Vulvar Biopsy After-Care

WHY IS IT DONE? A vulvar biopsy is done to diagnose specic skin conditions and/or to rule out possible cancer in suspicious looking lesions.

WHAT CAN I EXPECT AFTER MY BIOPSY? You may have discomfort or pain at the biopsy site when the local freezing wears off. Taking ibuprofen or acetaminophen may help. A clotting agent (Monsel’s solution) may have been used to stop bleeding and can leave a yellow or black residue. You may notice light spotting from the site. You may have some mid itching or swelling as the area heals over the next one to two weeks. If you have a stitch it will take 2 to 3 weeks to dissolve.

HOW SHOULD I CARE FOR THE BIOPSY SITE? Keep the biopsy site clean. You can rinse with water in the shower. A sitz can be soothing; sit in a clean tub or sitz bath with plain water for 10 minutes. Pour plain water over the site after urinating or bowel movements. Use a ‘peri-bottle’ (any bottle you can fill with water and squirt gently). Apply Vaseline or topical polysporin to the biopsy site twice a day for the first week.

WHAT IF THERE IS BLEEDING? If there is bleeding, apply firm pressure for a few minutes until the bleeding stops. If it does not stop sit on a rolled towel for 10 minutes. If bleeding persists please contact our clinic

CAN I HAVE INTERCOURSE? You can have intercourse as soon as the biopsy site is comfortable.

WHAT IF I THINK I HAVE AN INFECTION? If the area is very red and swollen and you notice discharge from the site you may have an infection. If you have any signs/symptoms of an infection, please contact our clinic

WHEN WILL I GET MY RESULTS? The pathology report is usually available within 2 weeks. If you would like to discuss your results please contact our clinic