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You are here: Cancer information / Diagnosis and treatment / Tests and procedures / Shave biopsy

Glossary

Shave biopsy

Why shave biopsy is done

How shave biopsy is done

Potential side effects

What the results mean

What happens if a change or abnormality is found

Limitations of a shave biopsy

 

A shave biopsy is a type of skin biopsy in which the outermost layer of skin is removed using a scalpel.

Why shave biopsy is done

A punch biopsy is usually the preferred method used to diagnose skin cancer. In some cases, a shave biopsy may be used to:

 

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How shave biopsy is done

A shave biopsy does not usually need any special preparation and does not take very long to do. It is often done in a doctor’s office or clinic.

  • The area is frozen with a local anesthetic.
  • A scalpel is used to shave off the growth.
  • The tissue is sent to a laboratory to be examined under a microscope.

 

After the biopsy is done:

  • Bleeding is controlled with cautery and electrodesiccation, a chemical applied to the wound (such as silver nitrate) or pressure.
  • Stitches are usually not needed.
  • A small bandage may be used to cover the biopsy site.
  • A person may resume normal activities almost immediately.
  • The scar left by shave biopsy is flat or slightly depressed.

 

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Potential side effects

Side effects can occur with any type of procedure, but not everyone has them or experiences them in the same way. Most side effects of shave biopsy are short term and may include:

  • slight bleeding or bruising
  • tenderness
  • pain
  • infection
  • scarring

 

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What the results mean

Biopsy samples are sent to the pathology lab. A pathologist (a doctor who specializes in the causes and nature of disease) will look at the cells in the tissue to see if they contain cancer. The pathology report indicates the characteristics and type of cells present and if cells are normal, non-cancerous or cancerous.

 

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What happens if a change or abnormality is found

Based on the results of a shave biopsy, the doctor will decide whether or not further tests, surgery or other procedures are needed.

 

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Limitations of shave biopsy

A shave biopsy should not be done on a skin lesion if it is coloured (pigmented) and could potentially be melanoma (a type of skin cancer).

 

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References

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