Medical Dermatology
Skin Biopsy in Islamabad
When a rash or lesion needs a definite answer
In plain terms
Understanding skin biopsy
What it is
A skin biopsy is a small sample of skin taken under local anaesthetic and sent to a pathologist to be examined under the microscope. It is how a rash that has not behaved, or a lesion that looks wrong, stops being an opinion and becomes a diagnosis.
What it helps with
Rashes that have not responded to sensible treatment, lesions that might be cancer, blistering conditions, unexplained hair loss with scarring, and any situation where the right treatment is a serious one and ought to be started on certainty rather than probability.
What happens in the session
The area is cleaned and numbed with a small injection, which is the only part you really feel. A sample a few millimetres across is taken, usually with a punch or a small shave. Depending on the type it is closed with a stitch or left to heal on its own. The whole thing takes about fifteen minutes.
How the result comes in
The report usually returns in about a week. She will go through what the pathologist found, what it means for you, and what the treatment is now that the diagnosis is known rather than guessed. A stitch, if there is one, comes out at seven to fourteen days depending on the site.
Worth knowing before you book
You will be left with a small mark, and that is an honest trade for a definite answer. Tell her if you take blood thinners or have ever reacted to local anaesthetic. Keep the site dry for the first day, and normal activity is fine after that.
What it involves
Skin Biopsy at her clinic
How long it takes. Same visit, report in about a week.
Book appointmentQuestions about skin biopsy
How long before skin biopsy shows a result?
Same visit, report in about a week. Skin is slow, and anyone quoting you a faster number is selling something.
Who will actually be treating me?
Associate Professor Dr. Lubna Rani Faysal. MBBS (Gold Medalist), FCPS (Dermatology), MHPE, 13 years in dermatology, and Associate Professor of Dermatology, Islamic International Medical College, Rawalpindi.
Do I need to be seen in clinic, or is video enough?
Send a description and a clear photograph on WhatsApp and she will tell you which. Anything needing close examination or a procedure has to be in clinic, tuesday – saturday, 4:00 – 7:00 pm at F8 Markaz, Islamabad.
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Book your skin biopsy consultation
Tuesday – Saturday, 4:00 – 7:00 PM at F8 Markaz, Islamabad. Or ask first on WhatsApp at +92 370 549 7242.
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