it sooner). Take off the dressing or band aid and gently rinse the wound with warm water (you may also do this in the shower as a wet dressing or band aid may come off easier). Avoid breaking the sutures with rubbing, scratching, shaving, etc. Apply bacitracin ointment, double antibiotic ointment, Aquaphor, or Vaseline. Avoid triple antibiotic ointment or Neosporin due to higher incidence of contact allergic reactions. Try not to let a scab form as this can impair wound healing. Clean the wound once to twice daily, re applying ointment and dressing or band aid after each cleaning, until sutures are removed (depending on location and size, usually from 6 to 15 days).
If you experience pain the day of the procedure you may use a cool compress or ice pack wrapped in cloth for two to three minutes at a time several times an hour. You may also take Tylenol as directed if not contraindicated by your medical conditions.
If you experience excessive pain, swelling, redness, or itching or the wound is not healing well after the procedure, please call our office immediately.
PUNCH BIOPSY INFORMATION AND WOUND CARE INSTRUCTIONS
A punch biopsy is a technique used for diagnosis or removal of certain skin growths and conditions. The specimen is sent to a dermatopathologist for evaluation. Further treatment may be necessary depending on the results of the biopsy. Local anesthesia is used.
Most punch biopsies require sutures to close the wound. Most areas of the body will have antibiotic ointment and a band aid applied after the procedure.
Leave the band aid on for 24 hours (unless it gets soiled at which time you will want to replace it sooner). Take off the band aid and gently rinse the wound with warm water (you may also do this in the shower as a wet Band-Aid may come off easier). Avoid breaking the sutures with rubbing, scratching, shaving, etc. Apply bacitracin ointment, double antibiotic ointment, Aquaphor, or Vaseline. Avoid triple antibiotic ointment or Neosporin due to higher incidence of contact allergic reactions. Try not to let a scab form as this can impair wound healing. Clean the wound once to twice daily, re applying ointment after each cleaning, until sutures are removed (depending on location and size, usually from 6 to 15 days).
If you experience pain the day of the procedure you may use a cool compress or ice pack wrapped in cloth for two to three minutes at a time several times an hour. You may also take Tylenol as directed if not contraindicated by your medical conditions.
If you experience excessive pain, swelling, redness, or itching or the wound is not healing well after the procedure, please call our office immediately.
SHAVE BIOPSY INFORMATION AND WOUND CARE INSTRUCTIONS
A shave biopsy is a biopsy technique used for diagnosis or removal of certain skin growths and conditions. The specimen is sent to a dermatopathologist for evaluation. Further treatment may be necessary depending on the pathology evaluation. Local anesthesia is used.
Most areas of the body will have antibiotic ointment and a band aid applied after the procedure. Leave the band aid on until end of the day or next morning (unless it gets soiled at which time you will want to replace it sooner). Take off the band aid and gently rinse the wound with warm water (you may also do this in the shower as a wet Band-Aid may come off easier). Avoid breaking the sutures with rubbing, scratching, shaving, etc. Apply bacitracin ointment, double antibiotic ointment, Aquaphor, or Vaseline. Avoid triple antibiotic ointment or Neosporin due to higher incidence of contact allergic reactions. Try not to let a scab form as this can impair wound healing. Clean the wound once to twice daily, re applying ointment after each cleaning. The wound may take up to several weeks to heal.
If you experience excessive pain, swelling, redness, or itching or the wound is not healing well after the procedure, please call our office for advice
LIQUID NITROGEN/CRYOTHERAPY INFORMATION AND AFTER CARE INSTRUCTIONS
Cryosurgery is a procedure in which skin is quickly frozen by applying a spray of liquid nitrogen to the area being treated. Cryosurgery may be an alternative to regular surgery and may be used to treat pre-cancerous or noncancerous (benign) growths (warts, skin tags, etc.).
Liquid nitrogen is applied directly on the skin as a spray or with a cotton tipped applicator. Several applications may be needed to treat the area. You may feel a stinging or burning sensation during cryosurgery. The area treated will become swollen and red in within minutes and may blister or scab within days. As the skin sloughs off the treated lesion will slough off as well. Occasionally, several treatment sessions may be needed to treat your condition. If a follow up appointment is not made sooner than four to six weeks and the lesion does not resolve with cryotherapy in four to six weeks it is important to follow up.
A dark or light spot may remain in the treated area which often resolves after a few weeks or months but occasionally a mark or scar that is wider than the original lesion can remain after cryosurgery treatment.
Home Care Instructions:
Most lesions treated with cryotherapy will heal within a week or two with no special care.
For larger lesions and with some skin locations or skin types there is a more prominent reaction and a small sore can develop. Open wounds heal best when kept covered and moist. Avoid crusting or scabbing.
If the skin is open, clean the area twice a day with clean water (clean tap water or normal saline) and apply an ointment (Vaseline, petroleum, Aquaphor, bacitracin, or double antibiotic ointment) with a band aid.
If a blister forms and causes pain, you may Lance the blister with a sterilized needle (boil a sewing needle and let it cool before using) and use a clean gauze pad to express out the blister fluid. Do not remove the overlying skin. The treated area will heal within several weeks.