Biopsy Wound Care Instructions
First 2 days
– Keep the area dry for 24–48 hours.
– After 48 hours, wash the area once a day with soap and water.
– If there is a beige outer bandage, remove it after 48 hours, but leave the Steri-Strips on.
Bathing and swimming
– You may shower after 48 hours.
– Do not soak the area in a bath, pool, hot tub, or ocean for 2 weeks.
Covering the wound
– Cover the area with a bandage if it might get dirty or rubbed (for example, at work, under tight clothing, or during sports).
Bleeding
– If the area bleeds, press firmly with clean gauze or a cloth for 20 minutes without stopping.
– If bleeding does not stop, contact Toronto Dermatology Centre. After hours or on weekends, go to a walk-in clinic, your family doctor, or the emergency department.
Scabs and cleaning
– Do not pick scabs. This can cause more scarring.
– Do not scrub or rub the wound until it has fully healed.
Activity and stretching
– For 2–3 weeks, avoid activities that stretch the area or put tension on the wound.
– Stitches help support the wound, but once they are removed, the scar is weaker and easier to stretch. Try not to pull across the scar line.
– If the wound opens a little, it usually heals on its own. Start using antibiotic ointment 2–3 times a day until it closes (this may take 1–2 weeks). It will not be re-stitched because that increases infection risk.
Make-up and hair dye
– Do not put make-up on the wound until the skin has healed and there is no scab (usually at least 2 weeks).
– Do not put make-up directly over stitches.
– If the site is on your scalp, do not color your hair until the area has healed.
Infection
Contact your family doctor if you notice:
– redness spreading beyond the wound
– swelling
– increasing pain
– fever or sweats
– bad smell or pus from the wound
Stitches
– Non-dissolvable stitches should be removed after 7 to 10 days.
– Dissolvable stitches (clear, like fishing line) can take 2–4 or more weeks to go away completely.