Normal closure after punch mole biopsy? 1 day post op. (photo)

Question

This morning I had a mole punch biopsy. I took a picture of the stitches before they applied the bandage, and looking at it later, noticed that there are a bunch of folds on either end of the wound. It almost looks like she bunched up the skin on either side of the wound and then stitched over it. Is this a typical approach to take when closing a mole that was punched? If not, should I return and ask them to correct it?

Brent Moelleken, MD · Answer

A punch biopsy is an accepted method of removing a lesion.  However it can leave a white scar that is sometimes depressed or irregular.  You may want to have it revised once the healing is complete, usually after 3-6 months,

Jason Emer, MD · Answer

Yes, these folds are typical and will smooth as you heal. I recommend following up with your cosmetic dermatologist for after care. I recommend Silgen + Bioshield for 6 weeks to promote healing. Any scarring can be improved with lasers and microneedling/prp. Best, Dr. Emer

Eric Rosenberger, MD · Answer

The only way to make a round hole into a straight line is by excision of additional normal tissue to create an ellipse or other angles of approximately 30 degrees or less. Your biopsy was presumably for diagnosis of a potential skin cancer. If your biopsy results return normal, then allow the scar to heal for 2-3 months. If you are dissatisfied with the appearance at that time, then a scar revision should be considered. The scar will likely be smaller than the initial wound created by the punch and therefore less normal tissue will need to be removed (and a smaller scar). If your biopsy returns positive for a skin cancer, then it may be recommended to have further tissue excised as a margin. In this case, the excision will be larger than your current wound and can be closed by creation of an ellipse or other cosmetically acceptable closure. Your dermatologist will make recommendations when pathology recommendations are available. Thank you for your question.

Normal closure after punch mole biopsy? 1 day post op. (photo)

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Normal closure after punch mole biopsy? 1 day post op. (photo)

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Everything you need to know about Mole Removal

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