Biopsies are relatively safe procedures, but also come with risks typically associated with breaking the skin (such as infection) or surgery (including reactions to anesthetic and other surgical complications).

Patients who have a history of scarring due to skin injury may be more likely to form a scar (keloid) after a biopsy. The risk for scarring also varies by procedure. For instance, an excisional biopsy is likely to leave a scar, while scars rarely develop following a punch biopsy.

Other potential side effects associated with skin biopsies include pain (usually treated with over-the-counter pain relievers) and slow healing due to an existing medical condition such as diabetes or lifestyle factors such as smoking (which inhibits the skin’s ability to heal). Nerve damage may also occur in rare cases.

Patients should notify their physician if they experience pain that worsens, redness that expands around the biopsy site, bleeding from the wound or a fever greater than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius). The following symptoms may indicate a serious medical condition and demand immediate medical attention:

• Bleeding that does not stop despite gentle pressure
• Swelling at the biopsy site
• Thick discharge of pus from the wound
• High fever