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Is A Painful Red Ring Around The Site Of Biopsy Normal?

Posted on Mon, 20 Jun 2016

Question: I had a shave biopsy on my back a week and a half ago. There is a red ring around the site and the middle is white. It is quite painful at times but not always. It gets better and then the pain returns. Is this normal?

Answered by Dr. Asmeet Kaur Sawhney (20 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Normal to have these symptoms

Detailed Answer:
Hi
Thanks for being at healthcaremagic
Yes it is normal to have these symptoms after shave biopsy due to inflammation of the site.
It will take few more days to settle.
Continue applying the topical antibiotic .
If possible upload the photographs of the affected areas so that I can have a look at the site.
Regards
Dr Asmeet

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D

Follow up: Dr. Asmeet Kaur Sawhney (30 minutes later)

Thank you for you answer. How do I send a picture? It is quite painful at times but settles down and becomes quite painful again

Answered by Dr. Asmeet Kaur Sawhney (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Upload picture under report section

Detailed Answer:
This is again a normal finding.
You need to upload the picture under the report section of the HCM site.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D

Follow up: Dr. Asmeet Kaur Sawhney (43 hours later)

This is a current picture. It keeps flaring up and becomes very painful at times. It surprises me because I never expected something so small to be so painful. It gets more flared during the day and calms over night. Maybe it is the location? Depth?

How do I know if I develop cellulitis?

Answered by Dr. Asmeet Kaur Sawhney (4 hours later)

Brief Answer:
It is not looking like cellulitis, take oral antibiotics as well

Detailed Answer:
Hi
I have reviewed the attached photograph and it is still looking inflammed.
If I was your treating doctor I would recommend you to take oral antibiotics for faster healing.
Meanwhile continue with topical antibiotic.
It is not looking like cellulitis as it will be associated with fever, fatigue and other constitutional symptoms apart from continuous pain, redness, tenderness and swelling.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Sonia Raina

Follow up: Dr. Asmeet Kaur Sawhney (6 hours later)

This is what it looks like in the morning. No real pain and not as red. what antibiotic do you normally prescribe?

Answered by Dr. Asmeet Kaur Sawhney (35 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Cefixime or amoxicillin clavulanic acid combination

Detailed Answer:
It is looking slightly better.
I normally recommend my patients to take tablet cefixime 200 mg twice daily or tablet containing amoxicillin clavulanic acid combination 625 mg twice daily.
These are usually continued 7-10 days
These are prescription drugs and you need to see the doctor in person to get them.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D

Follow up: Dr. Asmeet Kaur Sawhney (16 minutes later)

Thank you for you time and responses. I greatly appreciate it.

Answered by Dr. Asmeet Kaur Sawhney (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Welcome!!

Detailed Answer:
Welcome!!
All the best!!
Do inform me about further progress of the wound.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D

Follow up: Dr. Asmeet Kaur Sawhney (28 hours later)

i wish i didn't have to write again. I talked to my dermatologist yesterday. He had taken a skin culture last week and it cam e up negative. He didn't want to prescribe antibiotics because he doesn't think there is an infection. He told me to stop using the bandaids bc maybe the baindaids were causing the problem. Here is my thought. Is it possible that a small nerve was cut? i get burning pain in the area. If i take my shirt off, it feels better. overnight, i am sure not to lay on it and it feels better. The pain when it hits is pretty severe. If it is a nerve, will it get better over time?

i submitted the latest picture.

Answered by Dr. Asmeet Kaur Sawhney (5 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Burning due to inflammation, not cutting of nerve

Detailed Answer:
Hi
I have reviewed the latest picture and the redness seems to have decreased.
It will take few more days to heal.

The burning and the pain is because of the inflammation.

I don't think it is due to cutting of any nerve. Even if it's due to the nerve it will get better with time as there is regeneration with time.

The pain gets relieved on taking off the shirt as the friction between the clothing and the wound is not there when the shirt is off.

Don't worry. Just give it some time .

Regards

Note: Hope the answers resolves your concerns, however for further guidance of skin related queries consult our Dermatologist.Click here to book a consultation

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Arnab Banerjee