Skin Biopsy

Trust Dr. Bimpe Ayeni for Precise, Minimally Invasive Skin Biopsies

Skin Biopsies Performed with Precision

Looking for an experienced plastic surgeon to perform your skin biopsy in Toronto? Trust Dr. Bimpe Ayeni, a board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon with over 15 years of expertise. Known for her precision and care, Dr. Ayeni performs skin biopsies to accurately diagnose conditions such as skin cancer, infections, and other dermatological concerns—ensuring your health is in expert hands.

Understanding Skin Biopsies

A skin biopsy is a quick, minimally invasive procedure where a small sample of skin is removed and examined under a microscope. This helps Dr. Bimpe Ayeni identify conditions such as skin cancer, infections, or other abnormalities.

If you have an unusual spot, lesion, or skin change, Dr. Ayeni may recommend a biopsy to ensure an accurate diagnosis and create a personalized treatment plan.

Why A Skin Biopsy May Be Needed:
  • To diagnose skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, skin cancer and infections
  • To confirm the type of a suspicious growth or lesion on the skin, such as a mole
  • To check the edges around a removed skin cancer/lesion to ensure all abnormal cells have been eliminated
  • To determine the cause of an unexplained rash that has not responded to initial treatments

Types of Skin Biopsies Techniques

Skin biopsies are quick, in-office procedures done under local anesthesia, typically taking 5–10 minutes. After collecting the sample, the area is stitched and bandaged. Healing usually occurs within a week, with minimal scarring.

Using precise technique and years of surgical expertise, Dr. Bimpe Ayeni carefully collects the most appropriate skin sample for accurate diagnosis. Depending on your specific case, she may use one of the following biopsy methods:

Technique Description
Punch Biopsy Uses a cylindrical blade to remove a core sample of skin down to the subcutaneous fat. Ideal for thick-skinned areas and full-thickness diagnostic sampling.
Shave Biopsy Involves shaving off abnormal tissue from the surface using a scalpel or similar tool. Effective for superficial lesions like moles or skin tags.
Excisional Biopsy Surgically removes the entire lesion or growth, including all skin layers. Preferred for larger or potentially suspicious moles or abnormalities.
Incisional Biopsy Removes a portion of a larger affected area (e.g., rash or widespread lesion) for diagnosis, rather than excising the full region.

Benefits of A Skin Biopsy

A skin biopsy is a straightforward procedure that can provide invaluable information about changes in the skin. 

  • Accurate diagnosis: Provides vital information about cellular changes, helping identify conditions like skin cancer, infections, or inflammatory diseases.
  • Start proper treatment sooner: Knowing the exact cause allows Dr. Ayeni to begin targeted therapies right away for more effective treatment.
  • Identify high-risk lesions: Biopsies can detect precancerous or cancerous lesions early—when they are easiest to treat.
  • Improve aesthetic outcomes: For larger growths, a biopsy confirms whether removal is necessary, helping avoid unnecessary scarring.
  • Provide reassurance: Normal biopsy results offer peace of mind, ruling out serious underlying skin conditions.
  • Monitor treatment progress: Repeat biopsies may be used to assess how well treatments are working over time.

Risks & Side Effects

Skin biopsies performed by Dr. Ayeni are highly safe and effective, involving the removal of only a small skin sample. The risk of complications is minimal, but it’s still important for patients to be informed about any potential side effects, however minor.

