Skin biopsy is a semi-invasive medical procedure in which a tegumentary tissue fragment is harvested, which is then microscopically analysed to observe certain pathological changes, suggestive of various local or systemic processes. The harvested tissue fragment will help the doctor in establishing a diagnosis of certainty, his analysis being useful also to exclude other skin diseases or disorders that adversely affect the skin.
Such a procedure is usually performed under local anesthesia. The biopsy results are available in about 7-10 days, depending on the complexity of the investigated disease.
