Skin Biopsies for Diagnosis in South Loop Chicago

Q: Does a skin biopsy hurt?

The numbing injection can sting or burn for a few seconds. After the local anesthetic takes effect, you should not feel sharp pain during the biopsy, though you may feel some pressure or movement. Tell your provider if anything feels uncomfortable, and we can add more numbing. The biopsy itself is brief, and most people find it easier than they expected.

Q: How long do biopsy results take?

Most biopsy results come back within a few days to about two weeks, depending on the lab process and whether special testing is needed. Some samples call for extra stains, a culture, immunofluorescence testing, or an outside review, which can extend the timeline. We reach out once your provider has reviewed the report, and we walk you through any next step rather than leaving you to wonder.

Q: Will a biopsy leave a scar?

Yes. Most scars fade over months, though they will not disappear completely. Raised or thickened scars are more likely in certain areas and in people who are prone to keloids, including patients with a personal history of keloids. When that risk is present, your provider still needs an adequate sample, but can choose the site, size, closure, and aftercare with scarring and pigment in mind.

When a spot, rash, or growth needs more than a look, a skin biopsy gives your provider tissue-level information to help confirm the diagnosis. At our South Loop practice, it is a small in-office step toward a clear answer.

Physician-directed care, part of the Northwestern Medicine Physician Network.

Schedule a Procedure Consultation

Call (847) 802-9667

DOWNTIME: Minimal; basic wound care for about 7 to 14 days
USED FOR: Diagnosing a spot, rash, growth, or possible skin cancer
RESULTS: Often within a few days to about two weeks
ANESTHESIA: Local numbing at the biopsy site
PAYMENT: Typically insurance when medically indicated

What a Skin Biopsy Is and Why It Is Done

A skin biopsy is a minor in-office procedure where we remove a small sample of skin so it can be examined under a microscope. Sometimes this microscopic view is the only way to diagnose certain skin conditions, including some rashes, certain infections, blistering diseases, and possible skin cancers.

A biopsy does not automatically mean cancer. It is a diagnostic tool we use when your provider needs tissue-level information, not appearance alone, to confirm the next step.

Why It May Be Recommended

A spot, mole, or growth that is new, changing, or looks atypical
A rash that cannot be diagnosed by appearance alone
A blister or a suspected autoimmune blistering condition
A growth that may be a skin cancer or a precancer
A suspected skin infection that needs tissue testing
An inflammatory skin condition that needs a closer, tissue-level look

What Happens During a Skin Biopsy

We clean and mark the area, then numb it with a local anesthetic. The numbing injection can sting or burn for a few seconds, and after it takes effect you should not feel sharp pain, though you may feel pressure or movement.

How we take the sample depends on what your provider needs to see. A shave biopsy uses a blade to take a thin or saucer-shaped sample from the upper layers of skin, with the depth chosen for your specific concern. A punch biopsy uses a small circular tool to take a deeper cylindrical sample, and an incisional or excisional biopsy uses a blade to remove part or all of a lesion when a fuller sample is needed. If melanoma is a concern, or depth matters for an accurate reading, your provider chooses the approach that gives an adequate sample.

We control any bleeding and bandage the area. A shave biopsy usually does not need stitches, while a punch, incisional, or excisional biopsy may need one or more stitches depending on size, depth, and location.

The sample is sent to a lab, where a dermatopathologist examines it and sends a report to your provider. Some conditions need special stains, a culture, immunofluorescence testing, or an outside review, which can take a bit longer.

Recovery & Safety

Most biopsy wounds heal in about 7 to 14 days, though lower-leg sites often take longer. You go home with wound-care instructions: clean the area gently with mild soap and water, keep it moist with petroleum jelly, and keep it covered as directed.

Avoid soaking the wound in pools or hot tubs until it heals or your provider says it is safe. Showering is generally fine, followed by wound care.

Some bleeding can happen, and it is more likely if you take blood-thinning medication. Apply firm, steady pressure with clean gauze for about 20 minutes without checking the wound, and contact us if bleeding continues, especially if you take a blood thinner. Infection is uncommon after a small biopsy, but call us promptly if you notice worsening pain, increasing swelling, warmth, pus or a yellow or golden crust, spreading redness, or a fever.

A biopsy usually leaves a small scar. It often fades over months, but it will not disappear completely. Raised or thickened scars are more likely in some areas and in people prone to keloids.

Dark marks and skin of color

In richer skin tones, inflammation or injury from a procedure can lead to post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, and some areas are more prone to raised or keloid scars, particularly for patients with a personal history of keloids. Your provider still needs an adequate sample for an accurate diagnosis, but can weigh the site, size, closure, and aftercare with pigment and scar risk in mind.

Is This Right for Me?

We confirm the right approach in person, after an evaluation. The points below are a starting point, not a substitute for your provider's assessment.

Likely the right next step if you:

Have a spot, rash, or growth your provider wants to diagnose at the tissue level
Have a lesion that appearance alone has not explained
Have a spot that is new, changing, or possibly cancerous

We plan carefully or talk through timing first if you:

Take blood thinners, since they can raise the chance of bleeding. Tell us what you take, but do not stop a prescribed blood thinner unless your prescribing clinician tells you to.
Are prone to keloids or raised scars
Are pregnant or could be. Tell us so we can plan safely. A medically necessary biopsy, especially for a changing or suspicious spot, is not usually delayed because of pregnancy.
Have had a reaction to local anesthetic
Have a lesion that is large, deep, or in a cosmetically sensitive area

None of this is meant to slow you down unnecessarily. It helps your provider choose the safest, most accurate approach for you.

Using Insurance?

A biopsy done to evaluate a rash, a changing or suspicious spot, an infection, or a possible skin cancer is medical care and is typically billed to insurance. We participate with select plans, and coverage depends on your plan, network, and the reason for your visit. Separate pathology charges may also apply.

We participate with select plans from insurers such as Aetna, Blue Cross and Blue Shield (PPO and Options), Cigna, Corvel, Humana, Imagine Health, Multiplan, The Alliance, TriWest Healthcare Alliance, United Healthcare, and Zelis. We also accept Medicare Part B and select Medicare Advantage plans. Participation varies by plan and network.

View Accepted Insurance Schedule a Procedure Consultation

Why Patients Choose Advanced Dermatology

01 Physician-led

Dermatologist-Led Care.

Every treatment performed or supervised by a board-certified dermatologist — Dr. Monica Rani, MD (Medical Director) and Dr. Stavonnie Patterson, MD — or Sydney Freedman, PA-C.

02 Skin of Color