  • Pain or Soreness: Some discomfort, stinging, or mild pain is common after the numbing medication wears off, but this usually resolves within a few days as the biopsy site heals.
  • Bleeding: Oozing and bleeding is common immediately after the biopsy but is usually minimal and stops quickly with pressure. Extensive or prolonged bleeding is very rare.
  • Infection: When proper sterile technique is used, infection risk is low. However, any break in the skin carries a small risk of bacterial infection, which may require antibiotics. Signs of infection include increasing pain, redness, swelling, drainage, or fever.
  • Scarring: A small scar will form where the skin sample was taken, but proper wound care can minimize scarring. Scars may be more noticeable if the biopsy was deep or if sutures were used.
  • Pigment Changes: The area may become lighter or darker than the surrounding skin, but this often gradually resolves, though it can sometimes be permanent, especially with deeper biopsies.
  • Numbness: There may be a small patch of numbness if tiny sensory nerves were cut, but feeling typically returns slowly over several weeks as the nerves regenerate.
  • Adverse Reaction to Anesthetic: Allergic reactions to the local anesthetic are rare but may cause hives, itching, swelling, and difficulty breathing.

* It’s important that patients follow all post-procedure wound care instructions carefully to lower chances of complications. 

Analyzing the Skin Sample

Dr. Ayeni sends skin biopsies to be analyzed at trusted laboratories in Toronto. Specialists examine the skin tissue under high-powered microscopes to check for any abnormalities in the cells and structures of your skin:

Analyzing skin cell irregularities can reveal fungal or bacterial infections, skin cancer, or other diseases.

Lab technicians examine the arrangement of skin cells and identify abnormal growth patterns.

They evaluate whether your skin cells appear healthy or show signs of damage from sun exposure, toxins, or injury.

For pigmented lesions, the type and amount of melanin are analyzed to assess pigmentation abnormalities.

Why Women Choose Aurora Plastic Surgery for Skin Biopsies

Choosing the right surgeon is a deeply personal decision. At Aurora Plastic Surgery, patients feel confident knowing they’re in the expert hands of Dr. Bimpe Ayeni—valued for her precision, compassionate care, and ability to deliver natural, beautiful results.

Unmatched Expertise

With a world-class education and years of advanced training, Dr. Ayeni offers the skill, precision, and expertise you can trust throughout your surgical journey.

Compassionate Care

From consultation to recovery, you’ll experience a warm, supportive environment designed to make your breast augmentation journey comfortable and informed.

Natural-Looking Results

Blending an artistic eye with advanced surgical precision, Dr. Ayeni delivers beautifully balanced, natural-looking results tailored to each patient’s unique features.

Patient-Centered Approach

Your goals, concerns, and comfort are at the heart of everything we do. This ensure your experience feels supportive, informed, and completely personalized.

Experience You Can Trust

With a surgical legacy and a trusted reputation across the Greater Toronto Area, Dr. Ayeni brings exceptional skill and a deeply personal commitment to patient care.

Real Patient Transformations

Every result tells a story—of confidence restored, goals achieved, and lives transformed. Explore real patient outcomes and see how Dr. Ayeni’s personalized approach and surgical expertise deliver natural, beautiful, and lasting results.

have a question?

Answers to Your Most Common Questions

A biopsy lets us remove a tiny sample of suspicious skin so a pathologist can rule out—or confirm—conditions such as skin cancer, chronic rashes, or unusual moles. It’s the gold-standard way to get an accurate diagnosis before planning treatment.

We perform shave, punch, and excisional biopsies. Shave removes a thin surface slice; punch takes a small cylindrical core; excisional removes the entire lesion with a margin. The best method depends on the size, depth, and location of the spot and whether cosmetic closure is a priority.

The area is fully numbed with a quick local anesthetic, so you should feel only light pressure. The entire appointment usually takes about 15 minutes from start to finish.

Pathology findings are typically ready within 3 – 10 days. As soon as we receive the report, our team calls you to discuss the results and any next steps—no waiting and wondering.

Keep the site clean, covered, and lightly moisturized; most wounds heal in 7 – 10 days. You can shower the next day and resume normal activity as long as you avoid friction on the area. OHIP covers medically necessary biopsies (for example, a lesion that could be cancerous). Cosmetic removals are self-funded; we’ll review any potential costs with you in advance.

Ready to Take the First Step?

Book a one-on-one consultation to explore your options, ask questions, and get expert guidance tailored just for you.