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
Skin Biopsies for Diagnosis in South Loop Chicago
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.
Expert dermatology care, part of the Northwestern Medicine Physician Network.
- DOWNTIME
- Small wounds: about 7 to 14 days; larger sites longer
- USED FOR
- Diagnosing a spot, rash, growth, or possible skin cancer
- RESULTS
- Often within a few days to about two weeks
- ANESTHESIA
- Local numbing
- PAYMENT
- Insurance when medically indicated
What a Skin Biopsy Is and Why It Is Done
During a skin biopsy, we remove a small sample of skin to examine under a microscope. This microscopic view is sometimes 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.
Biopsy findings are sometimes nonspecific or do not fully explain what we see on your skin. When that happens, special testing, an expert review, or another biopsy may be recommended.
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. 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 remove either a superficial sample or a deeper, saucer-shaped sample. The depth is chosen for the suspected diagnosis and, when depth matters, to avoid cutting through the base of the lesion.
- A punch biopsy uses a small circular tool to take a deeper, cylindrical sample.
- An incisional biopsy removes part of a lesion; an excisional biopsy removes the visible lesion for diagnosis. A diagnostic biopsy is not always the full treatment. Depending on the pathology findings and margins, further sampling, a wider excision, or another treatment may be needed.
When melanoma is suspected, guidelines usually favor removing the entire visible lesion with a narrow margin, often about 1 to 3 millimeters. That can mean an elliptical excision, a punch excision of the whole lesion, or a deep shave.
Partial sampling is reserved for lesions whose size or location makes complete removal impractical, and further sampling is sometimes needed.
We control any bleeding and bandage the area. A shave biopsy usually does not need stitches. 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 longer.
Some diagnoses call for more than one biopsy. A suspected blistering disease or infection may need separate samples handled differently, such as immunofluorescence testing or culture.
Recovery & Safety
Most biopsy wounds heal in about 7 to 14 days. Larger, deeper, or sutured wounds, and sites on the lower legs or feet, can take several weeks. You go home with wound-care instructions, and any temporary activity limits depend on the location and closure.
Follow the instructions for the initial dressing. Then clean the area gently with mild soap and water, apply plain petroleum jelly, and keep it covered as directed. Continue this care until the wound heals or any stitches are removed.
Skip antibiotic ointment unless your clinician specifically recommends it, since these products can cause an allergic skin reaction. Once the wound has closed, protect it from the sun with clothing or broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher. Sun protection helps limit discoloration.
Avoid soaking the wound in pools or hot tubs until it heals or your provider says it is safe. Showering is fine, followed by your usual 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.
If bleeding has not stopped after that, contact our office promptly, especially if you take a blood thinner. Seek urgent or emergency care for heavy bleeding that will not stop, or if you feel faint or weak.
Infection is uncommon after a small biopsy. Call us promptly if you notice:
- Worsening pain
- Increasing swelling or warmth
- Pus or a yellow or golden crust
- Spreading redness
- A fever
Expected effects include temporary soreness, swelling, or bruising at the site. Tape, adhesives, and wound-care products can occasionally irritate the skin or cause an allergic reaction. Healing can also be slower with larger or deeper biopsies and with wounds on the legs or feet.
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 highly pigmented skin, inflammation or injury from a procedure can lead to dark marks, called post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Dark or light color changes can be more noticeable in deeper skin tones and may take months or longer to improve. Some changes may persist.
Some areas are more prone to raised or keloid scars, particularly for patients with a personal history of keloids. The biopsy location also shapes your individual risk.
Your provider still needs an adequate, representative sample for an accurate diagnosis. Even so, when clinically possible, we choose the sampling area, size, depth, 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.
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. Do not stop a prescribed blood thinner unless your prescribing clinician tells you to
- Have a bleeding disorder or have had unusually heavy bleeding after a past procedure
- Take any prescription medicine, over-the-counter medicine, or supplement that can affect bleeding
- Are prone to keloids or raised scars
- Have a history of slow wound healing or skin infections
- Have reacted to tape, adhesives, antiseptics, or wound-care products
- Are pregnant or could be. A medically necessary biopsy, especially for a changing or suspicious spot, is not usually delayed because of pregnancy. Local anesthetic can usually be used safely, and we individualize the medication, dose, and any coordination with your obstetric team
- Have had a reaction to local anesthetic
- Have a lesion that is large, deep, or in a cosmetically sensitive area
Using Insurance?
A diagnostic biopsy is medical care and is typically billed to insurance. We participate with select plans; coverage depends on your plan, network, and the reason for your visit. Separate pathology charges may 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.
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
Real Expertise.
Providers experienced in melanin-rich skin; we adjust device, depth, and approach to your skin tone. Repeatedly praised in patient reviews.
03 Earned trust
Earned, Not Claimed.
- Voted Best Dermatologist Chicago, 4 Years in a Row
- 4.8 Zocdoc · 1,100+ Reviews
- 4.6 Google · 200+ Reviews
- Northwestern Medicine Physician Network
04 South Loop
Easy to Reach.
- 850 S Wabash Ave · Suite 200
- Roosevelt
- Metra Electric · Museum Campus
- Bike racks at building entrance
- Same-day & same-week often available
What Patients Say.
4.8 / 5
Zocdoc · 1,100+ verified reviews
4.6 / 5
Google reviews
Northwestern
Medicine Physician Network
4 Years in a Row
Voted Best Dermatologist Chicago
Frequently Asked Questions
The numbing injection can sting or burn for a few seconds. After the local anesthetic takes effect, you should not feel sharp pain, though you may feel pressure or movement.
The biopsy itself is brief, though discomfort and anxiety vary from person to person. Tell your provider if you feel sharp pain or need a pause, and we can add more numbing.
Most biopsy results come back within a few days to about two weeks. This is an estimate rather than a guarantee.
Some samples call for extra stains, a culture, immunofluorescence testing, or an outside review, which can extend the timeline beyond two weeks. We reach out once your provider has reviewed the report, and we walk you through any next step rather than leaving you to wonder.
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.
Your provider still needs an adequate, representative sample for an accurate diagnosis. When clinically possible, we choose the sampling area, size, depth, closure, and aftercare with scarring and pigment in mind.
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Not for medical emergencies. For urgent medical concerns, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.