SHAVE BIOPSY WOUND CARE

INSTRUCTIONS FOR CARING FOR YOUR SHAVE BIOPSY SITE

WOUND CARE

  • Your biopsy site will be covered with a pressure dressing. This should be left in place and kept dry for 24 hours.
  • After 24 hours remove the bandage and begin once daily wound care as follows:
    • Clean the wound with warm soapy water (use a gentle soap like Dove) with a Q tip or gauze pad
    • Rinse thoroughly
    • Dry wound with a Q tip or gauze pad
    • Apply a layer of Vaseline petroleum jelly or aquaphor to wound
    • Cover wound with a non-stick gauze pad and paper tape or with a bandaid
  • Clean the wound and replace the dressing once a day until the wound is healed completely. This should take 7-10 days.
  • Shower normally – it is perfectly fine for the wound to get wet in the shower, however if you do this, after your shower, clean the wound as above and replace the dressing.
  • Do not submerge the wound or participate in water activities like swimming until the wound is healed.
  • You should NOT leave the wound open to the air and you should NOT allow a scab to form. Contrary to popular belief, this actually impairs wound healing and increases scar formation.

BLEEDING

  • If significant bleeding occurs that soaks the dressing or leaks from the dressing, remove the dressing and apply direct pressure to the bleeding site with rolled up clean gauze or clean cloth. Keep constant pressure on the site for 20 minutes without removing the new dressing (this means no peeking to look at the wound for 20 full minutes).
  • Applying an ice pack over the entire area, over the gauze while holding pressure can also help stop the bleeding.
  • If bleeding continues after two 20-minute cycles of applied pressure, call the numbers below or go to the nearest emergency room.

PAIN

  • Your biopsy site should not be particularly painful. You can apply ice to the area or take Tylenol for discomfort. Don’t take Motrin, Ibuprofen, Aspirin or any other blood thinning medications.
  • A significant increase in pain may indicate a problem. Call the office if this occurs.

In case of emergency or with questions about your wound call the Silver Spring office at 301-681-7000 during regular business hours.

If there is an emergency after hours please call Dr. Levender’s personal cell phone at 443-878-3178. Patient Resources