Seeing dermatologist today

Hi Jane66 

I realise that this reply might come too late as you said in your post you were having your appointment with dermatology this afternoon.

Anyway, the questions I would be asking are:

• What do you think this lesion is
• Does it need to be removed so that it can be biopsied
• If it does need to be removed, how soon will that happen
• How quickly, based on the current return of biopsy results, will it be before I get the results
• How will I get the results, ie. will I have a face-to-face appointment or will they be delivered by phone or post

I'm sure you've thought of some of your own but I hope this helps.

Do come back and let me know how you got on.

x

Hi latchbrook, thank you for your response, I saw a specialist and she thinks it's a vascular angioma and that the blackness is probably blood not nodular melanoma, I am booked in for next Saturday for a punch excision then it will be sent to the lab for pathology, she did say that results are currently taking 5 to 6 weeks so it will be an anxious wait. 

I hope it doesn't hurt too much she said a couple of stitches. 

That's good news Jane66 

I haven't had a punch excision so I don't know what they're like. All of my lesions have been removed under a local anaesthetic and I'm sure your punch biopsy wouldn't be done without an anaesthetic if it is at all uncomfortable.

Great that you don't have long to wait for the punch excision but I know that waiting for the results can be an anxious time. 

x

Hi – I had a punch biopsy (not sure if that is the same as punch excision) when I had an area of skin appear to re-pigment when I had a check-up following my "full" excision. My recollection is of the skin being literally punched out with a special punching tool – my punch biopsy was quite small, but it is possible there are different sizes of skin "punchers" or whatever they are called.

I didn't have any anaesthetic for the punch biopsy, although when I had the full excision I'd had to ask for extra local anaesthetic because it was hurting (not sure if I'm a wimp or how common that is?).

I do recollect the punch biopsy procedure was extremely quick – literally just punched out a single skin sample in a single punch.

I don't think there would be time to ask for an anaesthetic because by the time you asked the biopsy would be done?

It's possible a local anaesthetic might be more painful than the punch biopsy therefore.

That is just my experience of having a punch biopsy, which may be different to a punch excision. 

I didn't have any stitches with my punch biopsy. However, yours will be different as they think it's an angioma, also it may be a different size of punch.

It will be your team who can advise more on the day. I just thought I would explain what happened to me with my punch biopsy.

Hoping it all goes smoothly and you get reassurance on everything soon. x

Apologies Latchbrook, I think I replied to you instead of Jane66. Hopefully putting in a mention will sort it?

No problem Rosalinda and thanks very much for your reply. Jane66 should get a notification that she's had a reply but to be doubly sure I've 'tagged' her into my reply to you.

x

Hi again – I just wrote about my experience above.  But then I was thinking, but if you've been told you're getting stitches ... So I looked up punch biopsy and yes local anaesthetic can be given. This is the NHS link I looked up.

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/biopsy/what-happens/

In fact, the NHS link says that local anaesthetic is usually given for a punch biopsy. 

Hi

Had a punch excision 10 days ago.  Mine was lower calf.  Done under local anaesthetic.  Didn't feel a thing.  Might have been in a lucky position as there was no soreness after it either!  

2 stitches being removed tomorrow.  

Also had an elliptical excision on the chest at the same time.  That was sore for a few days.  

Hope all goes well for you.

Hi latchbrook yes not long to wait now,  I've got the letter explaining that I will have a local anaesthetic for the punch excision and that the aim is to take it all and send for biopsy. I'll be gl when it's out,  I don't like looking at it

Thank you so much for explaining the procedure so well my letter says a punch excision with a local anaesthetic and stitches will be in for 7 to 10 days to be removed at gp practice, then wait for the results. I will let you know how I get on as I am a wimp too